CASSOPOLIS — Cass County Board of Commissioners voted 8-5 Thursday night to keep the vacant 4-H educator position fulltime in the wake of Michigan State University Extension’s “redesign.”

The position was previously occupied by Jessica Poulsen.

Chairwoman Minnie Warren and Commissioners Gordon Bickel Sr., Roseann Marchetti, Carl Higley Sr., Johnie Rodebush, Ed Goodman, Cathy Goodenough and Skip Dyes voted for a fulltime position instead over a part-time paraprofessional.

Commissioners Charlie Arnold, Annie File, Clark Cobb, Dale Lowe and Robert Ziliak voted no.

Ron Francis and Bob Wagel were absent.

In other March 17 business, commissioners welcomed new Administrator Charlie Cleaver and bid farewell to one-year Interim Administrator Chuck Clarke, paid tribute to Dowagiac Dr. M.S. Zaman, who is retiring after 40 years; and congratulated Terri Wyman, administrative assistant for the Cass County Road Commission, on winning a best practices award for improving how calls are handled.

Goodman, R-Silver Creek Township, who made the motion to approve the MSUE 4-H agreement, reminded his colleagues that the previous Thursday at the Intergovernmental Forum they heard speakers supporting that agriculture is the economic engine that drives Michigan.

“Since we don’t have a person in that position right now,” said Ziliak, R-Milton Township, “I think this would be a good time to have that be a half-time position, like Commissioner File said,” relying on two veteran secretaries, Patty Dohm and Mary Wilkinson.

“A half-time position would put us just about in line with where I think we should be for our budget next year,” since the memo of understanding MSUE District Coordinator Brad Neumann reviewed with the board contemplates an outlay of $168,044 for the 2012 fiscal year starting Oct. 1, compared to the $145,991 2011 budget.

“That would knock it down to about a 3.7-percent increase,” Ziliak said.

“Try it and if we don’t get the results we want, we change that position in six months. I’m not against 4-H, what I’m against is increasing our budget, which is going up. Where is this money coming from? That’s the question I keep wanting to answer.

“If every time someone comes along and we don’t make the tough decisions and reduce the budget as we can, we’re going to have an inflated budget and have to draw down some other balanced fund. I don’t want to do that myself.”

“That’s why we’re looking at having our Parks Department share that MSU office,” Goodman countered.

“4-H kids aren’t out getting in trouble, and we need that today desperately,” stated Higley, R-Ontwa Township. “Are our young people worth a little money? Or, are we going to be tight-fisted, save money and let the kids go?

“We’ve got to look at the value of these young people coming into our society, and if it costs us a few bucks, so be it. I put their futures far ahead of the dollars we’re going to spend,” Higley said.

“I think 4-H is a wonderful thing,” said File, R-Cassopolis, “but I think most of the credit should go to the volunteer leaders and children’s parents. We’re doing without a 4-H agent right now because there’s so much knowledge in that office.”

Bickel, R-Porter Township, commented, “It would be very hard for me to say no to 4-H. I know none of you know this, but I was elected a state junior leader way back when.”

“I agree with Commissioner Goodman it should be fulltime,” said Rodebush, D-Howard Township. “I think we have a better chance of getting a more qualified person than if they know it’s going to be a part-time job.”

Dyes, R-Calvin Township, ultimately supported the fulltime position, but after noting he wants to see a program pretty much unchanged for 50 years reach a wider, more diverse audience. “That needs to change.”

Neumann indicated that could happen because the educator would be mentored by a woman in Berrien County as 4-H “cross-fertilizes” more across county lines.