Activity Report for the Period 1/28/2018 – 2/8/2018

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Sections:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Jay Udelhoven
Completed:
  • External Engagement: Hosted local government DEI meeting; developed and sent survey regarding future local government DEI meetings; met with Conservation Director of Portland Audubon; completed fiscal agent role for the rail response plan development project of the Multnomah County Local Emergency Planning Council.
  • Boards/Committees: Hosted Ad-hoc Committee meeting regarding Associate Board Director selection process; prepared for and hosted board meeting; attended LLC meeting; had 1x1 meetings with board members Hensey, Rossi, and Till.
  • Policies/Planning: Reviewed 2nd quarter progress report.
  • Supervision/Leadership: Met with organizational consultants; met with staff (1x1) and management team.
  • Program Implementation: Met with staff to discuss potential acquisition near Headwaters Farm; signed off on four-year farmland option to purchase; reviewed update of the DPNA Plan; started review of PIC applications.
Planned:
  • External Engagement: Meet and greet and new ED of CSWC; attend rural lands meeting with NRCS and WMSWCD; potentially attend Multnomah Grange meeting; attend Multnomah County Farm Bureau meeting.
  • Boards/Committees: Prepare for board and budget committee meeting.
  • Policies/Planning/Budgeting: Have first round of budget discussion with management team; continue DEI planning with Equity Team; continue work on fiscal policies and procedures and personnel policies.
  • Supervision/Leadership: Meet with staff (1x1) and management team.
  • Program Implementation: Complete review of PIC applications.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACTIVITIES
Program Supervision / Finance & Budget Dan Mitten
Completed:
  • Began budget preparation. Completed F&O program budget draft, created template for first full budget draft, updated salary and benefit spreadsheet for budgeting purposes.
  • Worked with bookkeeper on payroll processing and submitted OSGP retirement plan contributions for month of January.
  • Prepared F&O Program presentation for 2nd Quarter 2018-19 progress report. Presented Financial Reports and 2nd Quarter F&O Program update at the Board of Directors Meeting held on February 4th. Reviewed reconciliation report and bank statements with Treasurer.
  • Attended: TSCC Budget process meeting, 1X1 with Jay, Management Meeting. Had 1X1s with program staff.
  • Submitted final version of Branding & Identity Guide to Jay for approval and implementation process.
Planned:
  • Compile budget information for all programs. Complete first draft of budget.
  • Implement the guide once approved.
Office Management Lindsay Nelson
Completed:
  • Set up, recorded, and took minutes for Ad-Hoc meeting, LLC meeting and Board of Directors meeting.
  • Daily and weekly operational duties: handling incoming and outgoing mail, processing invoices, sending out payments, IT support; answering phone calls, responding to emails, interacting with the public, and ordering supplies. Started researching wellness and commuting incentives for employees.
  • Provided support for the Plant Sale; answered questions about pick up day, created supply list for sorting week, helped create plan for t-shirt distribution.
Planned:
  • Completing Board and Committee meeting minutes.
  • Shopping for supplies for plant sale pick up day.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • I met with an electrician to get a quote for the cost of running power out to where we would possibly have two EV charging stations at the office.
  • I purchased, installed and plumbed a utility sink just off the stairs to the composting toilet. Now one can wash one's hands without having to walk through food prep areas.
Planned:
  • I will be assisting Urban Lands with whatever needs doing to get ready for plant sale day.
  • I'll be setting up a forklift re-cert class for several staff, including myself, as well as for our Headwaters Farm caretaker, Emily.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Plant sale: closed the store, updated websites, produced final numbers, exported orders, processed several refunds, extensive order checking, tabulation and table creation. Pulling data to issue more refunds for shorted plants, customer outreach, planning with team, assistance with email campaigns. Picklist testing, troubleshooting and design. Quote for music equipment.
  • Board and Committee support, several website updates, About page updates, fixed mobile display issues on the new Equity page.
  • Print materials and outreach – billing and fielding quotes, received and divided up new Streamside Forests posters for various agencies, worked with Jon on poster design, ad outreach and talks with sales reps.
Planned:
  • Plant sale: work with pick lists, error checking, customer outreach and refund management, take photos during volunteer shifts, create customer lists and order-checking sheets for staff, planning and logistics. Issue roughly 100 refunds for orders that were shorted any plants due to nursery supply. Manage music, check orders, help with plants and take photos on Plant Sale Pickup Day!
  • Catch up on tasks that were delayed during Plant Sale, run ads, create branding assets, edit new blogs, etc.
RURAL LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Julie DiLeone
Completed:
  • Julie was on leave during this reporting period.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Downloaded time lapse footage to monitor the efficacy of a sediment basin.
  • Communicated over the phone and held in-person meetings with EMSWCD staff and a nursery that intends to purchase EMSWCD's Oxbow property regarding implementation of conservation practices on the property.
  • Conducted a site visit at a nursery interested in working with us.
Planned:
  • Monitor an Erosion Solutions project at a nursery.
  • Work with a nursery that intends to purchase EMSWCD's Oxbow property to implement conservation practices on the property.
  • Engage in the diversity, equity, and inclusion process EMSWCD staff are participating in.
  • Attend all Oregon Association of Nurseries Mt Hood Chapter meetings and events. Fulfill the responsibilities of treasurer on the Mt Hood Chapter board.
  • Connect with partners to explore opportunities for developing better solutions regarding cover crop useage on nurseries.
  • Work with a nursery to install an approved CLIP micro-irrigation project.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • I have been spending a whole lot of time with plant ordering for the Plant Sale and StreamCare. Lots of cancellations, reorders, and juggling of orders and confirmations.
  • I have been gathering information on riparian restoration easement options at other districts to restart the conversation on long term protection of StreamCare sites.
  • I had a crew out doing removal of tree ivy and weedy trees and Jon and I cleared about half acre of blackberry on StreamCare sites that will be planted in the next few weeks.
Planned:
  • Chelsea and I will be receiving about 48000 plants to be planted on StreamCare and a Weed Control site. We will begin sorting plants by site for easy dispersal to sites.
  • I will be overseeing a crew that will be installing around 45000 plants on 15 StreamCare sites.
Technical Assistance Jeremy Baker
Completed:
  • Met with Rowan to review and update the Headwaters Conservation Plan. 3 projects completed in 2018 that include enhancements to drainage and culvert repair, and the installation of an aearated manure composting facility.
  • The Wildfire Track "Before the Fire" session is complete. Now assisting with possible Division of State Lands presentation on permitting.
Planned:
  • Setting up website training session with Mearsuretek to better utilize (and display) weather station data we're gathering at Headwaters.
  • Planning drainage options at Mainstem farm to minimize erosion and deposition into Johnson creek.
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • I had a crew out at a site in the gorge cutting tree ivy on a site covering ~10 acres.
  • I had a crew removing ivy from the Springdale School streamside natural area.
  • Working on a general/remedial weeds presentation to be given later this month.
Planned:
  • Overseeing contractors planting at former weedy sites.
  • Controlling Spurge laurel with Jon in Bridal Veil and on Larch Mountain.
  • Leading contractors for cutting tree ivy in the Corbett area.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • I made a story board for a activity/coloring book project. I submitted our weeds data to Imapinvasives and WeedMapper. Julie, Chris and I are developing new goals for our weed control programs.
  • Chris and I controlled 95 square meters of spurge laurel over 31 acres of private and public land. Chris and I met with a landowner to discuss a restoration project on her property.
  • Lucas and I cut blackberry at a StreamCare site.
Planned:
  • Chelsea and I will work on the rough draft of the activity book. Alex and I will finalize an illustrated post advertising workshops. I will prepare a wildlife presentation. Chris and I will continue to plan and outreach winter and spring work.
  • Chris and I will continue winter spurge laurel control.
  • I will collect monthly water quality samples and wildlife surveys.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Coordination and planning on behalf of the Equity Team.
  • Printed Streamside Forests poster in time to hand out at Plant Sale.
Planned:
  • Begin sorting plants by property for StreamCare projects.
  • Promote and plan spring workshops.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Attended EMSWCD board meeting and presented update on MHCC Clean Water Retrofit.
  • Met with Organizational Consultants.
  • Met with Management team.
Planned:
  • Attend CLIP team meeting. Attend 1x1 with Jay.
  • Budget discussion
  • SolvePest problems Steering committee meeting. MHCC Steering Committee meeting.
  • PLANT SALE!!!
Technical Assistance Whitney Bailey
Completed:
  • Finalized 2019 Conservation Corner landscape maintenance contract.
  • Coordinated with contractor and landowner to finalize revised riparian restoration plan for Fairview CLIP applicant.
  • Replied to several inquiries for technical assistance, including Multnomah County permit requirements, rainwater harvesting capacity, naturescaping yard planning and plant selection, and CLIP rain garden eligibility.
  • Site visit to OMSI and follow-up notes providing suggestions and assistance with riparian restoration planting plan.
  • Vacation for four days.
Planned:
  • Presenting Fairview riparian restoration plan for CLIP Team approval.
  • Assisting with all things Plant Sale.
  • Setting up site visits for rain garden inquiries.
  • Continue swapping out material to revamp bike shed green wall.
  • Coordinating with neighbors for Tree of Heaven removal.
Outreach & Education Katie Meckes
Completed:
  • Katie has been working extensively on plant sale preparations including managing plant inventory, planning and logistics, email outreach, volunteer training, staff coordination, and more. Report to follow.
Outreach & Education Monica McAllister
Completed:
  • Orientation and Policies for New Community Connections Liaison.
  • Plant sale: training for Plant Sale. Received and organized plants from various plant nurseries. Worked with Urban Lands Team for event.
  • Reviewed EMSWCD Annual Work Plan, specifically Urban Lands Annual Work Plan, and Community Connections Liaison's Work Plan.
  • Reviewed EMSWCD Equity Material and Urban Lands Program Materials.
Planned:
  • Continue planning and logistics for Plant Sale order sorting and for pick up day.
  • Review Equity Materials.
  • Tailoring work plan for Community Connections Liaison Position.
Outreach & Education Brandi Boersma
Completed:
  • Represented EMSWCD at the Fix-it-Fair.
  • Workshops: material prep, ongoing outreach, and participant management.
  • Plant Sale: prep, volunteer recruitment and management. Spent 6 hours with 3 volunteers sorting and rolling 1200 T-shirts. Acquired 50 donated burlap sacks.
Planned:
  • Plant Sale: Volunteer management.
  • Spring Workshop Season picks up.
  • Ongoing communications and planning for culturally-responsive workshops.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Finalized first draft of the FY19-20 budget for the Conservation Legacy programs.
  • Assisted with boundary survey and development of the agricultural management plan for the Oxbow farm.
  • Worked on information for the stormwater permitting requirements associated with new hoop houses planned for Mainstem farm.
Planned:
  • Produce a completed draft of the 5-year EMSWCD strategic plan.
  • Finalize the FY19-20 budgets for the Conservation Legacy programs ahead of the first Budget Committee meeting.
  • Assist Matt with Oxbow agricultural management plan, and due diligence related to Oxbow closing.
Grants Suzanne Easton
Completed:
  • 2019 PIC: Finalized review materials and sent out to the PIC Review Committee; continued review of applications; sent out request for assistance to select staff members.
  • SPACE: Completed review and recommendations for February applications, started review of applications for March.
  • Budget: Completed grants program FY19/20 budget for first review; provided Dan with projected expenditures for FY19/20 regarding PIC and SPA outstanding grants.
  • Equity: Worked with Rowan on an equity issue for special board meeting; gathered and reviewed external equity plans, worked with Chelsea on strategies for the planning process.
Planned:
  • Attend Intertwine workshop on February 14th: "Creating Healthy Communities - The Connection between Nature and Health Equity.""
  • Attend Equity Team meeting.
Land Legacy Matt Shipkey
Completed:
  • Right of First Refusal executed.
  • Led Land Legacy Committee Meeting.
  • Assisted in second farm succession planning workshop.
  • Oxbow closing items advanced.
  • Sturm lease executed.
Planned:
  • Oxbow closing items advanced.
  • Present at farm succession planning workshop.
  • Vacation.
Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
Completed:
  • In partnership with OSU Extension, began the Cost Study Program cohort of HIP farmers for the 2019 growing season.
  • Hosted a farm clean up.
  • Updated and printed equipment check-out sheets and standard operating proceedures.
Planned:
  • Working on a Food Safety Plan for Headwaters Farm.
  • Looking into permits for the equipment shed and the frontage sign.
  • Prepping for an orchard workshop and a presentation at the pollinator summit next week.