The following message was sent from Vice President for Extension and Outreach John Lawrence. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Document and Addendum referenced in this message were sent to county extension council chairs only.
April 15, 2020
Dear Extension Council Chair,
As you are aware, the current Memorandum of Understanding between Iowa State University and County Agricultural Extension Districts expires June 30, 2020. Attached is a revised MOU and three versions of Addendum A for adoption by your council.
A committee representing the Iowa Extension Council Association (IECA) and Iowa State University reviewed the current MOU and made mutually agreed upon revisions. The revisions reflect what we have learned in recent years and the changes due to Structured for Success, which begins July 1. There are relatively minor changes in the new MOU and it is the same for all counties.
Addendum A is a new document that is based on the Structured for Success plan and was discussed by the committee. It defines the roles and responsibilities of the regional director under the Model selected. There are three versions of Addendum A, one for each Model, 1, 2, or 3. The addendum also addresses council authority, legal counsel, liability, and support fee. Your council should approve and sign the Addendum A that corresponds to the Model you want for your county. This will be your formal Model decision and it can differ from your earlier choice of Model 1 or 3 now that you have more information and have the formal agreement to review. We are not accepting additional Model 2 counties at this time.
The MOU and Addendums have been reviewed by attorneys at Whitfield & Eddy and University Council, representing both IECA and ISU respectively. A set of frequently asked questions and responses has been posted to the IECA website. If you have additional questions about the MOU or Addendum A, please visit with your regional director, Terry Maloy, Andrea Nelson, or me.
Once your council has approved both the MOU and Addendum A, please complete the forms, sign them, and return them to me. In the MOU, Section IX, indicate your county and the Council Chair will sign and date. Choose the Addendum A Model number that the council chose for your county (top of first page), fill in your county, and list the other counties in your new region. Your current regional director can assist with that list or I will fill it in for you. Then sign and date at the end of Addendum A. Please return both signed documents to me either scanned by email to redenius@iastate.edu or hard copy 2150 Beardshear Hall Ames, IA 50011-2046.
My goal is to still have the MOU and Addendum A approved, signed, and returned to me by June 1. I recognize that COVID-19 has delayed getting these documents to you and may have limited your meetings. I also know that it can be difficult to get a quorum in the spring. Please make the review and approval of these documents a priority and do your best to return them to me in early June.
Sincerely,
John D. Lawrence, Vice President for Extension and Outreach