Enrollment in 4-H on a slight rise

Contributed photo
Rachael Johnson of Frazee’s Creating Community Consulting was appointed to the Becker Economic Development Authority to replace Hank Ludtke and completed the remaining year of his term.

By Robert Williams

Editor

Becker County Commissioners initially had two options to fill the District 3 seat on the County Economic Development Authority Board, but one candidate did not live in the district. The replacement will fill the final year of a six-year term vacated recently by Hank Ludtke. Rachael Johnson of Creating Community Consulting of Frazee and Sarah Hofman of Project 412 in Detroit Lakes both submitted letters of interest.

Hofman was ruled ineligible upon the board discovering she does not live in District 3, which is mandatory.

Commissioner Phil Hansen appointed Johnson to replace Ludtke and fulfill the remainder of his term.

Becker County was awarded $120,000 to increase the number of quality childcare providers and support economic development from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), the state’s principal economic development agency, through its Childcare Economic Development Grant (CEDG) program.

The county was one of 125 entities awarded the grant, according to County EDA Specialist Cody Piper. 

Half of the grant money is earmarked for sub-grants to reimburse or match expenses incurred to childcare providers due to the financial burden from regulatory requirements or licensing requirements when starting, expanding, or operating a childcare business located in Becker County. The other half is slated to be used to expand and retrofit an existing facility in Detroit Lakes that provided $70,000 of matching funds.

4-H participation

Commissioner Erica Jepson reported on the most recent Extension meeting where the total number 237 enrolled in 4-H, three more than last year with 25 new members.

“One thing that Becker County is really good at is keeping those re-enrollments; I think we’re at 80 percent as a county,” she said. 

The state is at 60 percent retention.

Commissioners approved a County Extension request for clerical staff to provide office support and other duties as a budgeted position of 520 hours for part-time staff.

Human Services

Commissioners approved a personnel request to fill a full-time administrative assistant position due to a resignation.

Pageants

The Becker County Pageant is returning in conjunction with the Miss Northwest program.

The pageant will not be held at the fair, or during the fair, according to Jepson’s report from the latest fair board meeting. The pageant is tentatively scheduled for late July.