Activity Report for the Period 1/7/2016 – 1/21/2016

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Sections:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Jay Udelhoven
Completed:
  • Boards/Committees: Attended Grants Committee meeting.
  • External Engagement: Met with the new Multnomah County Planning Director (Michael Cerbone) to introduce him to EMSWCD, Michael explained his response-only approach to enforcement; attended Multnomah County Farm Bureau meeting.
  • Policies: Worked on (but did not complete) finalizing SCI policy/procedure.
  • Program Implementation: Attended first of several Metro Natural Area Stewardship Advisory Committee meetings; signed MOA for the Mt. Hood Community College retrofit project, also attended photo op for signing; reviewed/commented on the 5-Year Weed Free Program Plan; met with Lucas, Julie, and Andrew to review comments on the DPNA 5-Year Site Conservation Plan; reviewed information on the Portland Harbor Superfund site, comment period will likely be later this spring; continued review of EMSWCD history document; attended Johnson Creek SIA meeting where only 5-6 farmers were in attendance; attended Ag Summit in Salem.
Planned:
  • Boards/Committees: Help prepare for and host board meeting and Land Legacy Committee meeting.
  • External Engagement: Attend ODA Managers Training at Wasco County SWCD; attend NACD meeting in Reno; attend Yamhill SWCD board meeting; attend Columbia Slough Watershed Council Annual Celebration.
  • Policies: Finalize SCI policy/procedure.
  • Program Implementation: Meet with Anita Yap of DEQ to discuss intersects between their programs and ours; review and comment on the Urban Lands 5-Year Plan; attend second of several Metro Natural Area Stewardship Advisory Committee meetings.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACTIVITIES
Program Supervision / Finance & Budget Lissa Adams
Completed:
  • Met with Sustainability Team and discussed next steps including drafting a mission/purpose statement, developing sustainability content for website and scheduling energy audit through Energy Trust.
  • Installed QuickBooks 2016 upgrade to general ledger software and updated all links and sub-programs.
  • Worked on Quarter 2 progress report including pulling together financial information for budget vs. actual expenditures.
Planned:
  • Review draft Marketing Plan.
  • Review and revise 2016 Property/Casualty/Liability insurance coverages.
Office Management Jed Arnold
Completed:
  • Answered a lot of plant-sale related phone calls from constituents.
  • Worked a few late nights to provide support at Native Plant Workshops held at the EMSWCD office.
  • Prepped small room upstairs for use as a quiet/privacy space: removed shelving and cleaned, purchased a comfortable chair. I hope to find an appropriate small table and rug over the weekend.
Planned:
  • Pre-production sample of the baseball caps should arrive Monday.
  • Write up procedures/tips for other staff to coordinate board and committee meetings in my absence.
  • If the weather holds, Scot and I hope to finally be able to install the security cameras on the exterior of the building.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • I have been working with Lissa and our contractor to resolve items on the board room project in an effort to get the project moving forward.
  • I met with a contractor at Headwaters to get an estimate for roof and ceiling repairs on the office building.
  • Rebuilt and installed "winter" caps on the irrigations system at Headwaters.
  • Met with and electrical contractor to get a bid on additional electrical needs in the prop house at Headwaters.
Planned:
  • I will be meeting with Jay and Lissa to discuss the city's permit requirements for the board room project to determine our next steps.
  • I will be overseeing the repairs to the Headwaters office.
  • I intend on finishing the "hardening off" tables.
  • I will be overseeing the farmers as we do a winter cleaning in the barn, prop house and grounds at Headwaters.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Finalized development and migration of plant sale, completed the invoice ordering custom code, worked with Urban Lands staff to add 10 new native plants to store and database, activated and tested actual card transactions.
  • Launched plant sale and sent out announcements on Wednesday, worked with Jed to handle customer calls and assist with ordering as needed. The plant sale is going very well: ~73% of stock sold first day, at present ~88% sold.
  • Recovered a near-final version of the Marketing Plan and completed the final draft, removing or simplifying some sections and expanding on others.
  • Obtained quotes for a couple print projects and created mockups for one of them: two large maps of the EMSWCD service area.
Planned:
  • Continue running plant sale, managing inventory and assisting customers. Prepare final sales and tracking documents, close the plant sale, create packing slips.
  • Work with Scot to mount and set up two time-lapse cameras at Headwaters Farm (previously delayed due to weather).
  • Outreach and setup for special workshops, including an English/Spanish Urban Lands workshop and a Rural Lands workshop.
Information Technology Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Investigated USB issues on Lucas' station. All USB ports seem to work; issue may be related to specific device support.
  • Lucas' station also seems to have some update and service issues; working with Online Support to resolve.
  • Assisted with time-out room cleanup, moving and storage of IT-related hardware.
  • Assisted staff with software questions.
Planned:
  • Assist staff with network, software, printing etc. issues as necessary.
  • Resolve any remaining issues with Lucas' station.
RURAL LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Julie DiLeone
Completed:
  • Sandy River Basin Partners are preparing for the final stretch of the Focus Investment Priority OWEB (Oregon watershed enhancement board) application process. We will have an interview next week and a decision by the end of January.
  • Unfortunately, the Sandy was ranked #7 and only the top 6 were awarded Focused Investment funding. The Sandy River Basin Partners are extremely disappointed. Attended ODA's open house for the Strategic Implementation Area of upper Johnson Creek. Attendance was very low despite a mailing ODA did to over 200 people.
  • Reviewing Conservation Technician applications. Developing interview questions.
  • Helping with the draft CLIP guidelines.
  • Attending the NRCS Multnomah-Clackamas local working group meeting to discuss their farm bill program EQIP (environmental quality incentive program).
Planned:
  • Work on Headwaters Farm Conservation Plan.
  • Give a tour of our rural watersheds to the new head of Multnomah County Planning.
  • Continue work on 5 year program plans.
  • Conduct Conservation Technician interviews.
  • Program planning.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Worked with Department of State Lands to understand their requirements in order to submit a successful permit application for the Diana Pope Natural Area culvert replacement project.
  • Worked with a landowner to develop an irrigation design as part of the CLIP process.
  • Worked with Chelsea as she develops a service contract with a marketing firm to conduct research for an erosion prevention campaign for the nursery industry.
  • Tested out the plant sale ordering website.
Planned:
  • Work with the design consultant to acquire permitting for the Diana Pope Natural Area culvert replacement project, and then put the construction out for bid.
  • Provide guidance in the design and construction of stormwater management features at Headwaters Farm.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • Julie, Andrew, Jay, and I met and went over Jay's suggestions for the Dianna Pope Natural Area Site Conservation Plan.
  • I made a couple of site visits to Oxbow Farm to assess the forest there for weed control and replanting needs. Also looked at areas for pollinator plantings. I will work up a summary and costs for the work.
  • I did a site visit with a landowner who is looking at doing some forestry renovation on his property.
Planned:
  • I will be attending the NACD Annual Meeting in Reno January 31 to February 3.
  • Chelsea and I will be receiving about 70,000 bare root plants for StreamCare and the Plant Sale in a few weeks. We will split off about 11000 for the Plant Sale and the remaining will be sorted for planting on StreamCare sites.
  • I will attend the Columbia Gorge CWMA Steering Committee Steering Committee Meeting and the Beaver Creek Conservation Partnership meeting.
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • Surveyed a large youth camp property for winter weeds above the bluff of the Sandy River.
  • Ivy control at private property along Buck creek.
  • Weeds projects outreach including landowner site visits and consultations.
  • Assisted Lucas with a site survey.
Planned:
  • Jon and I will be visiting several properties to conduct winter weeds (Ivy, Daphne, Holly, Clematis) surveys, and if weather allows, control.
  • Attend staff and first aid trainings.
  • I will be collecting and documenting for project reports, including data management, mapping.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • Conducted Water Quality sampling.
  • Wrote Best Management Practices (BMPs) for a few weeds, entered WQ data, compiled data, researched native pollinators.
  • Performed Manual control of 20 square meters of ivy in sensetive habitat on private property.
Planned:
  • Finish BMPs, Rural Lands messaging, updating data collection and prioritization.
  • Conduct Ivy surveys.
  • Work on Pollinator illustration.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Coordinated exhibitor booth for the NW Agricultural Show with NRCS, Tualatin and Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
  • Developed outreach strategy for Manure Connection.
  • Began planning Rural Native Plant workshop.
Planned:
  • Promote/plan Rural Native Plant workshop.
  • Promote Farm Succession workshop.
  • Work with Aaron and Pivot Group to refine survey of nursery growers.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Finalized and signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Mt Hood Community College Transformational Demonstration Project.
  • Compiled data for EMSWCD 2nd Quarter report.
  • Registered staff and board for the Columbia Slough Watershed council's Annual Awards Banquet.
Planned:
  • Attend First Aid training this weekend.
  • Begin draft of contract with Oregon Flora project to manage the design and build of the platform for the online Native Plants tool.
  • Begin draft of contract with the Sandy River Basin Watershed Council (SRBWC) to manage the Mt Hood Community College site assesment.
  • Begin draft of Yard tour assessment.
  • Review proposal from Verde/Ecotrust.
Technical Assistance Erik Carr
Completed:
  • Completed self-evaluation for 1-year review and adapted yearly work plan to new template.
  • Represented EMSWCD at the Johnson Creek Watershed Council board meeting and Inter Jurisdictional Committee meeting.
  • Provided technical review of select PIC grants; responded to 3 rain garden incentive inquiries.
Planned:
  • Meeting with commuity partners to discuss graywater reuse education opportunities.
  • Attending JCWC equity committee meeting to discuss equity planning strategy for the watershed council.
  • First-aid training.
Outreach & Education Angela Previdelli
Completed:
  • Launched Plant Sale online purchasing! More than 500 customers in a single day of sales.
  • Attended Asian Gypsy Moth conference call about informing the public and resources.
  • Met with outreach staff from 5 environmental organizations that serve the Urban East County region of our district to discuss collaborations.
Planned:
  • I will present at the Powell Valley Neighborhood Association meeting in Gresham.
  • Provide review support for 3 PIC applications.
  • Table at the Ecuminical Ministries of Oregon's Earth Care Summit.
  • Conduct the first phase of the equity self-assessment with the Equity Team.
Outreach & Education Lea Wilson
Completed:
  • 19 spring workshops now scheduled and outreach begun.
  • Met with Columbia Slough Watershed Council outreach staff to discuss workshop with Spanish facilitation.
  • Updated descriptions of new native plants for native plant sale website, plant list.
Planned:
  • Continue to process spring workshop requests.
  • Begin host check-ins and ramp up outreach for spring workshops.
  • Coordinate plant sale outreach with native plant workshop outreach.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Completed the Ag focal area property prioritization for outreach by the Land Legacy Program.
  • Worked on the operational plan for the future use of Oxbow farm.
  • Consolidated the data for school and community food gardens in the EMSWCD area and produced preliminary density analyses for the Grants Committee.
  • Attended two day supervisor training.
Planned:
  • Work on ALE project management plan.
  • Work on completing draft of Headwater 5 year plan with the Headwaters Manager.
  • Start reviewing the 2016 PIC applications.
  • Produce preliminary program budget estimates for FY 2016-17.
  • Collate and produce quarterly report for the second quarter of FY2015-16.
Land Legacy Rick McMonagle
Completed:
  • Visited potential farm succession event sites.
  • Drafted Ag Land Easement best management practices.
  • Produced due diligence schedule for Ag Land Easement project.
  • Drafted letter to landowners seeking farm help.
Planned:
  • Preparing FY16-17 budget amounts.
  • Touring Access to Nature property with potential partners.
  • Meeting with consultant re: farm Best Management Practices.
  • Presenting at Land Legacy Committee Meeting.
  • Planning for Farmer Succession Event.
  • Revising Ag Land Easement best management practices.
Grants Suzanne Easton
Completed:
  • Held Grants Committee meeting 1/19/16.
  • Worked on School District tables for Grants Committee.
  • Prepared spreadsheet of 2016 PIC Grants.
  • Processed new SPACE application.
  • Closed 2 PIC Grants.
  • Prepared PIC contract extension.
Planned:
  • Review PIC grant applications.
  • Prepare packets for Review Team.
  • Equity Assessment participation.
  • Work on Quarterly report.
Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
Completed:
  • Rowan is out on vacation from 1/7-1/29.