Activity Report for the Period 8/14/2017 – 8/25/2017

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Sections:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ACTIVITIES
Jay Udelhoven
Completed:
  • Jay is currently on vacation and unable to submit a report.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACTIVITIES
Program Supervision / Finance & Budget Lissa Adams
Completed:
  • Attended 3-day equity training with all staff and Laura M. Selected a temporary office assistant and signed contract with OfficeTemp to engage as of August 22nd. Finalized contract for Strategic Planning retreat at Blue Lake Lodge.
  • Took a mini-vacation from August 21st to the 23rd. Populated FY16-17 annual report with Finance and Ops data and financial information. Reviewed several contracts. Finalized financial reporting information for ODA grant for the biennium ending June 30th, 2017.
  • Network assessment to evaluate possible new IT contractor.
Planned:
  • Continue with FY16-17 audit prep work.
  • Complete business renewal packet and annual forms for Local Government Investment Pool account.
Office Management Jed Arnold
Completed:
  • Our new temporary Office Manager Lindsay Nelson's first day was Tuesday, August 22nd. I have been working to train her on some of the basics of office operations at EMSWCD and board meeting procedures.
  • I took leave for the week of August 14th off to try make housing arrangements for myself in Clatsop County.
  • I cleaned out most of my files and personal belongings from my old work area to allow Lindsay to begin settling in ASAP. I also began work on procedures manuals for reference after I leave.
Planned:
  • My last week at EMSWCD will be focused on training our temporary Office Manager and transitioning any on-going projects to her and/or other staff.
Facilities Management Scot Wood
Completed:
  • The parking lot has been re-striped and looks great!
  • The demo of the house and out buildings has been completed. What a difference!!
  • I have been working on more routine maintenance tasks as well as lining up contractors for quotes on the upcoming storm water project.
Planned:
  • The exterior painting will take place on August 24th and should be completed that day.
  • WasteXpress will start removing the hazardous materials and burn pile the week of August 28th.
  • Rowan and I are to meet with excavation contractors Wednesday, August 30th, laying out the storm water project for them so everyone hears and quotes the same thing.
Marketing & Media Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Attended Equity, Diversity and Inclusion training.
  • Took a 3-day vacation (plus weekend) to witness the solar eclipse.
  • Worked to catch up on several days out of office between the equity training and vacation soon after, attending to tasks, requests and emails.
  • Continued Headwaters promotion. Another article covering incubator farms and mentioning the Farm Incubator Program. Promoted upcoming tour on Sunday, August 27.
  • Drafted annual meeting event invitation, reviewed with staff and created an HTML template email to send. Sent out to around 40 invitees, worked with staff to get in touch with others.
Planned:
  • Review feedback on Branding and Identity document and revise as necessary.
  • Continue working on the Marketing Plan.
  • Continue outreach campaign for Headwaters Farm Incubator Program, assist with fall workshop promotion, help roll out planned website updates and get materials printed.
  • Update the structure of the About section and organizational resources on the website.
Information Technology Lissa Adams,
Jed Arnold,
Alex Woolery
Completed:
  • Jed and Lissa responded to staff IT issues and questions as needed; see notes in their individual reports above.
Planned:
  • Lissa will respond to staff IT issues and questions as needed.
RURAL LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Julie DiLeone
Completed:
  • Developing Rural Lands update for September Board meeting.
  • Completed the end of biennium reporting to ODA.
  • Completed the Rural Lands section of the annual report.
Planned:
  • Finalize presentation for Board meeting.
  • Finish update of job descriptions.
  • Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Small Grant Team meeting to update our bylaws.
Rural Water Quality Aaron Guffey
Completed:
  • Aaron is currently on vacation and unable to submit a report.
StreamCare Lucas Nipp
Completed:
  • Equity training.
  • I did an exit site visit with a landowner who lives out of state but was in town for a few days. I did two check in site visits with landowners who were interested in walking their property with me and having questions answered.
  • Oversaw the spraying of weeds in the forested areas and hedgerow at Oxbow Farm. Completed initial site preparation for sites enrolled in the StreamCare program this year.
  • Annual report and strategic planning preparation.
Planned:
  • I will be on vacation for the majority of the next reporting period.
  • I will continue with preparations for strategic planning.
Technical Assistance Jeremy Baker
Completed:
  • Attended Equity, Diversity and Inclusion training.
  • Attendd OCEAN Board meeting.
  • Presented "Every Drop Count$" talk at Farwest show on Wednesday. About 6 people attended.
Planned:
  • Held a walk-through review of the engineered drawings for the drainage project out at Headwaters farm. Rowan, Bruce and I reviewed the drawings and ground truthed the design to make sure everything would work as well as determine how the project might impact DPNA. We made a few small changes and now have final design plans that will go out for bid soon.
  • Will be participating in the NRCS Partner Advisory Committee call on Friday.
  • Meeting with Kim Galland (NRCS Clackamas/Mult. Co. DC) to discuss and plan out my conservation plan certification process and timeline for 2017 and 2018.
Weed Management Chris Aldassy
Completed:
  • I've been coordinating with landowners and contractors regarding upcoming weeds projects.
  • Jon and I have begun controlling knotweed in the rural areas of the district. We are prioritising riparian areas and will incorporate other locations as time allows.
  • I gave a tutorial to some folks who will be tackling weeds on their property. They are controlling species that we, as a district, do not offer help controlling.
Planned:
  • Knotweed control will continue.
  • I'm starting site prep on a Sandy River floodplain restoration project that is full of knotweed, clematis, and a little garlic mustard.
  • Crews will be performing follow up control for ivy in several project areas.
Weed Management Jon Wagner
Completed:
  • Chris and I helped collect annual macroinvertebrate samples at three sites on Beaver Creek. We collected monthly water quality samples and conducted the monthly wildlife survey of the Diana Pope Natural Area.
  • I attended the office equity training.
  • Chris and I scheduled and conducted site surveys riparian restoration work along the Sandy River.
Planned:
  • Chris and I begin knotweed control work along the Sandy River and I will work on private properties controlling known knotweed patches.
  • Chris and I will finish annual control of false brome.
Outreach & Education Chelsea White-Brainard
Completed:
  • Finalized materials for FarWest show, set up and staffed booth. The booth is promoting the use of cover crops and features live examples of various cover crop species with information highlighting the benefits of each.
  • With Katie and Angela, interviewed candidates for the Urban Outreach and Education Intern.
  • Began reaching out to speakers for the Pull Together, presented by the 4-County Cooperative Weed Management Area.
Planned:
  • Coordinate printing and mailing of water quality mailer, "Beaver Creek: the Watershed Beneath Our Feet."
  • Apply final edits to 4-County CWMA weed fact sheets.
  • Begin planning fall workshops.
URBAN LANDS
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Kathy Shearin
Completed:
  • Kathy is currently on vacation and unable to submit a report.
Technical Assistance Whitney Bailey
Completed:
  • Conducted quarterly EMSWCD Green Streets clean-up.
  • Attended three-day CEI Equity training.
  • Conducted three site visits re: Gresham Rain Garden Incentive and Urban CLIP.
  • Responded and followed up on multiple inquiries re: pokeweed management, native habitat, and urban grants.
  • Met with WMSWCD about local mitigation banking projects.
Planned:
  • Attending ACE NW meeting for presentation on Metro's Partners in Nature.
  • Meeting at OMSI to discuss restoration and partnership opportunities.
  • Out of office until September 5th.
Outreach & Education Angela Previdelli
Completed:
  • Tabled at Fairview on the Green event, co-tabled with Backyard Habitat Certification Program.
  • Outreach to Urban East County community groups.
  • Equity Team - staff survey to capture feedback after three-day CEI training.
Planned:
  • Present to Mill Park Neighborhood Association.
  • Present to Powell Valley Garden Club.
  • Informational interview with college student.
Outreach & Education Katie Meckes
Completed:
  • Workshop outreach to community newspapers, neighborhood coalitions, associations, etc.
  • Interviewed applicants and and offered the internship. Josie will start on 9/19!
  • CEI training.
  • Created draft of MailChimp announcement for workshop promotion.
Planned:
  • Send Mailchimp announcement to big list for initial big round of workshop promotion.
  • Continue outreach for fall workshops, send October events to papers and community groups.
  • Preparations for arrival of the intern.
CONSERVATION LEGACY
ACTIVITIES
Program Management Andrew Brown
Completed:
  • Andrew is currently on vacation and unable to submit a report.
Grants Suzanne Easton
Completed:
  • Suzanne is currently on vacation and unable to submit a report.
Land Legacy Matt Shipkey
Completed:
  • PSA for acquisition project sent to Seller.
  • Identified Landscape program implementation steps with program developer.
  • Several meetings with conservation partners re their open space conservation priorities.
  • Drafted PSC for valuation assignment.
  • Further development of strategic planning materials.
  • Development of foundational materials.
Planned:
  • Valuation assignment awarded, term sheet drafting.
  • Acquisition in contract.
  • Additional development of Startegic Planning Materials.
  • Commence scoping of outreach strategy.
  • Meetings with conservation partners.
Headwaters Farm Rowan Steele
Completed:
  • Offered irrigation workshop and a farm tour for participants of the Rogue Farm Corps, Beginning Farmer Apprenticeship Program, and Headwaters Incubator Program farmers.
  • Provided tour of Headwaters Farm to staff and volunteers of Leach Botanical Gardens.
  • Set cover crop in areas around the farm not in active production.
Planned:
  • Permits for the road realignment.
  • End of fiscal purchases and planning for next fiscal year.
  • Beginning the mid-season farmer check ins.
Headwaters Farm Stuart Moeller
Completed:
  • Weed Management: pollinator habitat and around facilities.
  • Helped stretch loose plastic on one of the new hoophouses.
  • Assisted the hanging of a protective cover in the curing shed to separate produce from the spray foam insulation.