Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
HURLEY - Starting today, Will Andresen - the former department head and community resource development agent for Iron County's University of Wisconsin Extension Office - will begin working as regional director for the UW-Extension's North-Central Region.
Andresen said the position is a two-year interim position overseeing the region stretching from Iron County to Green Lake.
"It's a two-year interim (position), which could be less depending on how our reorganization goes," Andresen said. "It's flexible, so I'm taking a leave of absence ... from my current position (for) up to two years. So what happens after two years, or between now and then, who knows?"
Andresen will provide administrative support services - including responsibilities such as hiring, evaluating, budgeting and building relations with the communities - to the 19 county and two tribal Extension offices that make up the region.
One unknown for Andresen is what will happen as the UW-Extension System transitions from a county-based model to a more regionalized model.
While the transition continues to develop, Andresen said the general principle of a multi-county model with a local presence remains. He said some people will likely continue to work with one county, while others will have several counties they are responsible for.
Work groups are currently forming to provide additional input into the transition, he said, with their recommendations expected in early 2017 and implementation of the new model beginning later that year and likely continuing into 2018.
"I think a big part of my job going forward will be working through this transition," Andresen said, "trying to be as open and transparent as we can with how the changes are going and how they are going to affect our county partners and employees."
While Andresen will have a new title, he plans to continue working out of his Iron County office, being on the road several days a week.
"I'm looking forward to some new challenges, meeting new people, learning the system from a different perspective," he said. "I really enjoyed my time in Iron County. I wouldn't be shocked if I'm back in two years, in some capacity or other.
"(I'm) proud of the people I've been working with, and they will continue to do great work."
Neil Klemme, Iron County's Youth Development Agent, will take over Andresen's responsibilities as department head. The office's former AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, Amy Nosal, became the office's interim family living educator in January. Andresen said moving forward, Nosal will split her duties between community development and family living.
"(The change) will be a good opportunity for growth for Neil, a good growth opportunity for Amy and a good growth opportunity for me as well," he said.
While Nosal will continue to focus on a number of efforts Andresen has been involved in, he said the split with family living duties means there will be some shifts in priorities.
"Since I was 100 percent (focused on community development) and she is 50 percent, it's unrealistic to expect her to do everything I did," Andresen said. "So we're going to narrow her focus down to creating healthy active communities, food, trails, coalitions, attracting and engaging young people, that kind of thing."
