Activity Report for the Period 7/17/2017 – 7/28/2017

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Sections:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Jay Udelhoven
Completed:
  • Was on leave for a significant portion of this reporting period; also participated in the Big Float(!), witnessing first-hand public support for access and recreation in the lower Willamette River.
  • External Engagement: Participated in monthly call with OACD; attended OAHP celebration event.
  • Boards/Committees: Nothing completed.
  • Policies/Planning/Budgeting: Updated contracting policy with July board approved change regarding limitations on administrative overhead.
  • Supervision/Leadership: Worked on document production request for current lawsuit; met with staff and management team during 1x1s and team meeting.
  • Program Implementation: Nothing completed.
Planned:
  • External Engagement: Participate in/speak at Colwood grand opening ceremony; Participate in Food & Farm Event with Rep. Blumenauer.
  • Boards/Committees: Prep for and participate in July Land Legacy Committee meeting; prep for and host August board meeting.
  • Policies/Planning/Budgeting: Continue review and improvement of personnel policies.
  • Supervision/Leadership: Work on program supervisor performance evaluations; 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:
  • Finalized administrative staff evaulation write-ups and met with my direct reports to discuss performance evaulation reports.
  • Continued with fiscal year-end/year-beginning duties including preparing journal entries; setting up new fiscal year; reviewed June payroll; created draft June financial reports.
  • Troubleshot and resolved various connectivity, technology and network issues.
Planned:
  • Finish self evaluation.
  • Begin gathering FY16-17 audit documents and creating schedules.
Office Management Jed Arnold
Completed:
  • I completed online training and for our new COBRA notification and management system.
  • I've been working with two local organizations that want to rent out the EMSWCD meeting rooms for a few days and hope to have signed contracts from both next week.
  • I worked with one of our insurance carriers to finally resolve a tenacious error in their enrollment and billing records.
Planned:
  • I'll be working on getting contracts in place for the venue and caterer for the upcoming strategic planning meetings.
  • I will be distributing some legally required ERISA notifications to all staff members.
  • I will be sourcing (used if possible) copies of the reading materials for the upcoming staff equity training.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • I met with one contractor and received his quote for doing the needed painting on the office building.
  • Jed and I think we have found and corrected the problem to our smoke detectors.
  • The newly aquired property grounds and house have been cleared of all trash left behind. A contractor has been chosen and scheduled to do the demolition of the house and out buildings.
  • I've been working with Rowan and Stuart on routine mid season maintennce projects.
Planned:
  • I will continue to try and find a more painting contractors to get quotes for the painting.
  • I will be working on securing quotes for the removal of the asbestos in the house and all of the hazardous materials on the property.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Survey project: took a conference call with Lissa and contracted research firm to review initial survey results analysis, and to give feedback and direction on final analysis and reporting. Some very interesting results so far!
  • Material work: final edits, fixes and production details for grants materials including signage and trifold brochure. Updating and printing new in-house materials.
  • Met with Andrew and Rowan for initial Headwaters campaign planning. Updating website, promoting Headwaters; also worked on related items including frontage signage designs and material options, and helping edit a written piece.
  • Updated website post and page content, assisted staff with forms and form emails.
Planned:
  • Survey report and final analysis should come back in the next work period. Review and begin putting together written report and presentation on findings.
  • Review feedback on Branding and Identity document and revise as necessary.
  • Continue edits and restructuring of the Marketing Plan.
  • Continue outreach campaign for Headwaters Farm Incubator Program, assist with fall workshop promotion, help roll out planned website updates and get materials printed.
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:
  • Completed reviews for 4 Rural Lands staff.
  • Sandy River Partners Meeting included a presentation of demographic data for use in the State of the Sandy and a review of the design alternatives for a big restoration project at the confluence of the Sandy and Salmon rivers.
  • Taking a monthly 'Monitoring for Results' webinar offered by the Network of Oregon Watershed Councils that runs July-December.
Planned:
  • Update job descriptions for Rural Lands staff.
  • Begin discussions at Rural Lands Team bi-weekly meetings in preparation for September update to the Board and strategic planning.
  • Mark your calendars for for the Sandyverssary celebration on October 18. Ten years since the removal of the last dam on the main stem of the Sandy.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Aaron is currently on vacation.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • Executed contracts with two new restoration/reforestation crews. Working with both crews I have gottend 32.3 acres of maintenance spraying completed through Wednesday.
  • Finalized Dianna Pope Natural Area Site Conservation Plan.
  • I led a field day with folks from Clackamas, Tualatin, and West Multnomah SWCDs to talk about mid term maintenance on graduated stream restoration sites such as StreamCare.
  • Conducted false brome surveys and control with Jon.
Planned:
  • I will continue with maintenance spraying on StreamCare sites plus initiate site preparation on the two StreamCare sites that enrolled this year (~5 acres total).
  • I have a site visit with a landowner who wants to sign up for StreamCare.
Technical Assistance Jeremy Baker
Completed:
  • Held meeting with landowner to present our analysis of their land for a large scale erosion control project. Aaron and I presented our findings and potential treatments in order to get feedback on the feasibility (and cost) of installation and managment. We learned a great deal about on farm management of the resources and collectively outlined a path forward.
  • Visited a property to check on installation of conservation practices funded through CLIP. Project is moving forward as intended and barring any unforseen problems, the projects should be completed as scheduled.
  • I just attended an excellent cover crop workshop at NRCS Plant Materials Center looking at dryland vs. irrigated warm season cover crop plantings. We viewed and discussed success/failures of plantings of several varieties of legumes, grasses and broadleaf covers crops. I was surprised to see that many of the dryland covers proved to be quite effective at minimizing or eliminating weed pressure with minimal inputs.
Planned:
  • Finalizing annual work plan.
  • Catching up on drafting site visit reports, recommendations and specs for several site visits that were made since the last report.
  • Working on completing trainings needed to maintain NRCS planning certification.
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • I took some time for vacation.
  • I worked with Jon to control False Brome control in the Gorge. We've completed a first pass on all sites and have begun our second pass on many areas as well.
  • I've been pulling numbers from previous weeds reports and started developing charts and language for the upcoming board report.
Planned:
  • I hope to finish false brome control work for the season.
  • We will begin knotweed control.
  • I will probably continue working on mapping, charts, and language for the board report as time allows.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • Chelsea and I conducted the monthly water quality sampling and wildlife surveys.
  • Lucas, Chris and I finished first passes for false brome control and we began second pass control.
  • I finished a few illustrations for "the State of Beaver Creek" and Julie and I began began a water quality monitoring webinar series.
Planned:
  • Chris and I will finish second passes of false brom control.
  • Chris and I will begin knotweed control along the Sandy River and we will meet with landowners about possible floodplain restoration work.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Finalized postcard to potential Japanese knotweed sites. Worked on website updates to knotweed page. Sent survey reminder to StreamCare graduates.
  • Attended "Cover Crop Field Day" at the USDA Plant Materials Center in Corvallis.
  • Joined Jon for water quality sampling and DPNA (Dianna Pope Natural Area) wildlife survey.
Planned:
  • Mail out Japanese knotweed postcard to potential sites. Update Japanese knotweed web pages.
  • Continue to work with partners to plan our cover crop booth for the FarWest Show. Design handout on cover crops.
  • Plan 4-County CWMA (Cooperative Weed Management Area) General Meeting to be held at EMSWCD office.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Met with Rural Lands to discuss CLIP and how we plan to mangage similarities and differences between Urban and Rural.
  • Complete contract with SRBWC and get signed by board member.
  • Whitney and I presented to a condo association directly accross the street from MHCC to discuss ways they can make their landscapes more sustainable. 20 of their 55 members were present, which was great.
Planned:
  • Working with OSU to finalize details to the contract for theIPM web tool funding.
  • Preparing presentation for Board briefing.
  • Completing staff evaluations and self-evaluations.
Technical Assistance Whitney Bailey
Completed:
  • Met with a Portland Community Development Corporation and Gresham condo association to discuss sustainable landscaping practices.
  • Presented to realtors' group on rain garden benefits.
  • Hosted internal discussion on urban CLIP & Rain Garden Incentive program streamlining/revamping.
  • Attended IJC meeting.
  • Worked on content for Strategic Planning Board briefing presentation; provided feedback on branding document.
  • Responded to landowner inquiries about moss, permeable driveways, and the rain garden incentive program. Mailed one rain garden incentive check and one registration sign.
Planned:
  • Site visits planned to address erosion concerns in Fairview, to discuss HOA sustainable landscaping on Hayden Island, and initial planning for upcoming demo project downtown.
  • Conduct quarterly EMSWCD Green Streets clean-up.
  • Attending CSWC Tech Team meeting, Pollinator work session, and 4-County CWMA meeting.
Outreach & Education Angela Previdelli
Completed:
  • Attended MHCC Retrofit Outreach meeting with community partners to discuss outreach strategy and goals.
  • Attended East Portland Action Plan meeting.
  • Participated in Urban Lands strategic planning preparation meetings. Worked on data and content for presetation to board in August.
  • Received August SPACE grant application and processed for board approval.
Planned:
  • Vacation!
  • Preparation for Urban Lands presentation to board in August meeting.
  • Table at Nadaka Community festival.
Outreach & Education Katie Meckes
Completed:
  • Sent professional service contracts and related forms to workshop presenters for FY2017-2018.
  • Attended a Communications - Education & Outreach Stakeholder meeting for the Mt. Hood Community College Clean Water Retrofit on July 25th.
  • Assisted with development of presentation for Board briefing that will take place on August 7th.
  • Opened registration for all 22 fall workshops. Sent checklists, workshop fliers, and suggestions for initial promotion to all hosts.
Planned:
  • Submit fall workshop details to Oregonian, small newspapers, online calendars. Send short articles and images to neighborhood associations.
  • Prepare MailChimp announcement to our email list.
  • Reach out to neighborhood associations, asking to present at upcoming meetings to promote workshops.
  • Attend meeting with OMSI to discuss our involvement in and support for the upcoming riparian habitat restoration along OMSI’s 1/2-mile Willamette Riverbank property.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Worked on and conducted individual performance evaluations, and review of staff job descriptions.
  • Assisted Matt with preparations for the Land Legacy strategic planning discussions in July.
  • Continued work on information needs for the 2017 strategic planning. Met with possible strategic planning retreat facilitators.
  • Assisted staff with several GIS related queries.
Planned:
  • Work on District annual report for 2016-17.
  • Assist with Grants and Urban Lands board briefing presentations in August.
  • Continue working on information needs for the 2017 strategic planning.
Grants Suzanne Easton
Completed:
  • Working on strategic plan presentation.
  • Completed additional PIC contracts and reimbursement system on ZoomGrants.
  • Attended Equity Grantmakers and Greening Schoolyards meetings.
Planned:
  • Work on strategic plan presentation.
  • Attend three grantee events and set up PIC 2017 site visits.
  • Work with subcommittees on strategic issues - Greening Schoolyards and Equity Grantmakers.
Land Legacy Matt Shipkey
Completed:
  • Finalized components of 5 year program plan for July LLC meeting (mailing/PowerPoint).
  • Developed additional foundational documents.
  • Finalized recommendation for data mgmt/project tracking software.
  • Further developed several land conservation opportunities.
Planned:
  • Develop additional foundational documents.
  • Further develop conservation opportunities.
  • Begin development of September LLC meeting content.
  • Commence development of outreach plan for Ag community.
  • Attend Colwood Grand Opening event.
Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
Completed:
  • Coordinating on the process to remove the dilapidated residence at 29040 and keep that site secure in the meantime.
  • Meeting with each incubator farm as part of the Mid-Season Check-Ins.
  • Hosted NW Center for Alternatives to Pesticides and also the Mid-Valley Extension Services as part of their farmer needs assessment research project.
Planned:
  • Submitting an article on silage tarps and their application in conservation farming systems to Growing For Market magazine.
  • Working with the Land Legacy Program Manager to explore landing sites for incubator farmers.
  • Working on permits for future road realignment in the Dianna Pope Natural Area.
Headwaters Farm Stuart Moeller
Completed:
  • Prepped site for 1,300ft hedgerow.
  • Replaced plastic on hoop house number 1.
  • Thistle and weed management; mowing.
Planned:
  • Weed management.
  • Mid-season tractor service.
  • Riser repair.