Activity Report for the Period 8/13/2018 – 8/24/2018

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Sections:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Jay Udelhoven
Completed:
  • External Engagement: Participated in OAHP work group meeting to discuss progress and rule proposal of the OAHC; met with NRCS and WMSWCD at Headwaters Farm for a tour and discussion about working lands conservation efforts; participated in the state-level Natural and Working Lands Work Group meeting to discuss opportunities for carbon off-sets.
  • Boards/Committees: Met with prospective board director candidate.
  • Policies/Planning/Budgeting: Continued work on annual work plan; continued equity Planning with CEI.
  • Supervision/Leadership: On-boarded Dan Mitten, our new CFO.
  • Program Implementation: Met with landowners near Headwaters Farm for a check in; met staff at Mainstem farm to discuss conservation and farming options.
Planned:
  • External Engagement: Participate in OACD monthly meeting; meet with Metro to discuss their upcoming bond measure; attend NRCS-WMSWCD-EMSWCD coordination meeting.
  • Boards/Committees: Prep for and host board meeting; attend Grants Committee meeting.
  • Policies/Planning/Budgeting: Continue work on annual plan and policy updates
  • Supervision/Leadership: Meet with staff (1x1) and management team.
  • Program Implementation: Work with staff to determine areas suitable for conservation and farming on the Mainstem Farm; meet with staff and in-holding landowners at Headwaters to discuss the future of their property.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACTIVITIES
Program Supervision / Finance & Budget Dan Mitten
Completed:
  • On-boarding and outboarding: Met with staff and other Program Managers as part of orientation. Transferred account information, banking, online accounts as new CFO. Disabled previous logins and changed passwords as appropriate protocol for outboarding a CFO. Reviewed budget, financials, fiscal policies & procedures, accounting software, workplans, and audit materials.
  • Discussed internal and web technical issues with Alex both for self and company-wide. Discussed hosting services, potential spin-off site for annual plant sale, potential solutions, and logistics regarding site outage and unresponsiveness during plant sale season.
  • Began preparation of financial reports for upcoming Board meeting.
  • Discussed Audit process with auditor. Timeline, materials required, and planning.
Planned:
  • Will continue to develop own annual workplan, prepare annual audit materials, and monitor finances - budget and actual.
  • Will continue to evaluate IT needs, issues, and solutions for both internal system usage and efficiency, as well as web development/hosting service solutions for main site and potential spin offs. Will set up IT meeting in the next several weeks to review all hardware/software/server logistics, issues, and research alternate solutions or technologies if needed.
  • Will obtain schedule and plan for annual audit and audit materials accordingly.
Office Management Lindsay Nelson
Completed:
  • Lindsay was on vacation during most of the last week of this reporting period, and came in briefly to attend to on-boarding Dan, processing and mailing bills, etc.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • I was on vacation for a good portion of the time since the last activity report. Since then I have done some minor upkeep around the office.
  • I have started building the compost boxes for the new composting facility at Headwaters.
Planned:
  • As soon as the weather cools down a bit, I will be cleaning and re-staining the front porch.
  • I will be finishing up the compost boxes as well as helping Rowan run the forced air system for the composting facility.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Materials/outreach: created new drafts of Land Legacy displays, worked with Rowan and Andrew on drafts of new Headwaters postcard. Promoted FarWest Show, Nadaka Festival, Dan's arrival as CFO, Mt. Hood construction updates, etc.
  • IT: worked with contractor to set up new switch upstairs, assisted several staff with various issues: user accounts, network, software and software licensing, email issues, etc.
  • Worked with Lindsay, Scot, Jay to on-board Dan: email/user account setup, station setup/troubleshooting, phone/voicemail, website user accounts, etc. Met with Dan to go over marketing/media work.
  • Surveys: worked with Suzanne to collect additional responses to PIC Grant survey and took a first look at results, gave quick feedback on Chelsea's StreamCare survey.
  • Website: added new accounts and removed old ones on public and dev sites, updated entire suite of plugins, reactivated store plugin, investigated and resolved issues related to workshops and events plugin with Katie. Researched Google Map API changes and discussed options with Katie and Andrew. Updated workshop page formatting.
Planned:
  • Finalize and print various materials including Headwaters postcard, order new business cards.
  • Promote workshops, partner events and more on social media. Begin outreach for HIP farmer recruitment.
  • Work planning; meet with supervisors to revise program sections.
  • Organizational and IT support as necessary.
RURAL LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Julie DiLeone
Completed:
  • Preparation for and attendance at meetings: program planning, management team, CLIP team, equity team, resource concern policy.
  • Working on an outline for the Sandy River Basin Partner's application for funding from OWEB's Focused Investment Development grant.
Planned:
  • Taking an extra long weekend for Labor Day.
  • Meeting with ODA to prepare for upcoming Ag Water Quality Local Advisory Committee meetings this fall and winter.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Aaron was offsite working on an Erosion Solutions project during this work period and unable to submit a report.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • I have had two crews out doing spray maintenance on StreamCare sites. Eighty one acres treated in total.
  • Proposed a livestock exclusion fence proposal in the Johnson Creek Watershed to the CLIP team. It was approved and I will move forward with a funding agreement.
  • Attended a joint meeting with employees from West Multnomah SWCD and NRCS to tour headwaters. I led sections focusing on the Dianna Pope Natural Area.
Planned:
  • I will be continuing maintenance of StreamCare sites.
  • I will be meeting with the new coordinator of the Western Invsives Network of which I am on the steering committee for.
  • Columbia Gorge Cooperative Weed Management Area (CGCWMA) : I will be reviewing applications, making recommendations on who to hire, and sitting in on interviews for the CGCWMA coordinator position. I will attend a CGCWMA steering committee meeting and facilitated the general meeting.
Technical Assistance Jeremy Baker
Completed:
  • Drafted agenda for and chaired the CLIP team meeting last week.
  • Attended Farwest Show. Had a great discussion with one of our irrigation suppliers in Portland and may have been able to obtain a soil moisture monitor to test out at Headwaters next year for comparision purposes.
  • Set up site visit with two new landowners starting in September. Great projects are pending!
Planned:
  • Finalizing draft engineered designs for two manure compost facilities and one heavy use area (HUA). One compost facility is aerated, the other is traditional turn pile. I'm looking forward to comparing costs of construction for the two.
  • Met with a new landowner last week to discuss weed control and native plantings on a proprety bordering Beaver creek. I'm currently drafting the site visit report and we'll see what the landowners thoughts are on our recommendations and move forward accordingly.
  • I'm working with NRCS Soil Scientists here to come help us texture the soils out at Headwaters. We've seen some variation in the water-holding capacity since monitoring soil moisture this past summer, which may be inconsistent (but not unusual) with the classification of the soil. I'm hoping I'll be able to talk them in to helping us determine the depth of the fragipan as well!
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • I've been leading crews to work on Clematis, ivy and knotweed control.
  • I've been leading vegetation management crews in the gorge as a part of restoration efforts.
  • I've been working on knotweed control. Chelsea and I walked many floodplains along the Sandy River surveying for knotweed, and I controlled multiple Beaver Creek and Johnson Creek infestations.
Planned:
  • Knotweed control will get in full tilt with Jon back in town.
  • I will continue running vegetation management crews in the gorge.
  • Meeting several managers of different garlic mustard projects to discuss possible interagency grant funding.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • Lucas and I completed the monthly water quality sampling and wildlife surveys.
  • I was on vacation with my family.
Planned:
  • Chris and I will continue fire line weed surveys in the burn zone.
  • Chris and I will continue fall knotweed surveys and control.
  • I will work on illustrations for EMSWCD outreach materials and on an illustration for ODA biocontrol. I will work with Chris and Julie to plan fall and winter work.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Worked on elements of the Equity Plan, including but not limited to cultural values, communication strategies, and the equity lens.
  • Finalized and set up exhibitor booth at the FarWest show (August 22nd - 24th). The theme of the booth was erosion prevention and it was created in partnership with Tualatin and Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
  • Tested out the Equity Lens with the Rural Lands Team and compiled feedback on the lens itself for improvements.
Planned:
  • I am serving as the lead for planning the 4-county CWMA's (CWMA: Cooperative Weed Mangement Area) Pull Together until we hire a new CWMA coordinator. We are currently in the process of seeking out and lining up speakers. I am also reviewing applications for the new coordinator.
  • Send out survey of StreamCare 2018 graduates.
  • Start lining up spring workshops.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Met with Dan to give him an overview of Urban Lands program.
  • Met with Andrew, Jay and Julie to discuss 5-year strategic planning efforts and to clarify final draft 5-year programatic goals.
  • Attended Beavercreek Partnership meeting where we toured the construction at both the Kane road culvert replacement and the MHCC SalmonSafe Retrofit sites.
Planned:
  • Reviewing and editing Naturescaping workbook prior to going to print to stock up for several years.
  • Meeting with my new DEI buddies.
  • Attending Columbia Slough Watershed Council board meeting.
Technical Assistance Whitney Bailey
Completed:
  • GIS analysis to determine Urban CLIP eligibility areas.
  • Cost-benefit analysis to determine CLIP rain garden cost-share policy.
  • CLIP team meeting.
  • Finalizing logistics for getting tree of heaven removed.
  • Macroinvertebrate sampling with IJC in Johnson Creek.
  • Whitney was on vacation for part of this work period, and the vacation continues into part of the next work period.
Outreach & Education Angela Previdelli
Completed:
  • Tabled at East Portland Sunday Parkways Event. The event joined with the Walk for Immigrants and Refugee event.
  • Tabled at Gresham Neighborhood Association's annual summer event Picnic in the Park.
  • Attended monthly meeting of the East Portland Action Plan.
  • Participated in interview committee for new intership position.
Planned:
  • Going on vacation next week.
  • Preparing for final meeting with CEI for Equity Team.
Outreach & Education Katie Meckes
Completed:
  • Katie was on vacation during the last few days of this work period and unable to submit a report.
Outreach & Education Josie Moberg
Completed:
  • Made MailChimp announcements (among other outreach tasks).
  • Database work (deleting duplicates and updating info for contacts).
  • Tabled at Nadaka Community Festival.
  • Updated spreadsheets and corresponded with workshop hosts.
  • Reached out to IRCO for translation services for Culturally Specific Workshops.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Worked with management team and program staff to refine goal and objective statements for annual plan and strategic plan.
  • Reviewed working farmland conservation easement template and assocuated guideline documents.
  • Participated in equity training and planning.
Planned:
  • Work on finalizing the revised EMSWCD annual work plan, including program goals and objectives.
  • Collate content for the EMSWCD FY17-18 Annual Report.
  • I'll be on vacation for a week.
Grants Suzanne Easton
Completed:
  • Finalizing the last of 2018 PIC contracts. PIC 2018 grantees: Site visit - Wisdom of the Elders; met with Depave ED about the budget/reimbursement process.
  • Attended CLIP meeting.
  • Conducted PIC 2018 applicant survey.
  • Began planning for September Grants Committee meeting. SPACE: Check in with Angela and attended August application review meeting.
  • Equity: Team pratice using equity lens, internal meetings on use of data and organization culture. Attended CEI planning day.
Planned:
  • Prepare for Grants Committee, send packet and pull PIC survey results into presentation.
  • Attend environmental justice tour - Portland Harbor.
  • Set up PIC site visits for Sept and Oct.
  • Equity homework and planning.
Land Legacy Matt Shipkey
Completed:
  • Closing deferred pending satisfaction of seller contingency.
  • Farm lease framework drafted. Working farmland easement finalized for outside review.
  • Plan for advancing use and stewardship activities at Mainstem advanced.
  • Advanced partnership discussions with Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts.
  • Substantially advanced framework for succession planning training.
Planned:
  • Close on farm property if seller contingency satisfied.
  • Oregon Ag Heritage Program Letters of Intent submitted.
  • Finalize Mainstem Farm riparian buffer. Advance lease drafting/discussions at Mainstem.
  • Finalize drafts of various foundational documents. Develop "Standards and Practices" for COLT membership.
Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
Completed:
  • Met with a reporter from the Capital Press to discuss an article on the challenges facing beginning farmers.
  • Provided a tour of Headwaters Farm to NRCS and West Multnomah SWCD staff.
  • Worked with Alex to develop an outreach plan for the upcoming 2019 incubator program application period.
Planned:
  • Working with Aaron and Headwaters Farm staff to seed and stabilize any bare soil that resulted from this summer’s stormwater improvements.
  • Providing a tour to several likely farm incubator applicants.
  • Overseeing the construction and installation of the Headwaters Farm compost microbins.
Headwaters Farm Stuart Moeller
Completed:
  • Removed the shade cloth from the Mainstem prophouse and installed shade material over the outdoor cooler to reduce energy needs.
  • Supported the construction of the compost boxes.
  • Invasive weed management using silage tarps, mowing, and hand pulling.
Planned:
  • Running a water line to the new compost facility.
  • Seeding and installing coconut coir to stabilize bare slopes.
  • Tightening the poly on hoophouse #4.