Purdue Extension changes won’t affect 4-H program

Wayne County will be involved in a Purdue Extension pilot program to share services across counties in 2026, but don’t worry, that won’t impact Wayne County’s 4-H program.

“Most people in Wayne County, when they think Purdue Extension, think 4-H, and we want to make sure they know our 4-H programs will not change,” Commissioner Brad Dwenger said, when commissioners were presented the 2026 Extension contract by Molly Hunt, the regional director, during their Sept. 24 meeting. “We will have somebody dedicated to that.”

Wayne County is joined by Blackford, Jay, Henry, Randolph and Delaware counties in the pilot region, with the statewide rollout for the regional approach slated for 2027. Hunt said Extension is trying to meet community needs and efficiently provide services under current financial constraints.

“I think the unique thing that we have a chance to do, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself, is we get to help shape the next version of Extension and how we deliver services through the land-grant mission in all 92 counties,” Hunt said.

A full-time 4-H educator will remain based in Wayne County. The six-county region will also have multiple agriculture educators and health and human science educators. How their time is split depends on the counties’ needs. 

Hunt said one of those additional educators might be stationed in Wayne County. The structural model is not completed yet, but Hunt said she expects it will be by the end of October or in early November.

Wayne County’s contract is for $58,830 during 2026. Commissioner Jeff Plasterer said that’s about $30,000 less than the 2025 contract.

Commissioners approved the contract 3-0 contingent upon Ron Cross, the county attorney, working through some concerns with several paragraphs unrelated to the Extension services.

Biking update

Barry Cramer, an advocate for community bikeability and walkability, asked commissioners to make bicycling a forethought, not an afterthought.

A priority for a local biking/walking group is 25 miles of on-street paths in Richmond that require simple signage or road markings rather than construction. That mileage includes bridges, which are maintained by the county. Cramer said he’s been too late when suggesting that bridge projects on South G Street and Richmond Avenue plan for bike paths, because project planning begins about five years before construction.

Cramer said another priority is U.S. Bicycle Route 50 that crosses Wayne County but is not marked. Cramer said signage in Ohio identifies the bike route.

Buggy costs

Commissioners began discussing raising annual county fees paid for animal-drawn vehicles.

Plasterer said the $40 fee has not changed since its implementation in 2003. Research showed the lowest amount other counties charge is $30 and the highest is $250, he said, but no new figure was discussed during the meeting. In Wayne County, 450 vehicles were registered this year.

The discussion follows Wayne County Council’s adoption of local option highway user taxes that will be charged to residents registering motor vehicles and trailers with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles next year. The next steps are developing an ordinance to implement the new fee amount and deciding on that amount.

Other issues

• Commissioners approved 3-0 a four-year contract with Nexus Group of Zionsville to provide cyclical property reassessment services. This will be the third four-year contract for Nexus, which was the only bidder. Cost is $898,000, the same as the 2022-25 contract.
• Work continues to make the commissioners/council chambers in the Wayne County Administration Building function as planned. Commissioners approved contracting with Wilco Custom Electronics to update the lighting controls and to replace and reconfigure speakers for the sound system. Cost is $7,176 for the lighting and $5,872 for the sound system and will be paid from the cumulative courthouse fund.
• Commissioners will auction the vacant lots at 916-918 E. Main St. as one parcel at 10 a.m. Oct. 22 in the administration building’s chambers, 401 E. Main St., Richmond. The minimum bid will be $10,000. Commissioners voted 3-0 for Walther & Hawkins Auctioneers to conduct the auction for $150. 
• The county judges received 3-0 permission from commissioners to create small libraries on each floor of the courthouse. Judges received books during the Indiana Judges Association conference. Library locations are still undetermined.
• County employees will receive 13 holidays during 2026. Commissioners unanimously approved the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Jan. 1; birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., Jan. 19; Presidents Day, Feb. 16; Good Friday, April 3; Memorial Day, May 25; Juneteenth, June 19; Independence Day, July 3; Labor Day, Sept. 7; Veterans Day, Nov. 11; Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26; day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 27; Christmas Eve, Dec. 24; and Christmas Day, Dec. 25.
• The Association of Indiana Counties conference in French Lick caused commissioners to cancel their Oct. 1 meeting.