The 4-H youth development program has been given another $30,000 in Washington County money despite a vote by commissioners in March to end subsidies by year's end.
The money approved at the County Board's meeting this week is intended to help 4-H in 2010 while the club finds other funding through dues, fees and grants, said Yvonne Klinnert, a county spokeswoman.
When commissioners voted to end the county's annual $130,000 funding of the program, they said that while they support and admire 4-H, they couldn't justify spending property tax levy money on it. At least $3.1 million was cut from the county budget this year.
Washington County is the first of Minnesota's 87 counties to have severed all ties with University of Minnesota Extension programs, familiar in counties for at least a century. A year ago, the county cut funding for Master Gardener, an Extension program. The 4-H Club money appropriated this week will come from the county's 2010 contingency budget.
KEVIN GILES
