Coos County Soil And Water Conservation District

The meeting included discussions about potential sessions for next year's Conference, with a suggestion for training on writing a solid RFB and other public contracting topics. The Treasurer's report indicated the District is on track with their budget, emphasizing the importance of the General Fund. An announcement was made regarding director elections, specifying that paperwork must be hand-delivered or overnight shipped. The Horses for Clean Water workshop at the Johnson Property was approved, and staff provided project updates. Partner reports were given by NRCS and CREP, followed by a Coquille Watershed report on weed management. ODFW reported on cougars in Lakeside and the upcoming Chinook season.

This Business Plan serves as a broad outline for guiding the Coos Soil and Water Conservation District's directors, employees, and partners in addressing natural resource concerns and internal/external practices. It summarizes the organization's structure, key natural resource issues, and priorities, while providing an overview of services, programs, and assistance offered to customers. The plan also guides operations management, recruitment, and is used as the basis for developing annual work plans and funding requests, emphasizing the protection, conservation, and improvement of soil and water resources in Coos County through planning, technical assistance, and education.

The meeting included discussion of the September 2018 minutes and the Treasurer Report. The projects committee reviewed engineering bids received for the Stalley Project and selected Waterways Consulting Inc. A vote was held to approve a Professional Service Contract with Waterways Consulting Inc. The Chisholm flood irrigation channels project was discussed, and a motion was made to apply to the OWEB fall grant cycle for Technical Assistance funds for the Chisholm project. The board discussed Auger safety and back strain precautions, and decided that safety meetings will be added to the regular agenda in the future. The board also discussed funding the CoqWA and subcontracting to write the Coaledo TA, and Christopher Claire from ODFW provided updates.

The meeting included discussions on the finance report, merchandise for staff and board members, and footwear reimbursement for staff. The board also discussed authorized signers on the checking account, CTCLUSI contract, Noble Creek Waterways Contract, and Lee Valley Dairy. Additional discussions covered the SIA Open House Meeting, organization growth and development, staff reports, safety meeting, Coquille Watershed, ODFW, and workshops/education for landowners.

The meeting addressed the district's budget, noting it was under budget and discussing ways to utilize excess funds, including water quality education campaigns and hiring additional staff. Agency reports included updates on the Biennial Review for the Coos-Coquille Plan, the Agricultural Water Quality Management Plan, and the renewal of funding for NRCS strategies such as Cranberry Automated Irrigation and Forestry. There was also discussion regarding limiting public access to Weyerhauser lands and a new policy requiring vehicle access permits. The board reviewed and discussed updates to the employee handbook, including staff safety precautions and policies on carrying weapons. Additionally, the board approved staff training opportunities related to habitat restoration and mitigation.