During the Carroll County Board of Supervisors’ April 11 meeting, Wythe County ag agent Andy Overbay introduced Carroll’s new extension agent, Travis Bunn. Overbay said he’s known Bunn for four or five years. If anybody’s up to the challenge of spending 50 percent of his time in Patrick County and 50 percent in Carroll, it’s Bunn.
“I can tell you he is an outstanding young ag agent. He has served in nearby Patrick County and will be sharing responsibilities both in Patrick and in Carroll,” Overbay said. “And while it is a daunting task, I do believe he is up to the challenge. I also have the pleasure of knowing him personally. I can tell you as good an agent as he is, he is an even better young man. And that solves all kinds of problems. So I congratulate you for having obtained this young man’s services here in the county. I think you will be well-pleased.”
Earlier this year, Carroll County voted to fund a 4-H position at 100 percent and an agricultural extension agent at 50 percent in hopes to be first in line for funding for the Virginia Cooperative Extension once money becomes available again. That decision came after stalling of statewide restructuring of the Virginia Co-op Extension left Carroll with only a horticultural agent 25 percent of the time after former ag extension agent Webb Flowers and former 4-H agent Emily Nester left the county.
Overbay told the board that the 4-H agent position has been listed. Applications are being accepted for that position, he said.
“And I can tell you as far as restructuring goes with the extension, we want to thank the citizens of Southwest (Virginia) for what they did in helping stop what we thought was a terrible mistake,” Overbay said. “That is being looked at now by the Department of Education. We have met with our new director, Dr. Ed Jones, who came on board April 1 from N.C. State. He told me he has a meeting (coming up) with the Secretary of Education to discuss looking at restructuring, what needs to be done, what does not need to be done, and hopefully we will move forward from there.”
Taking his turn to address the board of supervisors, Bunn thanked county officials for the opportunity to serve. He said it’s good to be back home in Carroll County, even if he will be splitting his time with Patrick County.
“There is a bunch of good folks down there, but it’s good to be back home, good to work with some of the guys I grew up watching. I just have a lot of respect for our growers here in the county, some of our producers. We have some of the best right here in Carroll County,” Bunn said. “I look forward to the opportunity with those guys and see what we can do to help those folks out. Thank you for the opportunity.”
Supervisors’ Chairman Dr. Tom Littrell thanked Bunn, then made a lighthearted joke about his splitting time between the two counties.
“You don’t look like half a person, but we are certainly glad to have you,” Littrell said.
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