Activity Report for the Period 6/12/2017 – 6/23/2017

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Jay Udelhoven
Completed:
  • External Engagement: Met with local watershed councils to discuss Year 2 process and projects for Strategic Partnership Agreement.
  • Boards/Committees: Prepared for and hosted ad-hoc committee meeting to discuss associate director recruitment; prepared for and hosted personnel committee meeting to discuss using a consultant for the executive director performance review and to review and discuss draft personnel policies.
  • Policies/Planning/Budgeting: Continued to review and update draft personnel policies.
  • Supervision/Leadership: Worked with outside counsel to address a second round of production requests and depositions related to an on-going lawsuit; met with staff and management team during 1x1s and team meeting.
  • Program Implementation: Prepared for and hosted water quality meeting with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) to discuss rural water quality in Johnson Creek and ODA's interpretation and implementation of agricultural water quality rules; participated in a site visit to a farm (which is for sale) near Corbett as part of assessing its potential to contribute to Land Legacy Program goals.
Planned:
  • External Engagement: Nothing planned.
  • Boards/Committees: Prepare for and host July board meeting; prepare for and host personnel committee meeting to evaluate consultants who can undertake the executive director performance review.
  • Policies/Planning/Budgeting: Review and approve FY17-18 annual work plan; continue review and improvement of personnel policies.
  • Supervision/Leadership: Meet with staff and management team during 1x1s and team meeting.
  • Program Implementation: Nothing planned.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACTIVITIES
Program Supervision / Finance & Budget Lissa Adams
Completed:
  • Worked with Center for Equity and Inclusion on August Equity training logistics; met with Equity Team to discuss strategic planning.
  • Submitted approved budget paperwork to TSCC, SDAO and the County; began communications with our auditor Rich Winkel to coordinate FY16-17 audit; attended Personnel Committee meeting; worked on finalizing the contract for the District marketing survey.
  • Received a lot of new IT equipment; Jed and I are working on setting up new computers and printer; researched various IT issues and problems.
Planned:
  • Finish inputting data into annual workplan.
  • Begin work on annual performance evaluations.
  • Finish setting up and initializing new IT equipment.
Office Management Jed Arnold
Completed:
  • Lissa, Alex and I met with one of the top candidates to take over EMSWCD's managed IT services contract to further evaluate their proposal.
  • I set up a new network printer on the 2nd floor of the office to replace an older, unreliable machine.
  • I've been helping Jay with some research relating to some of the proposed new personnel policies.
Planned:
  • I will be continuing initial research and planning for logistics of the strategic planning retreat.
  • I will be calling references for possible IT contractors and setting up evaluation periods.
  • I will be doing my quarterly update of HR files.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • The Grange project started on June 12th and is moving right along.
  • I have gotten quotes to do some siding repair on the district building.
  • I worked with Rowan to finish pulling the remaining fence on the west side of the property. We also took delivery of the pallet racking for the curing shed.
Planned:
  • The Grange project should be wrapping up by the middle of next week.
  • The siding repair should be completed in the next week and after that the whole building will be pressured to get ready for some touch up painting.
  • I will be helping Stuart and Rowan to install the new pallet racking as well as possibly painting the storage container in preparation to install a logo sign on it.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Survey project: worked with Lissa and research company to fine tune survey questions and flow. Deep dive into demographics by county and zip code in the service area, compiled data and created target demographics for survey respondents. Final survey testing. Survey will begin this weekend!
  • Material work: continued to send for additional quotes on materials and signage, completed two sign orders. Reached out to staff for end-of-year orders. Coordinated with partners and public on displays and outreach materials for several events.
  • Continued branding and identity document redesign; added a lot of additional content and descriptions.
Planned:
  • Continue to work on the survey project, mostly coordination while the data collection runs.
  • Final work planning for the 2017-18 fiscal year.
  • Get any final end-of-year print or signage items ordered.
  • Review Branding and Identity document.
  • Begin restructuring elements of the Marketing Plan.
Information Technology Lissa Adams,
Jed Arnold,
Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Jed and Lissa responded to staff IT issues and questions as needed; see notes in their individual reports above.
Planned:
  • Jed and Lissa will respond to staff IT issues and questions as needed.
RURAL LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Julie DiLeone
Completed:
  • Julie is on vacation until July 3rd.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Met with an engineer and representative from an erosion control company to discuss an Erosion Solutions design for a nursery.
  • Conducted water quality storm sampling to get a general sense of sediment runoff from fields at a nursery I'm creating an Erosion Solutions design for.
  • Attended the June partners meeting (IJC) for the Johnson Creek watershed.
Planned:
  • Work with Jeremy and Clackamas SWCD to create an Erosion Solutions design for a nursery.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • I conducted ten more exit site visits for landowners graduating from the StreamCare program this summer.
  • I have three days of weed control lined up on newly planted StreamCare sites. One day is in this reporting period.
  • I attended the 4-County Cooperative Weed Management Area Field Day in the Forest Grove/Gaston area. It is always great perspective for your own projects to get out and see how others are carrying out restoration on their sites.
Planned:
  • I will complete the weed treatments on the newly planted StreamCare sites.
  • I will be doing more exit site visits with landowners graduating from StreamCare.
  • I will be continuing work on a mitigation plan for a permit to relocate a road in the Dianna Pope Natural Area.
Technical Assistance Jeremy Baker
Completed:
  • Site visits abound over these past 2 weeks with several more planned in the weeks to come. It appears that our livestock and horses flyer with updated CLIP cost-share info piqued the interest of several folks. As of last week I've planned 4 site visits and provided technical assistance over the phone to a 5th person who contacted me because of receiving the flyer.
  • Attended OAN awards dinner.
  • Met with a new landowner out in Troutdale (who received our livestock flyer) to discuss possible conservation enhancements to expand their operation (currently only Christmas trees) to include animals and possibly other crops such as berries or vegetables.
Planned:
  • Met with Rowan at Headwaters to continue planning the installation of an aerated compost facility. We are trying to identify the best location (and aspect) of the facility to maintain management of the farm.
  • Will be conducting a field survey at a site focused on existing (and potential) drainage areas of the property. The info gathered will allow us to better quantify existing capacity to move water as well as augment that capacity. It will also help to inform the practices and management recommendations.
  • Wrangling my schedule and trying to find and create the time to complete all the admin tasks needed to do my job properly and deliver a coherent, pointed and proper product. I've rescheduled my NRCS training time twice over the past 2 weeks to accommodate site visits, meetings and email management. It's definitely summer.
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • Garlic Mustard control nears the finish line. Crews out at large sites and smaller sattelite sites controlled with Jon.
  • End of fiscal year reporting/admin.
  • Project planning/ presentation planning.
Planned:
  • False Brome work will begin.
  • Garlic Mustard work will be finished.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • Chris, Verde and I finished all second and third passes at previously established garlic mustard sites.
  • I worked on a final draft illustration for "The State of Beaver Creek" cover.
  • Chelsea and I conducted monthly water quality sampling and wildlife surveys.
Planned:
  • I will enter water quality data, wildlife data, garlic mustard data, plan the rest of the field season and work toward finishing "The State of Beaver Creek" illustrations.
  • Chris and I will begin first pass control of false brome.
  • Chris and I will work with crews to help with garlic mustard control on new sites.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Worked with Equity Team to build equity development goals into the strategic planning process.
  • In collaboration with Lisa Kilders from Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District, finalized and printed resource for farmers on attracting beneficial insects to their farm.
  • Water quality sampling and DPNA (Dianna Pope Natural Area) `wildlife survey with Jon.
Planned:
  • Develop work plan for next fiscal year.
  • Present current draft of 'Beaver Creek, the Watershed Beneath Your Feet' water quality mailer to the Beaver Creek Partnership.
  • Design mailer to send to landowners that received previous treatments on their Japanese knotweed, checking for returning infestations.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Met with Katie to go over contractor management protocol.
  • Inspected Gresham rain garden for certification.
  • Met with PDX Greywater Action group along with representatives from Portland BES, Portland BDS, and DEQ to discuss next steps for greywater education.
Planned:
  • Meeting with CSWC & JCWC to discuss urban stormwater outreach/restoration opportunities.
  • Present on naturescaping and raingardens at Blossom sustainable landscaping public conversation education event.
  • Presentation to Gresham condo association on naturescaping to reduce water use & costs.
Technical Assistance Whitney Bailey
Completed:
  • Meetings! 4 County CWMA all-day field trip, Greywater Partnership, Columbia Slough Watershed Council meeting on urban outreach,Verde and CWSP grants, Gabbert Butte Stakeholder Advisor Committee meeting #1, Johnson Creek Watershed Council's monthly Interjurisdictional meeting, and Greywater 101 workshop.
  • Met with Suzanne about the grant program and Nikkie West at Audubon about the Backyard Habitat Program. Inspected Gresham rain garden for certification.
  • Followed up with last backlogged landowner inquiries; moved forward with new ones.
  • Conducted site visit with potential SPACE/PIC grant applicant.
Planned:
  • Attending natural resource charette for Gabbert Butte planning process, Gabbert Butte SAC meeting #2, and Beaver Creek Conservation Partners meeting.
  • Meeting with CSWC & JCWC to discuss urban stormwater outreach/restoration opportunities.
  • Headwaters Farm tour.
  • Presentation to Gresham condo association on naturescaping to reduce water use and costs.
Outreach & Education Angela Previdelli
Completed:
  • Tabled at Gresham's first Sunday Parkway event.
  • Worked on self-evaluation for FY 16-17.
  • Updated workplan for FY 17-18.
Planned:
  • Table at Columbia Slough Watershed Council's Exlorando el Columbia Slough event.
  • Attend East Portland Action Plan meeting.
  • Finalize self-evaluation and workplan for annual review in July.
Outreach & Education Katie Meckes
Completed:
  • Collected survey responses from spring 2016 workshop participants.
  • Fall workshop scheduling is almost complete. 19 workshops confirmed and 4 workshops are still pending.
  • Assisted with Graywater outreach to 150 previous graywater workshop registrants/attendees.
  • Got an initial training from Kathy and began the process of taking over workshop presenter contract management responsibilities.
  • Have been working on self evaluation, work plan updates and job description updates in preparation for annual performance review.
Planned:
  • Gather workshop participant survey results in preparaton for our upcoming strategic planning session.
  • Update and send out workshop presenter professional service contracts, gather necessary updated forms.
  • Finish up self evaluation, work plan updates and job description updates in preparation for annual performance review.
  • Go to Minnesota for family reunion June 29th - July 7th.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Facilitated closing and possession of the newly acquired property adjacent to Headwaters. Participated in site visit for possible new ag fee acquisition property.
  • Worked with Rowan and Scot on arrangements for the initial clean up of the new property.
  • Worked on staff and district work plans for 2017-18 fiscal year. Continued with information needs and preparations for the 2017 strategic planning.
  • Gathered documents and files in response to public records request.
Planned:
  • Collate and produce final draft District work plan for 2017-18 fiscal year. Start working on District annual report for 2016-17.
  • Work with Rowan on preparations for the Headwaters Board briefing presentation. Assist Matt with preparations for the Land Legacy strategic planning discussions in July.
  • Continue working on information needs for the 2017 strategic planning.
  • Work on individual performance evaluations, and review of staff job descriptions.
Grants Suzanne Easton
Completed:
  • Continued to complete PIC contracts, four to go.
  • Prepared draft Equity Team document, outlining suggestions for addressing equity in strategic planning.
  • Conducted site visit with Rown at Zenger Farm - new PIC grant to support farm interns. We discussed strengthening the relationship between their program and HIP.
  • Attended event honoring Wisdom of the Elders workforce interns and a celebration of Outgrowing Hunger's achievements and plans for the coming year.
  • Reviewed five SPACE applications - four will be considered by the Board in July.
  • Completed FY17/18 draft annual workplan.
Planned:
  • Continue to work on financial/invoicing set up in ZoomGrants.
  • Attend Greening Schoolyards meeting at Intertwine.
  • Complete last of PIC contracts.
  • Attend workshop on analyzing non-profit financials - Grantmakers of OR.
  • Vacation in Santa Fe first week of July!
Land Legacy Matt Shipkey
Completed:
  • Developed interim landowner contact tracking system, researched software options.
  • Developed several program foundational documents.
  • Scoped out a potential farmland preservation opportunity.
  • Developed work plans.
  • Circulated RFP for easement valuation study.
Planned:
  • Strategic plan development.
  • Continued foundational document development.
  • Develop two projects and associated material for EMSWCD Board consideration.
Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
Completed:
  • Offered pollinator tour and workshop at Headwaters Farm in partnership with Clackamas County SWCD.
  • Met with Suzanne Easton and staff at Zenger Farm to better understand each other's beginning farmer programming and close the gap between our services.
  • Coordinated with Andrew and Scot on the plan and process for cleaning up the newly acquired adjacent parcel.
Planned:
  • Continuing to update and refine the materials and presentation for the July Headwaters Incubator Program Board Briefing.
  • Compiling 2nd quarter incubator farm invoices, including the first month of weed management requirements for the farmers.
  • Working on permits for the compost facility and road realignment through the Dianna Pope Natural Area.
Headwaters Farm Stuart Moeller
Completed:
  • Pulled dilapidated property line fencing to begin to prep the site for 1,325 ft. of native hedgerow.
  • Weed management and mowing.
  • Cover crop establishment.
Planned:
  • Prepping areas around the hoophouses for mulching.
  • Thistle and weed management.
  • Installing baseboard around edges of hoophouses.