Box Butte County Extension Board
Meeting Minutes
April 14, 2026
Rol call: Present – Steve Benzel, Denise Koozer, Callan Ackerman, Marie Rine
Absent- Tory McVicker
Also present- John Thomas, Extension AG Educator, Melissa Mracek, 4-H
Educator was absent
Brett Ditsch, Box Butte County Commissioner
The meeting was called to order at 5:04 p.m. Steve made a motion to accept the agenda, and Denise seconded. The motion passed unanimously with ayes from Steve, Denise, Callan, and Marie.
Marie moved to accept the consent agenda, and Steve seconded. The motion passed unanimously with ayes from Steve, Denise, Callan, and Marie.
John shared a short Nebraska Extension horticulture video. He also provided a flyer inviting board members to attend the NACEB Summer Meeting, which will be held in Holdrege.
John reported that he completed this year’s agriculture trainings, including two chemigation trainings in Alliance and the final two private pesticide trainings in Alliance and Scottsbluff.
He also discussed the Rocky Mountain Bean Dealers Conference he attended in Colorado, highlighting industry insights gained through sessions and networking with growers. He also shared updates on this year’s $7,500 grant from the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission; due to reduced acreage and low commodity prices, the awarded amount was half of what was requested. He is excited about the six on-farm research projects planned for this year.
Both John and Gary Stone spent a day driving and surveying the western areas impacted by the recent Morrill wildfires. They observed that the affected landscape now has a slight green tint as crowns of native grasses begin to send up new growth. While rainfall is still greatly needed, there appears to be sufficient moisture to initiate regrowth.
He continues to respond to public questions regarding concerns about personal landscaping, insect issues, and local drought conditions. He also visited the local FFA chapter team that will be attending the state FFA competition and shared his pinned insect collection. In addition, he coached students on agricultural insect and disease identification in crops..
Since Melissa was unable to attend the meeting, John provided a brief recap of her recent Extension programming. The 10 North Panhandle robotics teams wrapped up their season at the state competition in Lincoln. A team from Gordon earned a Core Values Award for their dedication to cheering on and supporting other teams as well as their own teammates. Teams from Chadron and Alliance each received Excellence in Engineering Awards for their innovation in robot design and project solutions.
Melissa has also stayed busy providing programming in area schools, including Inventure Day for Sheridan County seventh graders and Health Day at St. Agnes in Alliance. Her largest program this spring has been embryology. When the program wraps up in early May, she will have visited 13 classrooms.
In old business, the staff recently interviewed and offered the summer intern position to Ayla Foster. She is considered an ideal candidate for the role, and we have hopes she will accept the offer soon.
An update was provided on the county-owned vehicle previously used by office staff that is no longer needed. Brett stated that the commissioners will soon pick up the Durango and determine next steps.
In new business, it was reported that staff have been very busy updating the Extension website and social media pages in preparation for new accessibility requirements. A Digital Accessibility Update was shared, noting that in 2024 the Department of Justice issued new guidance under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), establishing a clear accessibility standard for digital content and tools. The deadline for university compliance with Title II is April 24, 2026.
All digital content posted by anyone at the university must meet digital accessibility guidelines before being published. This includes all UNL websites (both public and internal), web applications, social media posts, and more.
This guidance represents a significant change for the University and Extension. As a result, social media flyers may look different. Moving forward, most information will be included in the caption or post on Facebook rather than on the flyer itself. The website layout will also be updated to better meet accessibility standards.
In other new business, John and the board discussed the recent wildfires that impacted parts of Morrill, Sheridan, Garden, and Keith counties. He attended an informational meeting in Oshkosh that provided resources and support for landowners affected by the fires.
With no other business the meeting was adjourned at 5:33 p.m. The next regular meeting will be held on May 12th at 5:00 p.m.
Marie Rine,
Fill-in Secretary