Special to the Times Vedette
Lisa Carstens of Greenfield was appointed to the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Adair County extension council at its organizational meeting Jan. 5. She fills a vacancy left by Jessica Christensen who resigned from the council on Oct. 20. Carstens’ appointment will expire at the end of 2026, at which time she may choose to run in the county’s general election.
The nine-member county extension council annually elects officers to comply with federal and state laws to aid in disseminating useful and practical information from the state’s land grant university to the people of Iowa.
Matt Mensing, Greenfield, was re-elected as chairperson. Mensing will preside at all meetings of the county extension council, have authority to call special meetings and perform duties as performed and exercised by a chairperson of a board of directors of a corporation. Greg Lilly, Greenfield, was re-elected vice chairperson.
Matthew Rohrig, Orient, was elected secretary and has the responsibility of keeping the minutes of all county extension council meetings and signing required papers for the council.
The council re-elected Sondra Baudler, Fontanelle, to the treasurer position. The treasurer has charge of all of the funds of the county extension council; receives, deposits, pays and disburses. The treasurer ensures an accurate record of receipts and disbursements and submits reports to the county extension council.
As elected officials, the county extension council is the local governing body of ISU Extension and Outreach. The county extension council hires county staff, manages the county extension budget, and helps determine programming. In partnership with Iowa State University, the council provides educational opportunities that bring university resources to the needs of the county and region.
ISU Extension and Outreach is part of the federal Cooperative Extension Service — a network of more than 100 land-grant institutions, including Iowa State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture serving communities and counties across the United States. Every county in Iowa has an elected extension council that decides how to support ISU Extension and Outreach educational programs at the county level.
The county extension office is located at 154 Public Square, Suite C in Greenfield. To learn more about ISU Extension and Outreach in Adair County, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/adair. For more information about ISU Extension and Outreach, visit www.extension.iastate.edu.