May 8, 2008
Renzoni announces retirement plans at county meetings
by Mark Berglund
Dan Renzoni, the longtime University of Wisconsin-Extension 4-H Youth Development Agent and dean of the Taylor County department, announced his retirement Tuesday at the county Agricultural and Extension Education Committee meeting. The committee accepted Renzoni’s retirement and began the process for replacing him in those two positions. The retirement is set to begin July 3. The plan is to have the next agent in place by September or October.
“It has really been an awesome job. Sometimes, I ask myself why I am walking away from it all,” Renzoni said.
Renzoni noted he coordinates an effort that generates 30,000 volunteer hours toward the youth of Taylor County. “They really deserve the best effort,” Renzoni said.
Renzoni served in the 4-H position for 16 years. He began working in Taylor County in 1983 with the land conservation department.
The committee accepted the department’s recommendation to split the dean’s position between agents Arlen Albrecht and Peggy Nordgren. Albrecht will handle personnel, and relations with the state, county and other intergovernmental issues while Nordgren concentrates on budget and technology issues.
The committee reviewed the job description for the 4-H Youth Development Agent. As a member of the extension faculty, the position is a state employee, with the county paying a share of the salary. Tom Schmitz, the district director for extension, was at the meeting and updated the committee on the search process. He will post the position as soon as possible. When the pool of candidates is set, the committee will then take over the interviewing and hiring process.
Renzoni noted the job description changes with programs like the successful after school programs developing in recent years. He said ultimately the job boils down to networking with as many people who have a similar interest — the youth of Taylor County — as possible.
