Activity Report for the Period 5/28/2018 – 6/8/2018

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Sections:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Jay Udelhoven
Completed:
  • External Engagement: Met with Kim Peoples of Multnomah County to introduce EMSWCD and discuss restoration permitting requirements; participated in OACD monthly call.
  • Boards/Committees: Prepared for and hosted June Board meeting.
  • Policies/Planning/Budgeting: Worked on issues related to strategic planning; continued work on final drafts of new personnel policies.
  • Supervision/Leadership: Worked on CFO recruitment and related outreach; met with staff 1x1, F&O team, and management team.
  • Program Implementation: Met with New Island Capital to discuss future collaboration possibilities in placing new farmers on farmland within the district.
Planned:
  • External Engagement: Meet with WMSWCD and NRCS in the first monthly meeting to discuss working lands projects of common interest in Multnomah County.
  • Boards/Committees: Nothing planned.
  • Policies/Planning/Budgeting: Meet with Sustainable Northwest to discuss Oregon Clean Energy jobs bill; initiate annual work planning for next fiscal year; continue work on final drafts of new personnel policies; continue work on strategic plan.
  • Supervision/Leadership: Meet with staff 1x1, F&O team, and management team.
  • Program Implementation: As time allows, complete Fleet Roles & Responsibilities and Marketing Roles & Responsibilities.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACTIVITIES
Program Supervision / Finance & Budget Lissa Adams
Completed:
  • Lissa was out of office for most of this reporting period and unable to submit a report.
Office Management Lindsay Nelson
Completed:
  • Finalized benefits and open enrollment. Set up meetings with Colonial with various staff.
  • I processed bills and invoices to be paid, and sent out checks to various vendors.
  • Created Board of Directors and Budget Committee meeting packets for June. Printed, labeled and sent packet to Dianna Pope.
  • Went shopping for supplies for Board of Directors meeting. Prep, set up, tear down, and recorded minutes for the June Board meeting. Started Board meeting Minutes.
  • Met with Jay for 1x1, met with the EMSWCD Equity Team to discuss the CFO Position & Recruitment.
  • Attended a two-day CPR Instructor certification class, and a CEI Follow Up.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • Scot was out on vacation this entire week and unable to submit a report.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Final edits to the Branding Guide. Updated and prioritized marketing work, discussed projects and prioritization with program staff and supervisors.
  • Final Bike More push, staff logged 951 miles in May and over 10,500 total miles by now!
  • Follow-up and work investigating options for display panel: accessories, paper, review and discussion of templates. Began grant display work: searched through all grant project photos and created a highlight gallery of some of the best ones for displays and other projects.
  • Media/outreach: continued press outreach, possible articles forthcoming in Gresham Outlook and neighborhood newsletter.
Planned:
  • Work on drafting display panels for Grants and potentially for the Headwaters Incubator Program as well.
  • Continue to assist with IT issues as necessary while we replace hardware and prepare for a new server. Follow-up with IT contractors on several issues and questions.
  • Possibly attend a two-day training.
  • Create tutorials for staff to handle certain website and IT-related issues and tasks.
  • Assist with announcement and website udpates related to transition to ZoomGrants for SPACE grant program.
Information Technology Lissa Adams,
Lindsay Nelson,
Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Alex helped staff with IT issues, including Board support, addressing several power outage and hardware-related server outages, on-site visit with IT to install new network hardware and replace/remove outdates, spent all Monday addressing IT issues after server/internet/email/printer problems.
Planned:
  • Lindsay, Alex and Lissa will respond to staff IT issues and questions as needed.
RURAL LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Julie DiLeone
Completed:
  • Meetings: CLIP team, Board, Rural Lands one-on-ones, equity.
  • Still working on drainage designs for the Mishima property.
  • OWEB small grant team: contracting and reporting.
Planned:
  • Weather station software training.
  • Rural Lands Program work plan.
  • Meetings: CLIP team, personnel committee, Center for Equity and Inclusion.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Solicited vendors for material price quotes.
  • Met with the CLIP review team, who approved submission of the application for an Erosion Solutions pilot project.
  • Completed a CLIP application for an Erosion Solutions pilot project that was presented to and approved by the board at the June board meeting.
  • Attended a Young Grower's Social.
Planned:
  • 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.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • Completed weed control on StreamCare sites that will be graduating from StreamCare this summer. Twenty eight acres were treated.
  • Chelsea and I have been continuing door-to-door outreach in support of the StreamCare Program in the Beaver and Johnson Creek Watersheds.
  • I sent out proposed project maps to four landowners interested in joining the StreamCare program.
Planned:
  • Julie and I will be meeting with planners from the City of Troutdale at their request to review StreamCare permits for work in city limits.
  • Jon and I will do the monthly water quality sampling.
  • Chelsea and I will wrap up the first round of prioritized door-to-door outreach in the Beaver and Johnson Creek Watersheds. I also have some site visits with landowners interested in joining the program.
Technical Assistance Jeremy Baker
Completed:
  • Dean Moberg (NRCS Basin Resource Conservationist) and I presented at the Advanced Irrigation Training for HIP Growers and Rogue Farm Corp participants out at Headwaters farm.
  • Conducted site visits to two landowners planning for compost facilities. Reviewed partical engineered designs for each facility to ensure fit and accessability to landowners.
Planned:
  • Construction walk through with Rowan and excavation contractor to review engineered design for enhancing drainage and water conveyance at Headwaters.
  • Updating conservation plans for CLIP applicant in need of a HUA and compost facility.
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • I've been leading crews to finish up control work for the spring on multiple large garlic mustard infestations.
  • I started taking crews on USFS property to control EDRR weeds, as well as starting crews to survey for invasives on OPRD lands, as part of the restoration work for the Eagle Creek Fire.
  • I led crews on sites being restored through the SEVER project.
Planned:
  • Wrapping up garlic mustard for the season.
  • Leading crews for restoration activities through the fire response.
  • Rural Lands Team Building.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • Chris and I have been working with crews to complete a second and final pass at all garlic mustard sites. I surveyed for Giant Hog weed at a private property in Corbett.
  • I have been grading and formatting water quality data to shate with DEQ. I made final edits to the Dianna Pope Natural Area interprative sign.
Planned:
  • Lucas and I will conduct water quality sampling and monthly wildlife surveys, and we will complete second passes at garlic mustard sites on Johnson and Beaver Creeks.
  • Chris and I will work with crews to complete the second and final passes of control at all garlic mustard control sites for the spring. We will also continue burn area weed surveys and control.
  • I will finish grading and formating data and making edits to the water quality sampling assessment procedures for Beaver Creek; then I will send it to the Department of Environmental Quality to be included in a larger regional data base. I will work Chelsea and Alex to continue outreach illustration planning and development.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Finished interpretive sign for the DPNA (Dianna Pope Natural Area). Decided on a location, size, and manufacturer. Sign focuses on the benefits of streamside forests.
  • Continued door-to-door outreach and site visits for StreamCare with Lucas.
  • Partnerships and Committees: Served on the Joint Executive Committee to hire a new coordinator for the 4-County CWMA (Cooperative Weed Management Area), as well as the Clackamas SWCD and the Columbia Gorge CWMA. Met with outreach folks from Clackamas and Tualatin SWCDs to begin planning our booth at the FarWest Show.
  • Coordinated a joint meeting with the CFO hiring committee and the Equity Team to learn from Katie's confrence on hiring and maintaining a multicultural workforce. The group incorporated suggestions into the hiring process to make it more equitable.
  • Updated the display templates for the district's tri-fold tabling display based on feedback from management team and staff. The panels are modular and will have a consistent design across all program areas.
Planned:
  • Order interpretive sign for DPNA (Dianna Pope Natural Area). I'll work with Rowan and Scot to prepare the site. Lucas and I will install.
  • Continue StreamCare outreach with phone calls to priority landowners and one last round of door-to-door follow-up with Lucas.
  • As the chair of the 4-County CWMA Education and Outreach Committee, I will take the lead on planning the annual Pull Together Conference until we hire a new coordinator.
  • Begin working with Rural Lands staff to create tabling displays for their individual programs.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Met with Equity team to discuss CFO
  • Met with Equity Team to discuss next step with CEI.
  • Attended Adult Conservation Education Northwest (ACE-NW) meeting.
  • Gave presentation to Sabin CDC Americorp NCCC (National Civilian Community Corp) members on the topic of naturescaping and water conservation.
Technical Assistance Whitney Bailey
Completed:
  • Reviewed Gresham Stormwater Plan and submitted comments to Kathy for review.
  • Participated in CLIP team meeting; wrote up notes and agenda for next meeting.
  • Met with a citizen interested in starting a community garden and community wellness program to discuss siting, design, funding, materials sourcing, and other site improvements.
  • Met with landscaping company to discuss office landscaping needs.
  • Scheduled next Green Streets maintenance.
  • Reviewed CSWC 5 year Stewardship Action Plan draft.
  • Provided technical assistance regarding tree permits and erosion control.
Planned:
  • Tour of Corvallis Plant Materials Center to look at pollinator meadow field trials.
  • CWMA field day next week.
  • Next CLIP Team meeting June 12th. IJC meeting in 2 weeks.
  • Site visit with landscaping company to get estimate for pathways, green wall, and green roof improvements.
  • Revising rain garden registration page language.
Outreach & Education Angela Previdelli
Completed:
  • Attended Grantmakers Equity Network Meeting at Metro.
  • Found new manufacturer and approved proofs for new round of "I love native plants" stickers.
  • Planning for SPACE Grants transition to Zoom Grants.
Planned:
  • Finalize new outreach displays and print.
  • Cully Park and Explorando el Columbia Slough event on June 30th.
  • Finalize Zoom Grants transition.
Outreach & Education Katie Meckes
Completed:
  • Updated workshop presenter contract templates in preparation for FY18-19 renewals.
  • Direct internship recruitment on Community College campuses included four classroom presentations (70 students), and two tabling sessions at PCC's Student Union (25 conversations).
  • Worked with outreach staff to finalize outreach display drafts.
Planned:
  • Vacation from June 15th through July 6th!
Outreach & Education Josie Moberg
Completed:
  • Sent out host recruitment emails and started processing incoming requests.
Planned:
  • Scheduling fall workshops, processing requests, host communication.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Assisted Matt with Land Legacy projects and reviewing draft foundational documents.
  • Assisted Angela and Suzanne with SPACE grant set-up on online grant management platform, ZoomGrants.
  • Working on format for strategic plan and district annual work plan.
  • Caught up on emails and work after returning from an extended vacation.
Planned:
  • Advance 2018-2023 EMSWCD strategic plan draft, with program staff.
  • Start collating content for EMSWCD district annual work plan for FY18-19.
  • Work on resolve outstanding expenditures and items for budget year end.
Grants Suzanne Easton
Completed:
  • Completed six 2018 PIC contracts.
  • Worked with Angela on ZoomGrants setup for SPACE grants program.
  • Participated in Depave event at MHCC.
  • Participated in review of Community Watershed Stewardship Program applications for City of Portland.
  • Drafted letter to Portland Public School Board Chair concerning loss of Resource Conservation position.
Planned:
  • Complete next set of PIC contracts for July 1st deadline.
  • Work with Angela to prepare for SPACE ZoomGrants launch on July 2nd.
  • Contribute to final strategic planning documents for Grants Program.
  • Work with Alex to complete display for grants program.
Land Legacy Matt Shipkey
Completed:
  • Draft website updates completed for internal review.
  • Presented several agenda items at EMSWCD Board meeting.
  • Advanced due diligence for new transaction and Oxbow disposition.
  • Finalized draft Agricultural Management Plan guidelines, substantive progress on Easement Management Guidelines.
Planned:
  • Out of office from June 11th through June 15th.
  • Advance new transaction due diligence.
  • Advance Oxbow disposition.
  • Continue development of foundational documents.
  • Advance exploration of farm preservation collaboration opportunities with private capital entities.
Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
Completed:
  • Rowan was unable to submit a report during this reporting period.
Headwaters Farm Stuart Moeller
Completed:
  • Stuart was unable to submit a report during this reporting period.