Activity Report for the Period 6/13/2016 – 6/24/2016

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Sections:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Jay Udelhoven
Completed:
  • Boards/Committees: Hosted June board meeting; hosted LLC co-chairs meeting in Rick M. and Andrew's absence.
  • External Engagement: Finalized watershed council strategic partnership agreement; conference called with the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) and other soil and water conservation districts to discuss state-level representation on the Governor's working group regarding working lands; appointed as the OACD representative on the Governor's work group; reviewed and commented on draft legislative language that will establish the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program, which will be a state-level funding mechanism for agricultural conservation easements, among other things; met with Trang Lam, the new Deputy Director for Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R), to discuss our upcoming board meeting at Colwood and the related PP&R presentation; met with Gerald Deloney of Self Enhancement Inc. to discuss inclusion issues and the green job pipeline.
  • Planning/Budgeting: Began staff and district-wide annual work planning.
  • Program Implementation: Attended Portland Harbor Superfund meeting.
Planned:
  • Boards/Committees: Host Personnel Committee on 6/29; prep for July board meeting; meet with Mike Gerel of Sustainable Northwest, who is interested in possible board participation.
  • External Engagement: Host watershed councils to sign the strategic partnership agreement; attend OAHP meeting; attend meeting of the Mt. Hood Chapter of the Oregon Association of Nurseries.
  • Planning/Budgeting: Finalize district-wide annual work planning and send to the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
  • Program Implementation: Work with Andrew to draft comment letter to the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the Portland Harbor Superfund cleanup; Mike Guebert and I will meet with Metro to discuss their plans to extend the 40-mile loop trail from the Springwater Trail to Troutdale.
  • Vacation: Will be sailing one of the seven seas July 3-10.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACTIVITIES
Program Supervision / Finance & Budget Lissa Adams
Completed:
  • Prepared and analyzed year-to-date budget vs. actual reports for each program.
  • Worked with Equity Team to prepare draft report presenting results of the equity analysis and submitted to staff for comments/input.
  • Presented adopted budget resolution to the board at June board meeting; budget resolution was approved by unanimous vote; budget paperwork submitted to TSCC and Multnomah County Assessor.
Planned:
  • Continuing work on FY16-17 workplans; reviewing draft workplans for all F&O staff.
  • Following up on requests for quotes for FY15-16 audit.
Office Management Jed Arnold
Completed:
  • Worked with insurer to increase employee life insurance benefit as of 7/1/16.
  • Created a draft FY 16/17 Work Plan.
  • Did some year end clean up of board and Committee Records.
Planned:
  • Coordinate with Katie and Chelsea regarding basement reorganization.
  • Work with Alex to develop a draft design for mesh back ballcaps.
  • Research shared user sit licenses for the new version of Adobe products.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • The board room floors repairs and refinishing are now complete.
  • The new walk-in cooler installation is almost complete.
  • I participated in the interview process for the new seasonal part time position at Headwaters.
Planned:
  • I will be ordering and installing a new door in the south board room entrance.
  • I will be assisting Rowan in the completion of the new cooler.
  • I will be starting the next round of mowing at Headwaters.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Finalized outdoor signage designs for Headwaters farm entrances and conservation easements, reviewed and revised, have been in touch several companies for quotes and framing options.
  • Reviewed first materials Urban Lands created with the new half-page booklet template, made some layout changes to the template for font size/readability and to include a non-discrimination policy statement. Finalized display panel template and reviewed with outreach staff and managers.
  • Obtained revised quotes, options and design details from several printers for the beneficial bug booklet; worked with Chelsea and other districts' staff to explore a shared bulk order.
Planned:
  • Finalize 2016-17 personal work plan and review with Lissa.
  • Review and finalize Urban Lands outreach materials and send to print. Finalize quotes and details for outdoor signage and bug booklet, and order.
  • Complete outline of EMSWCD branding/identity plan, a corollary to the Marketing Plan.
  • Update the rain garden exercise booklet with new text and imagery.
Information Technology Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Set up Andrew's new computer station and replaced Jeremy's station with Andrew's old one. Jeremy's station in turn will go to Rural Lands staff.
  • Minolta printer had some issues on Jun 22nd where staff print jobs would not go through due to apparent IP address conflict. Troubleshooted and started service ticket with vendor.
  • Assisted staff with station setup, software questions, transferring bookmarks, profile settings and files to new stations.
Planned:
  • Order backup software and prepare for new backup system to be installed in July.
  • Continue cycling replaced computer stations to staff with older stations; update computer inventory and replacement schedule.
  • Assist staff with any software, station, network or printing issues or questions as needed.
RURAL LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Julie DiLeone
Completed:
  • Pre-construction meeting with engineer and contractor for the culvert project went well. Still waiting on the Multnomah County permit.
  • Completed a draft work plan for the Rural Lands program as well as my individual work plan. Reviewing Rural Lands individual work plans.
  • Out sick 3 days and jury duty 1 day in the last 2 weeks.
Planned:
  • Coordinate contractor staging for culvert replacement.
  • Finalize work plans.
  • Schedule reviews.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Aaron is currently on parental leave until Mid-September.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • I completed the first draft of my work plan and made edits to the Rural Lands Program Work Plan.
  • I conducted one more 'exit site visit' for a landowner graduating from the StreamCare program this summer. We walked the sites discussing where things were at, what they could expect moving forward and I answered questions they had. I also discussed the ODFW Riparian tax incentive program with them and provided them with a native plant ID guide that Chelsea created, a list of the plants installed on their properties, and several other EMSWCD informational materials. I conducted two more site visits for landowners interested in enrolling in StreamCare.
  • I completed 1.5 days of spraying on StreamCare sites that were planted earlier this year.
  • I met with Rowan to talk about planning future pollinator areas at Headwaters and with Andrew to talk about planning hedgerows at the Oxbow Property.
Planned:
  • I have less than one day of spraying to complete on StreamCare sites that were planted this year.
  • I will work on further drafts of my work plan after I receive input from Julie.
  • Chris, Jon and I will tour some sites along the Sandy River where The Nature Conservancy has conducted vegetation restoration.
Technical Assistance Jeremy Baker
Completed:
  • Revising agreement for irrigation project to protect water rights from sale or transfer.
  • Completed a draft individual work plan.
  • Helped with an irrigation water management training for District employees from our area. Attended a grass identification training.
Planned:
  • Preparing to present irrigation project request for funding at July Board meeting.
  • Site visit and technical assistance follow up with two landowners.
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • We are wrapping up garlic mustard control for the season. I led a crew at several larger sites and did some control work with Jon and solo at some smaller infested areas.
  • Surveyed areas nearby areas infested with garlic mustard.
  • Followed up on a knotweed report. Found the patch along Buck creek on industrial forest property on Larch Mountain.
Planned:
  • I'll be working on my work plan for the following year, and my performance review from this year.
  • Finish garlic mustard control and begin false brome control.
  • Catch up on administrative tasks from paternity leave.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • I collected water quality samples.
  • Ellen, Chris and I have been finishing follow-up hand pulling at high priority garlic mustard sites and we have continued first pass false brome surveys and control.
  • I completed healthy livestock illustration for mailer, worked on work plan, outreach landowners and water quality and garlic mustard data entry.
Planned:
  • Finish annual work plan, basement organization work, plan water quality outreach.
  • Tour Nature Conservancy restoration sites along the Sandy River.
  • Continue first pass surveys and control for False Brome.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Presented to the Multnomah Grange about our programs and future partnering opportunities.
  • Worked with Jon to create mailer to send to landowners in the agricultural water quality focus area about upcoming Healthy Livestock workshop.
  • With the Equity Team, finalized the summary of the Organizational Self-Assessment Related to Racial Equity.
  • Coordinated presentation of Nursery Grower Study by Pivot Group.
Planned:
  • Facilitate CWMA (Cooperative Weed Management Area) Pull Together planning meeting.
  • Finalize personal work plan.
  • Design materials about beetle banks for Far West Show booth.
  • With Lucas, send StreamCare survey to recently graduated landowners.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Completed final edits to the weeds section of the Rain Gardens 101 workshop mini-workbook.
  • Reviewed final draft of performance evaluation template.
  • Review preliminary report from Hererra and meet with SRBWC to prep for the planning meeting scheduled for July 6th.
  • Grass ID class.
Planned:
  • Provided edits to the new Urban Lands outreach materials.
  • Reviewing and compiling staff and program workplans.
  • Review IPM Website development report/update.
Technical Assistance Erik Carr
Completed:
  • Met with Sandy River Basin Watershed Council to discuss MHCC campus assessment and naturescaping projects.
  • Updating annual work plan.
  • Met with West Multnomah SWCD to discuss urban program collaboration ideas; met with US Fish and Wildlife urban program to discuss pollinator habitat project at the Grotto.
Planned:
  • Meeting with Columbia Slough WC to consult on EMSWCD grant-funded project on Fairview Creek.
  • Attending Regional Connectivity Working Group quarterly meeting.
  • Technical site visits.
Outreach & Education Angela Previdelli
Completed:
  • Final review and draft of outreach materials.
  • Review of 19 grants for Metro's Restoration Grant Review Committee for the pre-application phase.
  • Worked on equity team documents for presentation to staff members.
  • Drafted new version of workplan for FY 16-17.
Planned:
  • Vacation! Woohoo! I will be biking through the Wallowas and will be back in the office July 5th.
Outreach & Education Katie Meckes
Completed:
  • Attended Greening Schoolyards Taskforce meeting.
  • Met with WMSWCD about possibility of unifying our messaging and better coordinating our offerings across Districts.
  • Drafted final text for Urban Lands outreach pamphlets and Rain Garden Exercise Booklets.
  • Scheduled 20 fall workshops, sent the initial confirmation email to all hosts and sent the schedule to presenters.
  • Downloaded results from 2015 Naturescaping and Rain Garden workshop surveys. Sent lucky raffle winners their gift certificates.
  • Submitted final draft of work plan.
  • Met with Chelsea to discuss big picture basement organization plan.
Planned:
  • Select a Greening Schoolyards sub-committee and attend future meetings beginning in September.
  • Attend second meeting which is to take place in July.
  • Perform one last review before Angela sends final draft to Alex for printing.
  • Post workshops to website, create fliers, then send all hosts their checklists, fliers and link to registration page.
  • Review and provide feedback on new pollinator and beneficial insects workshop presentations.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Worked on EMSWCD District work plan, and individual Conservation Legacy staff work plans, for next fiscal year (FY 2016-17).
  • Pursued various due diligence activities, and management options, related to the ag acquisition property.
  • Attended the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership Science to Policy Summit on Climate Change.
Planned:
  • Complete draft EMSWCD District work plan for FY 16-17.
  • Pursued various due diligence activities related to the ag acquisition property.
  • Formulate draft comment on Portland Harbor Superfund site EPA clean-up proposal.
  • Research online grant management software solutions for possible use by the Grants Program.
    • Land Legacy Rick McMonagle
    Completed:
    • Continued due diligence activities for farm acquisition project.
    • Discussed Transfer of Development Rights w/DLCD staff.
    • Attended Board meeting.
    • Attended Pivot presentation re: Nursery survey.
    • Drafted FY16-17 work plan.
    Planned:
    • Continuing due diligence activities for farm acquisition project.
    • Meeting with ALE project landowners.
    • Attending InFarmation event.
    • Revising FY16-17 work plan.
    Grants Suzanne Easton
    Completed:
    • Meetings: met with Verde staff to review Build Cully Park financials and PIC 2016 budget; met with representatives from Mudbone Family Farm to discuss pre-school garden project and possible grant funding; met with representatives from SOLVE about transferring PIC restoration project.
    • Attended new ED welcoming event for Ecology in Classrooms and Outdoors (ECO).
    • Attended Intertwine supported Greening Schoolyards meeting. Group is developing an action plan and subcommittees to implement.
    • Site visit to NAYA - follow-up to recent Board approval of PIC project modification; site visit to Crystal Springs work party -PIC 2015 project.
    • Worked with Andrew on 2016/17 workplan.
    • Continue contracting for PIC 2016 grants.
    Planned:
    • Site-visits: Green Lent PIC 2015 project; Fairview Creek with Columbia Slough Watershed Council and Erik Carr - PIC Plus project.
    • Process and review new SPACE grants; continue PIC 2016 contracting.
    • Plan reception for 2016 grantees, scheduled for July 14, 5-7pm at the EMSWCD.
    • Present PIC 2016 survey results to staff.
    Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
    Completed:
    • Coordinating end of FY projects: curing shed and cooler.
    • Conducting the hiring process for the Headwaters Farm Operations Assistant position.
    • Attended irrigation water management training at CCSWCD.
    Planned:
    • Compiling 2nd quarter invoices.
    • Conducting mid-season check ins with incubator farmers.
    • Presenting the Headwaters Incubator Program at the Woodlawn Farmers Market and promoting the upcoming farm tour as per their Partners In Conservation grant.