Activity Report for the Period 2/29/2016 – 3/11/2016

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Jay Udelhoven
Completed:
  • Boards/Committees: Helped prepare for and hosted board meeting and budget committee meeting; attended Yamhill SWCD board meeting.
  • External Engagement: Met with Daniel Newberry of Johnson Creek Watershed Council to discuss next year's plans and partnership opportunities.
  • Policies: Continued review of personnel policies and staff benefits.
  • Program Implementation: Continued FY16-17 budget preparations.
  • Staff Supervision and Leadership: Completed Andrew's 6-month performance review; attended Leading Change training.
Planned:
  • Boards/Committees: Will call into next Budget Committee meeting.
  • External Engagement: Meet with Steve Wise of Sandy River Basin Watershed Council and Corina Chase of the Columbia Slough Watershed Council to discuss PIC proposals and partnership opportunities.
  • Policies: Continue review of personnel policies and staff benefits.
  • Program Implementation: Prepare for and present at the farmer succession training; continue FY16-17 budget preparations; continue review of the Urban Lands 5-Year Plan.
  • Vacation: Participate in the 2016 Pan International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship Competition in Irvine, California.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACTIVITIES
Program Supervision / Finance & Budget Lissa Adams
Completed:
  • Presented draft budget at first Budget Committee meeting.
  • Met with Equity Team to complete part two of the organizational equity assessment.
  • Attended Gresham Enterprise Zone re-designation meeting and asked for more specifics on financial impact to EMSWCD, as well as criteria used to determine which businesses are eligible for property tax abatement benefit.
Planned:
  • Make revisions to budget as directed by Budget Committee for presentation at second meeting.
  • Continue research on Invitation To Bid process for culvert replacement/removal at Dianna Pope Natural Area.
  • Finalize retirement plan options and prepare to present to board at April meeting.
Office Management Jed Arnold
Completed:
  • Purchased and installed new modular board room tables.
  • Placed order for baseball cap blanks and began discussion with embroiderer to fine-tune EMSWCD logo for best appearance on baseball caps.
  • Completed surveys and reviewed renewal rates for FY 16/17 health & dental insurance benefits.
Planned:
  • New Employee on-boarding on 3/15.
  • Catalogue several addition boxes of archive files.
  • Survey other local organizations regarding their employee benefits for reporting to the board.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • Sat in with Erik and Kathy on the Recode composting toilet discussion. I answered questions from various inspectors from around the area regarding the maintenance and upkeep of our composting toilets (office and HWF).
  • I met with Energy Trust of Oregon to get their input on ways we could be more energy efficient at the office. They were pleased to see that we are doing very well in conserving energy. I expect to hear from the solar panel department regarding the feasibility of installing solar panels for the office.
  • I have finished re-configuring the irrigation risers to make them more "user" friendly.
  • Rowan and I re-organized the west side of the barn as well as the SW corner inside the barn to prep for the new slab that is to be poured for the soon to be installed walk-in cooler.
Planned:
  • The Safety Committee will be meeting next week to finalize the Emergency Action Plan for management's input.
  • We have donated the old conference table to Wisdom of the Elders and Jed and I will be delivering it on Friday.
  • I will be building more irrigation risers in the new configuration to accommodate the additional farmers we have this year.
  • I will be re-organizing the NW corner inside the barn to set up more pallet racking in our ongoing effort to make the barn easier to use.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Final plant sale post-processing, and straight into Yard Tour! Worked with Katie and Angela to update website, email list and the host/volunteer email, volunteer page.
  • Met with Urban Lands team to review a new outreach material/display series, and integrating the materials with other programs. Began designing new templates.
  • Continued Farm Succession support with outreach, registration, outreach materials and event logistics.
  • Completed several print projects, including the new 10ft District map, Chelsea's Rural Native Plant workshop mailer, new EMSWCD stickers (in-house), and farm succession booklets.
  • Worked with Rowan to edit and publish a new Headwaters farmer blog, and review other written submissions and photos.
Planned:
  • Finish first draft of new outreach materials template, review and complete final edits.
  • Assist at Farm Succession event and document with photos and video. Follow-up meeting with Oregonian reporter to discuss related EMSWCD programs.
  • Coordinate remaining work plan items and create a schedule for program outreach materials and displays.
  • Assist with Yard Tour and Urban Lands email campaigns.
Information Technology Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Investigating issue with backup tapes timing out; working with Online Support to remedy issue.
  • Placed order for Jeremy's computer, worked with Online Support today to assemble and join to network. Created Jeremy's user account.
  • Assisted staff with Surface tablet questions, email, screen display, network and other questions and issues.
Planned:
  • Work with Online Support to resolve backup tape issue, and with staff to identify company files that can be cleaned up.
  • Assist staff with network, software, printing etc. issues as necessary.
RURAL LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Julie DiLeone
Completed:
  • Making progress on drafting the 5 year plan for Rural Water Quality Improvement.
  • Chaired the Sandy River Basin Partners meeting - focused on tracking success to better tell our story.
  • Updating Cooperative Landower Incentive Program (CLIP) agreement.
  • Site visit with Andrew and Rick to evaluate an agricultural property.
  • Reviewing 2 OWEB small grants.
Planned:
  • Evaluation of planned spending between now and June to help better estimate our beginning balance for next fiscal year.
  • One on one meetings with Rural Lands staff.
  • Complete draft 5 year plan.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Worked with Multnomah County to understand their requirements in order to submit a successful permit application for the Diana Pope Natural Area culvert replacement project.
  • Worked with Chelsea to finalize survey questions to conduct marketing research for an erosion prevention campaign for the nursery industry.
  • Further communication with a landowner to develop an irrigation design as part of the CLIP process.
  • Attended the Learning Point Inc Team Leader Tools Training.
Planned:
  • Work with our design consultant and permitting authorities to acquire permitting for the Diana Pope Natural Area culvert replacement project, and then put the construction out for bid.
  • Present a CLIP application at April board meeting.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • Over the last two reporting periods, I oversaw crews planting just under 60,000 trees and shrubs on 210 acres enrolled in the StreamCare program. It was a big year for infill planting. Only 44.51 of those acres were on new sites planted for the first time.
  • A landowner who is enrolled in StreamCare made a post on a Corbett Facebook page about the StreamCare program. I received seven inquiries as a result of that and scheduled site visits for those landowners for next week.
Planned:
  • Chelsea and I are going out on six to seven site visits for landowners interested in StreamCare who heard about the program from an enrolled landowner's Facebook post.
  • I am meeting with the head of City of Troutdale Parks to do a site visit of work we have completed as a part of the StreamCare program on City property. They have received a SPACE grant for some work near and around the StreamCare plantings and we will coordinate this work.
  • I will be overseeing a crew that will be carrying out water conservatoin sprays around plants planted on grassy StreamCare sites and also spraying reed canary grass on StreamCare sites.
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • Finished planting Weed Free Resotoration sites.
  • Surveying and monitoring for garlic mustard growth and responding to new reports.
  • Responding to new requests for ivy control.
  • Crews are controlling ivy manually at previously controlled sites near Bridal Veil.
  • Editing Native Plants Presentation for a Rural Lands workshop in Corbett.
Planned:
  • Planting is the priority until they are in the ground.
  • GM surveys, monitoring, and control will begin if the sun comes out.
  • Ivy control/survey will continue.
  • last pre baby vacation.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • Planted ~ 1250 native plants at 15 public and private sites.
  • Water Quality sampling and data entry.
  • Surveyed and controlled 8 net square meters of daphne and surveyed 1 mile and 10 acres.
Planned:
  • Edit garlic mustard section of website, Dirtman waterwoman installment, work on CWMA weed list.
  • Early garlic mustard surveys and control.
  • Ivy surveys, outreach and control. And Daphne control.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Develop outreach materials for the weed program. Promote Farm Succession Workshop and Rural native Plant Workshop. Coordinate with Pivot Group as survey of nursery growers continues.
  • Sorted plants by project for StreamCare planting. Planted weed removal sites with Chris.
  • Completed Part 2 of the Organizational Self-Assessment Related to Racial Equity with the Equity Team.
  • Finalized questions for survey of nursery growers. Survey began 3/7 and is ongoing.
Planned:
  • Develop outreach materials for the weed program.
  • Promote Farm Succession Workshop and Rural native Plant Workshop.
  • Coordinate with Pivot Group as survey of nursery growers continues.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Attended EMSWCD Budget committee meeting #1.
  • Met with Backyard Habitat and City of Gresham to discuss a possible pilot project to certify an entire neighborhood as a Backyard Habitat.
  • Urban Lands met with Alex to discuss status and next steps for updating our outreach materials.
Planned:
  • We set a deadline of 3/15/16 for Alex to have a couple draft outreach templates that we will use to populate with various outreach topics.
  • I'll be presenting an Urban Weeds workshop at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, March 15th, from 6-8:30 pm.
Technical Assistance Erik Carr
Completed:
  • Hosted meeting BHCP and Gresham to discuss neighborhood level certification and incentives in Gresham.
  • First meeting of CLIP review team; updated program docuements and clarified roles and responsibilities.
  • Attended quarterly meeting of Oregon Community Trees; focus on planning of upcoming Urban and Community Trees Conference.
  • Hosted meeting with RECODE and state regional plumbing professionals to discuss permitting issues of composting toilets.
Planned:
  • Conduct rain garden incentive final inspection.
  • Annual performance review.
  • Attend Johnson Creek Watershed Council board meeting.
Outreach & Education Angela Previdelli
Completed:
  • Attended EPA Equitable Development Workshop.
  • Yard Tour planning and preparation - volunteer coordination.
  • Completed phase 2 of the Equity Self Assessment with the Equity Team.
  • Urban Lands outreach materials development - planning for set of new outreach materials.
Planned:
  • Yard Tour - review host applications, create short list, and recruit volunteers.
  • CONNECT Conference coordination continues.
  • Create content for new Urban Lands outreach materials.
Outreach & Education Katie Meckes
Completed:
  • Re-connected with workshop hosts and provided pertinent attendance & outreach updates.
  • Updated and streamlined master host contact list for improved tracking.
  • Completed database processes for Fall 2015 workshop attendees.
  • Updated Yard Tour webpage and sent Host & Volunteer Recruitment email announcement.
Planned:
  • Continue database processes pertinent to workshop recordkeeping.
  • Continue outreach support tasks for upcoming Naturescaped Yards Tour.
  • Content creation for Urban Lands outreach materials overhaul.
  • Send surveys to Spring 2015 workshop participants.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Researched Ag property acquisition opportunity, including site visit.
  • Worked on operational plan for future use of Oxbow farm.
  • With Rowan, developed proposal to the Board for a seasonal position at Headwaters Farm.
  • Completed 6 month performance review.
Planned:
  • Complete operational plan for the future use of Oxbow Farm.
  • Assist Rick in pursuing ALE project, ag land acquisition opportunity, and identified access to nature acquisition opportunity.
  • Ensure Farm Succession event goes off smoothly.
Land Legacy Rick McMonagle
Completed:
  • Prepared for and promoted farm succession workshop.
  • Contacted landowners in Ag priority area.
  • Researched Ag properties.
  • Attended Farm Tenure panel presentation.
  • Participated in PSU farmland transfer research project.
  • Researched and visited ag property.
Planned:
  • Hosting, staffing, presenting at farm succession workshop.
  • Working on new farm protection project.
  • Finalizing ALE grant Best Management Practices.
  • Visiting potential new Access to Nature site.
  • Meeting with ALE project landowners.
Grants Suzanne Easton
Completed:
  • Conducted follow-up research on PIC 2016 applications.
  • Completed metrics table for 2016 PIC grants.
  • Met with CLIP review team to discuss future process.
  • Met with Equity team, part 2 assessment.
  • Sent out agenda for Grant-makers equity meeting.
Planned:
  • Prepare for PIC 2016 Board decision.
  • Host grant-makers equity group at EMSWCD.
  • Attend Ecoliteracy workshop at Kairos PDX.
  • Meet with SOLVE - new organization direction.
Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
Completed:
  • Finished bulk amendment purchase with our farmers; a total of 14 tons of product and a dozen organic amendments.
  • Worked with Scot on farm projects (setting gate post, new water line in the prophouse, maintenance on bottom heat table and irrigation system).
  • Created tractor operator test and clearance protocol, scheduled tractor training and nutrient management classes, and worked with incubator farmers on blogs.
Planned:
  • Holding prophouse meeting with interested farmers to determine irrigation setting and operating procedures and etiquette for the season.
  • Working on and hopefully acquiring site improvement permits.
  • Organizing and cleaning barn space prior to deliveries of bulk amendment.