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He said following a meeting in December with Del. Jay Katzen and Sen. Kevin Miller "I had a good feeling about extension and the amount of funding.”
“I was greatly disappointed by the whole thing,” he said. Mr. Massie noted that both Mr. Cunningham and former agent Thomas Williams had extensive backgrounds in both apples and beef cattle, the county’s principal crops. “We were very fortunate,” he said. “That combination is kind of unique to our area in the northern piedmont.”
Dr. Jesse Judy, district director in the northern district in Luray, said that because of previous cuts in extension operating costs were already low, and there was nothing left to cut but positions. He said it is still not known if Mr. Cunningham’s position would have been cut since he does not yet know what other agents will be leaving due to retirement or finding other jobs.
“Individuals who were recently hired, such as Scott, were aware of the situation, and we have advised them to make decisions based on what is best for them and their families,” he said.
In our surrounding counties Page and Warren have two agents. Madison County has two agents and splits a third with Orange County. Fauquier and Culpeper counties each have three agents funded by the state, but each of those counties is paying 100 percent of the cost for a fourth agent, Dr. Judy said.
He said if extension continues to receive cuts it may not be possible to try to maintain two agents as a minimum in each county unless the counties are willing to bear more of the cost.
Arts Groups
Plan Meeting
The challenges faced by various local arts groups recently has rekindled an interest in forming a community arts council or umbrella organization. Lois Manookian will host an open meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 14 to discuss the prospect of developing or reorganizing an agency with a mission to accomplish the following:
• Nurture all the local art groups and some other community activities which fit with arts and education.
• Provide a facility, where appropriate and necessary.
• Provide support such as office services to eliminate some costly duplication.
• Publish a consolidate mailer to advertise arts events and offerings of various arts groups.
• White grants and develop substantial funding from the NEA and/or private foundations who are interested in rural community arts organization.
Each arts organization is encouraged to discuss this proposal among their membership and appoint a speaker to represent their views at the meeting. Please call Page Smith at 987-9158 for more information if you plan to attend.
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