SIDNEY — The Extension Office is seeking volunteers to apply for an open seat on its board.

Jaime Bright, Cheyenne County educator and Rural Prosperity Nebraska director, said the opening occurred after the resignation of Lynn Holbrook.

“Lynn Holbrook resigned from the board. She just doesn’t have time to keep up with it, so we need to fill a Cheyenne County spot. We try to keep a balance of members with different interests, so we represent someone from the youth side, someone from agriculture, and then someone from either business or healthcare,” Bright said during the Cheyenne County Commissioners meeting on December 16.

The board is made up of residents from Cheyenne, Kimball, and Banner counties. It is designed to have three representatives from each county. Board members must be registered voters. Following Holbrook’s resignation, the board is specifically seeking someone in the business or healthcare sector. The opening is for a Cheyenne County resident, according to Bright.

Meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month in Kimball, subject to change at the organizational meeting in January.

Board members are involved in approving the annual budget from the counties. The Extension Board approves how funds allocated by counties are spent. Bright said this process is usually straightforward, with local expenses related to the salaries of the Kimball-Banner 4-H aide/office manager, the Cheyenne County 4-H assistant, and the Cheyenne County office manager, as well as operating expenses and mileage for the two offices. Educator salaries are paid through the University of Nebraska, so they are not part of the county board’s budget.

Board members provide feedback on programming ideas for Extension programs and evaluate local effectiveness. Advocating for Extension is also part of the role, Bright said.

Board members following Holbrook’s resignation include:

  • Cheyenne County: Whitney Hurt and Kevin Henke
  • Kimball County: Sarah Lewis, Justin Perry, and Lezah Saunders
  • Banner County: JR West, Dan Chesley, and Jessica Stauffer

Bright said Extension Office educators review board applications.

For more information about the Extension Board, contact Jaime Bright at [email protected] or call her at 308-360-1263.