ISU Extension and Outreach in Clarke County elect’s county extension officers

Osceola- Four officers were elected during the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Clarke County extension council organizational meeting January 19, 2026. The nine-member county extension council annually elects officers to comply with federal and state laws to aid in disseminating useful and practical information from the state’s land grant university to the people of Iowa.

Leslie Ruby, Murray is the re-elected chairperson. Ruby will preside at all meetings of the county extension council, have authority to call special meetings and perform duties as performed and exercised by the chairperson of the board of directors of a corporation. Darbi DeVore, Osceola was re-elected vice chairperson.

Paula Hein, Osceola, was re-elected secretary and has the responsibility of keeping the minutes of all county extension council meetings and signing required papers for the council.

The council elected Josh Manternach, Osceola, to the treasurer position. The treasurer has charge of all the funds of the county extension council; receives, deposits, pays and disburses. The treasurer ensures an accurate record of receipts and disbursements and submits reports to the county extension council.

As elected officials, (Ruby, DeVore, Hein, Manternach, Julie Horton, Linda Abbott, Kim Hamiton, Amy Ewing & 1 open position) the county extension council is the local governing body of ISU Extension and Outreach. The county extension council hires county staff, manages the county extension budget and helps determine programming. In partnership with Iowa State University, the council provides educational opportunities that bring university resources to the needs of the county and region.

ISU Extension and Outreach is part of the federal Cooperative Extension Service — a network of more than 100 land-grant institutions, including Iowa State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture serving communities and counties across the United States. Every county in Iowa has an elected extension council that decides how to support ISU Extension and Outreach educational programs at the county level.

The county extension office is located at 709 Furnas Drive, Suite 1 in Osceola, Iowa. To learn more about ISU Extension and Outreach in Clarke County, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/clarke. For more information about ISU Extension and Outreach, visit www.extension.iastate.edu.

If you are interested in the opportunity to fill our open council member position, please contact our office at 641-342-3316.