GALLIPOLIS - Gallia County commissioners Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ohio State University Extension Office that will mean development projects for the county, and retention of 4-H programs.

Commissioners unanimously approved the measure that will make Becky Nesbitt, OSU Extension Educator for community development, lead contact on the project.

“Job retention has been one of the things that I have really focused on over the past few years,” said commissioners' President Harold Montgomery. “Partnering with OSU Extension will give us the opportunity to communicate directly with the businesses and manufacturing plants in the community. We want to create an open atmosphere of talking and listening.”

Last fall, representatives from the Extension office visited the commissioners and discussed a budget shortfall. They said that unless the county contributed $40,000, they would have to cut staff, which would adversely affect the county's 4-H program.

At that time, commissioners indicated that most other offices to which the county contributes money also need budget increases. As important as 4-H is to the county, they could not afford to agree to an increase in the county's portion of the Extension office's budget.

Instead, they later approached Extension about the joint project that will not only help the Extension office maintain its current staff and programs, but also assist the county with economic development.

The county will fund the project for $40,000, Montgomery said.

“These additional funds really help us accomplish two things: First, we get to utilize Becky's skills and the resources at OSU,” he said. “Secondly, the funding will allow the extension office to maintain the full staff and experience no cuts in the programs, including 4-H.”

“We see this as a tremendous opportunity to partner with other organizations, like the CIC (Community Improvement Corporation) to help strengthen Gallia County's economic development efforts,” Commissioner Fred Deel said.

Recent events make now the right time to pursue this initiative, Commissioner David Smith said.

“We have a valuable opportunity right now, in the wake of the successful passage of the school bond levies,” he said. “We have the chance to determine if we want to grow and progress or if we will waste this golden opportunity and not grow our economy.

“With the pending investments in the communities around us through the construction of proposed energy plants and the positive economic opportunities those bring, we can't afford to let this moment pass us by,” he added.

Nesbitt will serve as the local liaison for the program. The local Extension office also will employ resources at the Ohio State campus in Columbus, she said. Those resources will help design and implement some of the programs.

During the first year of the program, Nesbitt plans to conduct a comprehensive business retention and expansion program, she said. Plans already are underway on development of marketing materials that will be used to help promote the county.

“We've had a great working relationship with the commissioners though the years,” she said. “We are really excited to put some of the university's resources to work here in Gallia County.”