No money in King County budget for 4-H, Master Gardener programs

The Metropolitan King County Council passed a 2010 budget Monday that eliminates funding for 4-H clubs, the Master Gardener program and nutrition education offered through the county office of the Washington State University Cooperative Extension.

Without county funding, WSU administrators say, they legally cannot continue a program that brings in $5.60 in state, federal and foundation grants for every dollar the county spends.

Council members said they hope to find a way to keep the extension programs alive without spending more from the cash-strapped general fund.

Extension programs in King County serve 1,112 4-H Club members, 7,993 more casual participants in 4-H programs and 740 volunteers, in one of the nation's oldest Master Gardener programs.

The council dealt with a $56 million shortfall in the $627 million general fund by closing county animal shelters; trimming public-health programs; spending some reserves; slashing the council and executive budgets; and eliminating support for the WSU Extension, the 146-year-old King County Fair in Enumclaw, and nonprofits that operate food banks, senior centers and farmers markets.

The overall $5 billion budget eliminates 311 jobs through layoffs and a hiring freeze, but avoids deep cuts to courts, the Sheriff's Office and prosecutors.

"Ugly, ugly, ugly"

"These were ugly, ugly, ugly decisions. It's sort of like saying, 'Do you want to feed your oldest, your middle or your next child?' " said Kathy Lambert, a member of the council's budget leadership team.

Kurt Triplett, who will be succeeded as county executive by Dow Constantine this afternoon, originally proposed keeping at least some extension programs alive but reducing their funding from $671,796 to $109,000.

"Zeroing out the remaining $109,000, that was the straw that broke the back," said Linda Fox, WSU associate dean and associate director of its Cooperative Extension. "If there is no support, we have to say no, there is no 4H program, there is no Master Gardener program."

Supporters of 4-H and Master Gardeners rallied outside KeyArena on Sunday, and they have bombarded the council with e-mails supporting the programs. 4-H member Lindsey Krause, of Kent, who has shown her yellow Labrador retriever, wrote, "When I first joined 4-H, I was shy and didn't talk much but ... being at the fair and talking to the public has brought me out of my shell."

"The future of agriculture depends heavily on 4-H. Does King County really want to risk that?" asked Enumclaw resident Sarina Cassell, 15, who has been in 4-H for eight years.

4-H groups

4-H Clubs, the youth-development arm of the nation's land-grant universities, sponsors groups in King County that focus on animal husbandry, family living, robotics, dirt biking and leadership.

Triplett said in an e-mail to a 4-H supporter Monday that he would send the council a funding request for $109,000 that would be a supplemental budget request, not part of the plan approved Monday.

Triplett wrote that he grew up on a farm near Spokane, is "very familiar with the benefits provided by 4-H" and was surprised the council eliminated funding.

Constantine said he has been "a big supporter of the WSU Extension in the budget over the years" and will look for a solution. "The dilemma we face in this county budget," he said, "is similar to that faced by other programs previously funded by the county — the nonprofit service programs or the animal shelter."

Before the council voted on the budget, Brad Gaolach, extension director for King County, said he was hopeful the programs could be saved. "Essentially, it's leaving a crack in the door open so dialogue can continue past the signing of the 2010 budget," he said.

Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105 or kervin@seattletimes.com