Activity Report for the Period 10/2/2017 – 10/13/2017

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Jay Udelhoven
Completed:
  • External Engagement: Attended WMSWCD annual meeting; reviewed internal coordination of Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA); met with SPA partners for initial discussion regarding Year 3+ projects/funding.
  • Boards/Committees: Prepared for and hosted October board meeting; attended Land Legacy Committee meeting; attended Grants Committee meeting; met 1x1 with 3 board members to discuss board issues, personnel policies, and performance review.
  • Policies/Planning/Budgeting: Met with contracted facilitators to plan for Board-staff strategic planning retreat; updated draft personnel policies as per committee recommendations, prepared for presentation to the full board.
  • Supervision/Leadership: Attended lawsuit deposition; attended CEI (the Center for Equity and Inclusion) meeting; finalized three program supervisor performance review; met with staff and management team during 1x1 meetings and team meeting.
  • Program Implementation: Met with in-holding landowners at Headwater Farm to discuss ownership and management issues.
Planned:
  • Please note that Jay may potentially be on jury duty and traveling, thus several items below are pending his schedule and participation.
  • External Engagement: Participate in the re-booted Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program task force (first of ~four planned meetings).
  • Boards/Committees: Nothing planned.
  • Policies/Planning/Budgeting: Meet with contracted facilitators to plan for Board-staff strategic planning retreat.
  • Supervision/Leadership: Meet with Equity Team and CEI to continue equity training and planning; meet with staff 1x1 and management team.
  • Program Implementation: Meet with Metro and partners regarding farmland preservation.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACTIVITIES
Program Supervision / Finance & Budget Lissa Adams
Completed:
  • Prepared August financial reports and strategic planning briefing and presented to the Board at the October meeting. Worked with Alex on the Marketing briefing for the Board. Created and disseminated the new request for compensation for board members.
  • Finished annual audit fieldwork preparation and met with audit team. Lindsay and I did a site visit to Blue Lake House where the strategic planning retreat will be held. At long last, I finalized the VALIC retirement account close out!
  • Worked with Online Support to resolve Sonic Wall/internet connectivity issues and various minor IT troubleshooting.
Planned:
  • Continue preparing for strategic planning retreat in November. Create expense and revenue projection spreadsheet to aid in strategic planning.
  • Work with bookkeeper to modify our timekeeping system to accommodate the new flexible holiday schedule tracking.
  • Review all policy changes approved by the Board and develop any procedures necessary to implement those changes.
Office Management Lindsay Nelson
Completed:
  • Finished the meeting minutes from: LLC meeting on September 25th, Board of Directors meeting on October 2nd, and the Grants Committee meeting on October 5th, 2017.
  • Updated the Board Decision Log.
  • Went to the Container Store to buy supplies for organization.
  • Completed inventory on e-waste supplies and old stations, and delivered them to Free Geek.
Planned:
  • Make 3 copies of the equity training binder.
  • Call Blue Lake staff to discuss menu options.
  • I am finalizing the behind the scene details of the annual retreat & solidifying menus.
  • I am working on the new Equity Training assignment.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • Honke Heating came by and gave our office heating system a clean bill of health.
  • Headwaters: I finished the shed roof that is attached to the storage container that will be used to cover implements for the BCS tiller.
  • Headwaters: I was able to trench for the new water line from the meter at Orient Drive down to where we stubbed out the line last summer.
Planned:
  • Our Safety Committee will be addressing some updates to the Emergency Action Plan.
  • Hopefully we will be installing the logo and Headwaters Farm signs on the container within the next couple of weeks.
  • We will be laying the pipe for the new waterline in the next week or so.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Reviewed marketing presentation with management, revised presentation and presented at October board meeting briefing. Created and presented a condensed version for staff.
  • Continued Headwaters Farm promotion, including press release and outreach, posted second Facebook ad. Continued promoting workshops. Met with Suzanne to work on PIC grants outreach planning.
  • Website updates: edited and published new post; edits and updates to Headwaters and Grants sections.
  • Helped staff and board with minor user account, calendar, email, spam questions.
  • Final work and follow-up on technical details and design for the Headwaters Farm container sign.
Planned:
  • Marketing plan updates.
  • Continued Headwaters promotion, work on PIC grants outreach preparations. Workshops promotion.
  • Work on Branding and Identity Guide revisions.
Information Technology Lissa Adams,
Jed Arnold,
Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Alex and Lissa responded to staff IT issues and questions as needed; see notes in their individual reports above.
Planned:
  • Lissa and Alex will respond to staff IT issues and questions as needed.
RURAL LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Julie DiLeone
Completed:
  • ODA quarterly reporting.
  • Preparing a presentation for the Johnson Creek Symposium.
  • Bi-weekly check in meetings with Rural Lands staff.
Planned:
  • Attending the Sandyverssary on October 19th.
  • Preparing materials and presentations for strategic planning.
  • Rural Lands quarterly report.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Attended an Oregon Association of Nurseries "New Ideas Tour" that explored new technologies and methods by visiting several pioneering nurseries.
  • Made phone calls to invite potential participants, discussed logistics, and developed program material for a Listening Session Luncheon held in partnership with the Oregon Association of Nurseries.
  • Worked on an Erosion Solutions design for a nursery.
  • Met with Angela, my partner in completing equity homework to discuss the material we have completed thus far.
  • Attended a meeting of the Mt Hood Chapter of the Oregon Association of Nurseries. I will serve on their board as treasurer.
Planned:
  • Work with Chelsea to develop a listening session with nurseries and an erosion control training for nurseries
  • Engage in the diversity, equity, and inclusion process EMSWCD staff are participating in.
  • Attend the OAN Annual Convention and all Mt Hood Chapter meetings and events.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • Went out with several other staff to look at a property EMSWCD is considering acquiring.
  • Jon and I removed nine (all but one) of the temperature sensors from Beaver, Big, Smith, and Johnson Creeks.
  • Got in a day of weed treatments on StreamCare. 9 acres completed.
  • Installed Conservation Partner signs on 19 properties.
Planned:
  • As the weather allows and crews become available, I will continue maintenance spraying on StreamCare sites.
  • I will attend the Sandyversary celebration.
  • I have a few site visits lined up.
Technical Assistance Jeremy Baker
Completed:
  • Site visit to a horse owner's property out in Corbett. She contacted the district looking for technical assistance with mud management and treatment of noxious weeds.
  • Site visit to a livestock owner in Corbett with drainage questions (road culvert impacted by neighbor) and to address weeds (buttercup) in and near the pasture.
  • Toured a potential acquisition property.
Planned:
  • Planning for a large aerated manure compost facility in the Beavercreek focus area continues. Because of high winds in the area, the facility will require walls, which isn't the norm. We must also move an exisiting HUA a bit to accommodate the required drive area for the facility.
  • Rainwater harvesting for an irrigation project in Gresham is progressing. Determined the water needed for irrigation required to get through summer months. Landowner wants to add a small hoop house and possibly a prophouse, so we're in the process of determining water requirements for these additions as well.
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • Garlic Mustard control work being done on some of the largest and most densely infested sites. Work is being done by crews and by staff.
  • Knotweed control has been occuring along the Sandy River, and along Beaver Creek.
  • I've been updating maps for contractors, data recording, and administrative tasks.
Planned:
  • We should be finishing up with our fall herbicide control work.
  • We will be finishing site prep for all sites where we will be planting this winter.
  • I'll be assisting with water quality sampling and wildlife surveys.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • I illustrated the follow-up Waterwoman and Dirtman knotweed comic, attended staff and rural lands meetings and made a staff comic.
  • Lucas and I removed temperature probes.
  • Together with work crews, Chris and I controlled knotweed and fall sprayed garlic mustard.
Planned:
  • Chris and I will complete monthly water quality sampling and wildlife surveys.
  • Chris and I will continue to work with crews to fall spray garlic mustard and knotweed, and treat blackberry regrowth at a Sandy River restoration site.
  • I will plan fall and winter projects with Chris, Chelsea, Lucas and Julie. I will begin work on an animation project with Chelsea. I will write wildlife report for the first year of surveys at the Diana Pope Natural Area.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Held an Erosion Solutions listening session with nurseries at the Multnomah Grange, facilitated by Aaron.
  • Attended a site visit with Jeremy to explore outreach opportunities with landowners. Tabled at Small Farm School.
  • Attended an Equity Team session with CEI (the Center for Equity and Inclusion). Met with my equity partners to discuss what we learned from the homework.
Planned:
  • Continue to plan and promote "Nursery Field Day: On the Ground Erosion Product Demonstration."
  • Plan/promote fall livestock workshop at the Columbia Grange.
  • Continue working with the the 4-county CWMA (Cooperative Weed Management Area) to plan this year's Pull Together, our annual invasive weed conference.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Meeting with Urban Lands team to prep for strategic planning.
  • Met with MHCC Steering committee, OTAK and Green works to discuss initial design and priority considerations for the Courtyard retrofit at the college.
Planned:
  • Meet with Watershed Councils about their Strategic Partnership Agreements
  • Attend Johnson Creek's Science Symposium.
  • Participate In CEI Leadership Team meeting.
  • Meet with IPM webtool steering committee members to create common vision for the project.
  • Meet with CLIP Team.
  • Present Weeds workshop at NE Community Center.
Technical Assistance Whitney Bailey
Completed:
  • Attended two EMSWCD workshops: Attracting Pollinators and Naturescaping Basics.
  • Attended Columbia Slough Watershed Council Tech Team and Gabbert Butte Stakeholder Advisory Committee.
  • Hosted a table at MHCC Sustainability and Fix It Fair.
  • Met with Audubon BYH Program and City of Portland for site consultations on habitat and soakage trench issues.
  • Conducted an initial site visit and consultation with local landowners about a potential rain garden, as well as a follow-up site visit about the final stages of a CLIP project.
  • Met with landscapers to discuss fall work and future improvements for EMSWCD's Conservation Corner.
  • Presented to Board and received approval for one Urban CLIP project.
Planned:
  • Rain Garden presentation to Multnomah County Staff.
  • Attend CLIP committee meeting to discuss program improvements and revisions.
  • Attend 4 County CWMA general meeting.
Outreach & Education Angela Previdelli
Completed:
  • Presented to the annual luncheon of Multnomah District Garden Clubs.
  • Worked on strategic planning content.
  • SPACE Grant administration of new grantees; attended Grants Committee meeting.
Planned:
  • On vacation in Portugal and Spain for the next two weeks. :)
Outreach & Education Katie Meckes
Completed:
  • Continued training Josie on workshop registration management, database processes, outreach, supply management, etc.
  • Met with Urban Lands team and worked on assignments in to prepare for next month's Strategic Planning session.
  • Delivered an "Intro to Stormwater & Naturescaping" workshop at the Community Conservation Fair held at Mt. Hood Community College on October 7th.
  • Hosted kindergarten students from Kairos PDX Charter School for a tour of the EMSWCD landscape, and delivered a lesson on Rain Gardens. (16 students, 4 parent helpers, 2 teacher staff).
Planned:
  • Preparing a 40 minute "Intro to Stormwater, Naturescaping & Native Plants" workshop to deliver to 3 classrooms of high school students from Rosemary Anderson High School next week.
  • Will be attending a "Best Databases for River and Watershed Groups" webinar.
  • Train Josie on preparing for spring workshop coordination.
  • Continue preparations for next month's Strategic Planning session.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Prepared for and participated in Land Legacy Committee and Grants Committee meetings.
  • Meet with facilitator and continued planning and preparations for the November Strategic planning retreat.
  • Assisted Rowan with concept planning for new frontage property.
Planned:
  • Continue preparations for November strategic planning retreat, and continue to assist program staff with plan content.
  • Participate in management team meeting with the Center for Equity and Inclusion, as part of EMSWCD's equity initiative.
  • Meet with Metro and partners regarding farmland preservation, and the Regional Conservation Strategy implementation in the Metro area.
Grants Suzanne Easton
Completed:
  • The Grants Committee meeting was held on October 5th with presentations from two PIC 2016 garden-related grantees.
  • Worked to streamline SPA administration for FY17/18.
  • Meetings with prospective PIC granteees: OR Youth Outreach and Rosewood Initiative.
  • Participated in the first CEI follow-up with the Equity Team.
  • Continued preparation for the Strategic Planning retreat.
  • Preparation for PIC 2018 - revisions to Guidelines, recruiting new PIC Review Committee members, and outreach.
Planned:
  • Continue to prepare for PIC 2018 application rollout and recommend new PIC review team members.
  • Attend Intertwine Fall Summit.
  • Attend Equity in Philanthropy training workshop.
Land Legacy Matt Shipkey
Completed:
  • Secured fully executed purchase and sale agreement for a farm property.
  • Awarded appraisal contract for preceding property.
  • Delivered second half of strategic planning presentation.
  • Finalized conservation easement terms for Oxbow appraisal assignment.
  • Evaluated numerous land conservation opportunities.
Planned:
  • Further development of outreach strategy.
  • Various due diligence activities associated with potential farm property acquisition.
  • Develop strategic planning materials for November Board/Staff retreat.
Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
Completed:
  • Met with prospective incubator applicants and possible future program partners.
  • Provided a tour and cover crop training to Clackamas Community College’s Organic Farming class.
  • Worked on permitting for the road realignment in the Dianna Pope Natural Area and made progress on designs for the compost facility.
Planned:
  • Working on strategic planning materials, including working with an architect firm to conceptualize options for a recently acquired property.
  • Planning a future farm business accounting workshop.
  • Overseeing the winterization of Headwaters Farm.
Headwaters Farm Stuart Moeller
Completed:
  • Prepped areas and set cover crops.
  • Managed weeds along roadsides.
  • Helped prep areas for the new water line that will decommission the old, compromised water line in the Dianna Pope Natural Area.
Planned:
  • Helping run the new water line.
  • Making irrigation improvements in the lower propagation house.
  • Bringing in risers and other winterization work.