IRON MOUNTAIN — The Dickinson County Board voted 4-1 Monday night to deny an agreement to help fund local Michigan State University Extension services.

The agreement for an $81,000 county allocation was approved by the previous board in December, but was rescinded by the current board in January. While a majority of commissioners later agreed to reconsider, there was no change Monday in the decision.

The board heard 50 minutes of public comment — most of it in support of the Extension and 4-H funding — along with a presentation from Extension District Director Paul Putnam and 4-H coordinator Jessica Ice.

After the denial, Commissioner Joe Stevens, who backed the Extension agreement, proposed a reduced $40,000 allocation. His motion died for lack of a second.

Commissioner Kevin Sullivan cited MSU’s estimated $4.4 billion endowment as he voted against the agreement, saying it was time for “MSU to give back to the county.”

Stevens said the vote was “a sad day for Dickinson County.”

For more, see Wednesday’s edition of The Daily News.