Activity Report for the Period 10/22/2015 – 11/13/2015

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Sections:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Jay Udelhoven
Completed:
  • Boards/Committees: Prepared for and hosted November Board meeting.
  • Partnerships: Prepared for partnership discussion with watershed councils; assisted Columbia Slough Watershed Council with recruitment for new Executive Director.
  • Engagement: Attended annual conference for Oregon Association of Conservation Districts; represented EMSWCD at Parkrose Community Center tree planting event.
  • Program Implementation: Met with Multnomah County to discuss comprehensive plan update; met with Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts, Land Trust Alliance, and the Columbia Land Trust to discuss the need for a new statewide agricultural land trust in Oregon.
Planned:
  • Boards/Committees: Begin revision process for Board-related policies.
  • Partnerships: Meet with watershed councils to discuss partnership; continue to assist Columbia Slough Watershed Council with recruitment for new Executive Director.
  • Engagement: Attend Cully Park Blessing Ceremony.
  • Program Implementation: Attend meeting with the Oregon Department of Agriculture to discuss the Johnson Creek Strategic Implementation Area.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACTIVITIES
Program Supervision / Finance & Budget Lissa Adams
Completed:
  • Reviewed final audit draft, made corrections, presented to board and obtained acceptance of audited financials for FYE 6/30/15.
  • Convened Equity Team, reviewed purpose statement, developed draft options matrix for possible future trainings and direction.
  • Procured and configured new laptop for Rowan.
Planned:
  • Pull together 5 year historical financial data for trend analysis.
  • Work with Jed to sort through financial archives to determine what records can be destroyed (if any) and what can be sent to offsite storage.
Office Management Jed Arnold
Completed:
  • Enrolled EMSWCD in an online training program sponsored by SDAO, created training plans for staff included mandatory annual training items.
  • Cleaned up and updated personnel files. Assisted Phillis with updating payroll information.
  • Attended BOLI Annual Employment Law Conference.
Planned:
  • Create physical copy archive of board minutes and legal notices.
  • Continue work on archived files.
  • Assist Scot with installation of exterior security cameras.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • I've been working on forming a Safety committee to streamline the safety oversight and implementation process. The committee is fully staffed by a member from each EMSWCD department.
  • I've been working on forming a Sustainability/Green Team (S/GT) to find ways in which the District properties can be more environmentally friendly. The "team" is now fully staffed of volunteers from the Distict's staff members.
  • Rowan and I have been working on completing the composting toilet assembly as well as getting the farm ready for the winter.
Planned:
  • I will be facilitating the first Safety Committee meeting on Nov. 17, 2015.
  • The first meeting of the S/GT is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 4, 2015.
  • Rowan and I should complete the composting toilet installation in the nexr couple of weeks.
  • I am currently set to make my monthly visit out to Oxbow on Nov. 12, 2015. I will be again be cleaning the roofs and gutters of the house and garage.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Updated and revised website, and added new content, in About, Grants, Urban Lands and Headwaters program sections.
  • Created draft plant sale mailer and outreach flier designs and met with plant sale team to review. Activated plant sale store on development website and preparing for staff testing.
  • Worked with Urban Lands team to finalize and launch Gresham Rain Garden Incentive campaign, which has had a strong start. Launched Facebook, OregonLive, and extended network ads, sent out postcards and completely revamped incentive webpage and related content.
  • Presented at the Board meeting on Marketing Plan updates, the first survey results and new goal baselines.
Planned:
  • Design and send final PIC grants campaign message, continue to promote through social media, and draft and distribute a press release on the PIC grant program.
  • Continue redevelopment and improvements to plant sale store. Activate "sandbox" mode for payments/checkout and coordinate with Urban Lands team for testing.
  • Meet with management to review marketing work, with attention to social media and the newsletter project.
Information Technology Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Worked with Online Support to install new server drive for mapping and imagery needs.
  • Helped Andrew with new Surface3 Tablet setup and joined the device to the network. Some issues arose; worked with Online Support to troubleshoot.
  • Installed server license manager software for ESRI ArcGIS upgrade.
Planned:
  • Investigate and resolve any remaining issues with Surface3 tablet.
  • Test compatability of web contact forms and anti-spam measures on various browsers.
  • Assist staff with network, software, printing etc. issues as necessary.
RURAL LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Julie DiLeone
Completed:
  • Completed work with the Sandy River Basin Partners on the OWEB (Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board) Focused Investment application. OWEB will decide on funding in January.
  • Attended the Gathering for Conservation, Nov 2-4.
  • The Local Advisory Committee began the biennial review of the Lower Willamette Ag Water Quality Plan.
Planned:
  • Meet with Oregon Department of Agriculture staff 11/20 to review their draft evaluation of the Johnson Creek Strategic Implementation Area.
  • Attend the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership Science to Policy Summitt on toxics.
  • Update the job description for the vacant Rural Lands Technician position.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Attended the October Johnson Creek Interjurisdictional Committee meeting.
  • Met to discuss improvement to the CLIP grant process.
  • US Geological Survey installed a temporary gaging station at Headwaters Farm. I facilitated the logisitics of its installation and gave USGS a tour of other properties on the North Fork of Johnson Creek to investigate possible locations for some additional flow monitoring to supplement their data in this reach.
  • Attended a forklift safety training.
Planned:
  • Work with staff to contract a marketing firm to conduct research for an erosion prevention campaign for the nursery industry.
  • Work with the design consultant to acquire permitting for the Headwaters Farm culvert replacement project.
  • Provide guidance in the design and construction of stormwater management features at Headwaters Farm.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • I met with Rowan, Aaron, and the NRCS engineer to look at stormwater management at the Headwaters Farm and in the Dianna Pope Natural Area.
  • I met with an ODFW employee to explore a potential partnership to enroll landowners who are graduating from the StreamCare Program into the Riparian Lands Tax Incentive Program which ODFW administers. This would be used as a way to ensure long term protection of the StreamCare areas.
  • I completed a second draft of the Dianna Pope Natural Area Site Conservation Plan.
  • I attended a forklift certification class at Headwaters Farm.
Planned:
  • I will conduct a few site visits with an ODFW employee to explore enrolling the StreamCare areas on the properties into the Riparian Lands Tax Incentive Program.
  • Chelsea and I will be meeting to develop a new StreamCare outreach plan.
  • I will be meeting with employees from SOLVe, Multnomah County, and the City of Troutdale to discuss strategies for the long term maintenance of riparian areas in lower Beaver Creek.
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • Chris is currently on vaction and unable to submit a report.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • I controlled 6 acres of ivy and garlic mustard on public and private land.
  • Lucas and I conducted monthly water quality sampling.
  • I attended a forklift certification training.
Planned:
  • I will attend meetings, organize data and make staff meeting comic.
  • I will take time off with my new baby.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Investigated marketing firms for Erosion Prevention Campaign.
  • Worked with Lucas and Alex to develop a survey for StreamCare graduates.
  • Attended 4-County Cooperative Weed Management Education and Outreach meeting and Equity Team meeting. Met with staff individually to learn about programs and roles.
Planned:
  • Work with staff to develop contract with marketing firm for Erosion Prevention Campaign.
  • Work with Lucas to develop outreach strategy for future StreamCare sites.
  • Finalize personal work plan.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Attended 4-County Cooperative Weed Management Area Subcommittee meetings - Education and Outreach and Steering Committee.
  • Presented Urban Weeds at Pilgrim Lutheran church.
  • Urban Lands team met with SOLV (Sustaining Oregon's Legacy by Volunteering) to discuss possible partnership opportunities.
Planned:
  • Meet with Erik to discuss urban CLIP eligibility criteria.
  • Urban Lands team to meet with Multnomah Co., City of Gresham, Friends of trees, and DePave to discuss a possible partntership in the Rockwood/Rosewood area.
Technical Assistance Erik Carr
Completed:
  • Conducted two technical consultations on potential SPACE grant applications and one technical consultation for residential stormwater management.
  • Attended a stakeholders meeting hosted by ODA to discuss the impact of Asian Gypsy Moth found in Forest Park and St Johns.
  • Attended Salmon Safe partnership meeting with staff of Mt Hood CC and Sandy River Watershed Council.
Planned:
  • Create draft of greywater reuse presentation.
  • Attend Urban lands team meeting on program outreach needs.
  • Attend Beaver Creek Partnership meeting at Mt Hood CC.
Outreach & Education Angela Previdelli
Completed:
  • Presented to the Gresham Coalition of Neighborhood Associations.
  • Met with Suzi Coulter, the Backyard Habitat Gresham Outreach staffer.
  • Coordinated Plant Sale Meeting #2.
  • Finalized Outreach Plan.
  • Met with SOLVE to discuss possible partnership opportunities. Met with Coalition for Communities of Color to discuss their white paper findings.
Planned:
  • Present to the Rockwood Neighborhood Association.
  • Incorporate outreach plan into work plan.
  • Attend Gresham outreach meeting with various watershed councils and non-profit groups.
  • Table at the Fix-it-Fair.
Outreach & Education Lea Wilson
Completed:
  • Lea's report was lost due to an IT issue outside of her control.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Attended the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts conference in Eugene, which was a valuable learning and networking opportuity.
  • Produced a preliminary map of the commnity and school food garden sites in EMSWCD, and participated in a meeting of previous grant recipients and other key stakeholders involved with food gardens.
  • Made progress with the prioritization of the ag focal area parcels, gathering and organising input data and planning the analyses.
  • A webmap for tracking property related interaction as part of the Land Legacy Program was published and quality checked for errors.
Planned:
  • Finalize the re-prioritization of the Agricultural focal area parcels for outreach by the Land Legacy Program staff.
  • Convene meeting of the EMSWCD GIS users to consider and agree on a folder and database structure for the District's GIS data, and how these will be used and controlled.
  • Work on the Headwaters farm 5 year plan with Headwaters Incubator Program Manager.
Land Legacy Rick McMonagle
Completed:
  • Toured a property on Trout Creek.
  • Met with Agricultural Land Easement project owners.
  • Met with rural landowners.
Planned:
  • Revising agricultural land easement.
  • Researching potential Access to Nature project.
  • Working with land surveyor to survey Oxbow Farm.
  • Researching potential Natural Lands project.
  • Finalizing agricultural outreach brochure.
Grants Suzanne Easton
Completed:
  • Held meeting of garden grantees to discuss strategies and mapping.
  • Met with 4 prospective PIC grant applicants.
  • Conducted site visits to Urban Nature Partners, and Wisdom of the Elders.
  • Worked with equity team on EMSWCD equity statement.
  • Attended a meeting with Coalition of Communities of Color, about their 2014 PIC project.
  • Attended Power Point training.
Planned:
  • Meet with PIC propective applicants.
  • Prepare for PIC 2016 cycle grant review process.
  • Participate in meeting with grantmakers group.
  • Update grants database.
  • Carry out final PIC outreach.
Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
Completed:
  • Concluded outreach for Headwaters Incubator Program application deadline and received a total of 13 applications for the 2016 season at Headwaters Farm.Activity 2
  • Met with staff from Adelantes Mujeres to discuss their conceptual farm incubator program and possible partnerships and synergies.
  • Worked on various farm-related projects: winterization of equipment and facilities, erosion control, pollinator habitat development, and taking of soil samples.
Planned:
  • Meet with reviewers to discuss and rank 2016 Headwaters Incubator Program applications.
  • Attend two meetings with other farmer development organizations to explore coordinated approaches, identify legislative policy recommendations, and develop outreach material.
  • Circle back to the 5-Year Headwaters Farm Plan and updating the Farmer's Manual.