VIDALIA &045; The LSU AgCenter Extension Service is calling on one of its three partners to get through tough financial times.

Director Paul Coreil told the members of the Concordia Parish Police Jury Monday night that the Extension Service had done a poor job talking to parish governments and asking for the needed support.

The service is funded through local government, the legislature and grant dollars. It provides university-level classes, services and advice to the people in the service area. Extension offices are located in parishes across the state and in counties across the country.

Coreil said local dollars are used to fund building maintenance, salaries and benefits.

Currently 2.8 percent of the LSU service’s salaries and benefits come from parish governments. The southern average is 21 percent. Coreil said Louisiana was the lowest in the southern region.

Over the next two years the AgCenter is aiming at raising the local government contribution to 10 percent.

&uot;I have confidence that the Extension Service has been a big impact on local parishes,&uot; Coreil said. &uot;Over a two-year period we can work to reach that goal. We are not here tonight to put immediate pressure on you.&uot;

Jury President Melvin Ferrington told Coreil that the Extension Service would always have the full support of the jury.

&uot;We’ve got some ideas (to fund the request),&uot; Ferrington said. &uot;We are going to do everything we can to help you through this, we’ve just got to figure out a way to do so.&uot;

Coreil praised the Concordia Parish Extension Service staff as one of the state’s best and said other parishes gladly take them away.

&uot;You have an LSU campus here,&uot; Coreil said. &uot;Concordia is a bright spot for us because you have an outstanding staff.&uot;

The 10 percent is proposed to come from the Police Jury and the School Board. Coreil said he would be making a similar presentation to the School Board at a later date.

In other business:

4 Juror Randy Temple made a motion to research an ordinance requiring junk dealers to have fences around their property to decrease the eyesore on the area.

4 A 15 mph speed limit was approved for Plouden Bayou Road in Monterey.

4 No bids were received for the adjudicated property in Levens Addition, and the jury extended the deadline for bids.