Gallatin County Weed District
Regular Monthly Meeting
October 5, 2006
Board members present were Linda Vrooman, Chair, Craig Morgan, Jeff Littlefield, Bob Hofman and Joe Skinner (Commissioner). Others present were Dennis Hengel (Coordinator), Earl Mathers (County Administrator), Fred Tubb (Farm Bureau), Betty Biggs (Farm Bureau) and Josh Kellar (RC&D).
Introductions. Joe Skinner introduced Earl Mathers (County Administrator) to the Board. Betty Biggs was introduced as the new representative for the Farm Bureau Weed Committee.
Minutes. The Minutes of the September meeting had been mailed to the Board and were approved as presented.
Claims: Vrooman reviewed the Claims and they were approved as presented.
OLD BUSINESS
Hengel asked Skinner if he had had a chance to meet with Greg Sullivan of the County Attorney's Office regarding the Special Improvements Agreement. Skinner remarked that he had not.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Public Comment/Other. Fred Tubb passed around a letter of resignation from the position as representative to the Weed District from the Farm Bureau Weed Committee. He then read the letter to the Board. He also introduced Betty Biggs, who will be replacing Tubb as the Farm Bureau representative, to the Board and asked the Board to introduce themselves to Betty. The Board expressed their appreciation to Tubb for his many years of dedicated service.
Josh Kellar of RC&D showed the Board an example of a sign that they have produced in partnership with NRCS. The signs are metal and will be placed at various trailheads in the Gallatin Forest. They contain pictures of four (4) of the most common noxious weeds found in the Gallatin Forest with suggestions to the public on what to do if they find the noted weeds. Kellar left a sample of the sign with the Weed District. Kellar also reported that Joe Nowakowski has resigned from his position as Coordinator in the Gallatin/Big Sky area. The next meeting for the group is scheduled for the 15th November. Kellar will forward details. RC&D in partnership with the Extension Service is finishing up work on NWTF grants and Kellar reported that it has been a productive year. Kellar also discussed the
upcoming Weed Summit. He requested that the Weed Summit be on the November Agenda for discussion and stated that the RC&D Staff will assist the Weed District with the planning of the program. Kellar will send the Weed District an Agenda.
2. Commissioner Report. Skinner welcomed Earl Mathers and expressed appreciation that he is on board.
3. Coordinator Report. Hengel gave Mathers a copy of the booklet "Why Should I Care" and gave him a brief overview of the noxious weed issues in Montana.
· Hengel reported that 90% of the roadside spray work was done by August 15th. Two (2) crews stayed behind to winterize equipment and spray "hot spots".
· Hengel expressed appreciation for the Detention Center crews that pulled Spotted knapweed on Carpenter Lane and at the Law and Justice Center.
· Hengel reported that he felt that the weed booth at the MACo Conference was not in a good location. Most of the people he talked to already knew of the problems of noxious weed control.
· He also attended the Missouri/Madison River Task Force meeting in Helena. Skinner asked if Hengel had the final rankings in the grant applications. Gallatin County did not rate high but that was attributed to the fact that there was very little preparation time. The Weed District can reapply next year.
· Hengel attended a meeting with the GYCC Group in Gardiner Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. A big issue with this group is gravel pits and they are trying to create standards for certification of gravel pits.
· Information was passed out to the Board on the upcoming Zero Spread meeting in Butte on the 12th October. Linda Vrooman volunteered to go. Kellar stated that NRCS will be there and this would be a good opportunity to strengthen ties with NRCS.
4. Enforcement. Hengel reported on one successful and one unsuccessful enforcement problem.
Mr. Sebena has contracted with American Weed Service to control the noxious weeds on his various properties located throughout the county. Heart-of-the-Valley continues to be nonproductive in their noxious weed control responsibilities.
5. Subdivisions.
· Covenants. Hengel reported that there are a lot of problems with developers not doing their weed control work as set out in the Weed Management and Revegetation Plans. The Gallatin County subdivision requirements are currently under revision and Hengel would like to see if the weed control problem could be addressed in the revision. He questioned the possibility of adding a line item in HOA covenants to require budget funds for weed control in open spaces and roadways, much as they do for road maintenance. Skinner asked Rosemary Perry (Secretary) to set up a meeting between himself, Greg Sullivan (Deputy County Atty) and Hengel.
6. Grants. Hengel informed the Board that the Weed District has possibilities for three (3) grants next year.
a. Frog Rock on Bozeman Pass
b. Upper Madison Weed Management Area
c. Tall buttercup. The Extension Service is ready to turn over their findings from the grant they ran this year, to the Weed District. Kellar stated that they had mapped and done a lot of public outreach. Many landowners had already sprayed the Tall buttercup on their property. A full report on this grant is scheduled for the November Weed Board meeting.
Jeff Littlefield asked Hengel about the possibility of the Board touring the Shop facility in the near future. This would give the Board a better idea of the shop facility and the equipment that is available.
There being no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned at 2.25PM.
The next meeting will be on November 2nd, 2006.
Respectfully submitted,
Rosemary Perry, Secretary
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