The executive committee of each county extension association shall prepare an annual budget as requested, showing in detail its estimate of the amount of money to be expended under this chapter within the county or counties for the fiscal year, shall submit the same to a vote of the association at the regular annual meeting and, if the budget is approved by a majority vote of the members of the association present at such meeting, the executive committee shall submit the same to the board of county commissioners on a date requested by the county commissioners, and the county commissioners may, if they deem it justifiable, adopt an appropriate budget for the county extension program and levy a tax therefor. The amount thus raised by direct taxation within any county or combination of counties for the purposes of this chapter shall be used for the salaries of clerks, provision of office space, supplies, equipment, postage, telephone, a contribution toward the salaries of county agents and such other expenses as necessary to maintain an effective county extension program. Whenever the inhabitants of 2 counties shall unite for organization in one association, the executive committee shall present its budget to the county commissioners of both counties. The county commissioners of those counties shall meet jointly to consider and adopt a budget for each county. The amount and proportion of the budget shall be shared in a manner determined by mutual agreement at a joint meeting of the county commissioners. [PL 1985, c. 283, §4 (AMD).]