At a time when bailouts by the federal government could climb to a total of $1 trillion (that's the number 1 followed by a dozen zeros), four-figure expenditures can still drive a hearty discussion when local government bodies gather. Local lawmakers realize that they're dealing with real money that comes from the taxpayers. Such was the case Tuesday morning at the weekly meeting of the Brookings County Commission, when county Extension educators Rose Stee and Jon Kieckhefer briefed commissioners on the need to purchase a microscope with a price tag of about $4,500. Stee advised them that the money was already in the 2008 Extension budget. Watching funds carefully

She explained, "We've been real frugal with our money this year. We were to buy a copier with our budget; but we were able to get a secondhand copier from the Register of Deeds. That frees up some money this year for the possibility of purchasing this microscope.

"Next year our budget has been cut; so we want you to take a look at this possibility just in case it might work for us." Kieckhefer explained that the microscope would be used "for educational and some diagnostic purposes." The Extension service would be able to do some basic procedures that are now being done at South Dakota State University on a fee-forservice basis: "$10 to just look at something. "¦ The more they have to do beyond that, the higher it goes. There are services that run $80 to $100 for the determination on things."

Kieckhefer noted also that 4-H programs could benefit from having the microscope available for educational purposes .

In response to queries from the commissioners, he noted also that other area counties could benefit from services that Brookings County Extension could provide them. Commissioners Emil Klavetter and Dennis Falken suggested the possibility of other counties paying a fee for services. And Commissioner Mary Negstad pushed for a requirement that other counties would bring their diagnostic needs to to Brookings County's Extension rather than Extension going to outlying counties. A 'snake under the rock'

Commissioner Don Larson, after a "Well" and several-seconds pause, said, "I'm always the one that asks the tough questions; and it's not that I don't support Extension. I do; I think it's a valuable tool."

"But ," he added, "I think what we need to understand is what's happening here. And you look under the rock, and you find a snake.

"No . 1, I think we need to look at our agreement that we have with the Cooperative Extension Service and see if this is acceptable. But, ladies and gentlemen, what's really happening here is we're falling into the trap of exactly what we fight as commissioners in unfunded mandates. This is a piece of equipment that the state of South Dakota should make available. County endorsement?

"We as county commissioners , we go to the legislators, we go to the Congress, and we battle and battle and fight unfunded mandates all the time. And all of a sudden, today in essence we're endorsing it." Following a few more minutes of back-and-forth discussion , Commission Chairwoman Deanna Santema shut things down, noting to Stee and Kieckhefer, "It is a consensus that if there's money in your budget, go ahead and do this."

But she added that the consensus of the board also was that "they would like the microscope to stay in Brookings County and be locked up "¦ . And it will belong to Brookings County; it will not belong to the state."

Larson did get in one last parting shot: "This is step No. 1 to a county diagnostic lab."

John kubal may be reached at jkubal@bookingsregister.com.