Nine gardening lovers in the county are certified as Master Gardeners by the University of Minnesota, volunteering their time to teach horticulture under the Extension Service.

The program is a part of mission the Extension carries: making a difference by connecting community needs with university resources.

Extension Director Pat Stumme emphasized the positive effects this and other Extension programs bring to the community during a county workshop Thursday, countering a special budget committee’s recommendation to slash 80 percent of Extension’s $160,000 budget.

But County Administrator Ron Gabrielsen wondered if the county should pour public money into the service. &uot;Why can’t I call up a nursery or Riverland College and ask if my tree has got a disease?&uot; he said.

Such sentiment was universal among the administrators of nine southeastern Minnesota counties who met Wednesday in Winona to discuss the budget fix, Gabrielsen said.

It did not take much time for them to conclude that the only Extension program that should be preserved is 4-H, according to Gabrielsen. Further, the group basically agreed to merge all other Extension functions into one regional office, make the services optional on a contract basis, and ask commissioners their opinions.

Stumme stressed that Extension has reduced its budget by $23,000 in the past three years, and the recommended $32,000 budget is not enough to sustain even the 4-H program alone.

Extension boasts a hundred-year commitment to communities throughout the state. But, many counties seem to agree that the problem is structural.

Gabrielsen thinks the residents are less dependent on Extension. &uot;Times have changed,&uot; he said. &uot;We have the state college in Mankato and Riverland Community College here. You can call them or get information through the Internet. Good services are also available by other public entities and private firms.&uot;

The commissioners did not reach a conclusion Thursday on the Extension budget, nor on other proposals by the committee. The discussion will continue in another workshop meeting next Tuesday.

The special budget committee recommended cuts in most areas of county government, with a base cut of 4 percent across all departments. Some, like Extension, the administration department and the sheriff’s office, would see deeper cuts under the recommendations. The county is cutting its budget in response to funding cuts expected to arise from the state’s budget deficit.