Gallatin County Weed Board
Regular Monthly Meeting
September 8, 2006
Board members present were Linda Vrooman, Chair, Jeff Littlefield, Bob Hofman, Fred Bell and Joe Skinner (Commissioner). Craig Morgan was excused. Others present were Dennis Hengel (Coordinator), Keith Mainwaring (Property Owner), Fred Tubb (Farm Bureau) and Jennifer Johnson (Yellowstone Club Weed Coordinator).
Minutes. The Minutes of the August meeting had been mailed to the Board and were approved as read.
Claims. There were three claims presented. Vrooman reviewed them and they were approved.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Subdivision Review Fees. Hengel has a list of subdivisions that were reviewed between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006. He had a question regarding the process for estimating the cost of overhead involved in doing the weed management plans. Joe Skinner referred Hengel to Ed Blackman (Finance Officer) for current costs (e.g. office time etc.). A question came up about follow up on projects where there are complaints of the cooperator not following through on the weed management plan after final plat and thereby incurring more costs for extra property inspections. Skinner remarked that this should be a complaint procedure and should not be part of the review fee process.
2. Bylaws. The changes have been made to the Bylaws and the final draft was given to the Board for review. Littlefield brought up the subject of whether or not the Board had decided to make the Commissioner a voting member of the Board. After discussion it was decided that the Commissioner would not be a voting member of the Board. Fred Bell moved to approve the Bylaws in the present form subject to approval by the County Attorney. Bob Hofman seconded and the motion carried. Skinner remarked that the Bylaws also have to go in front of the County Commissioners for approval.
NEW BUSINESS
2. Commissioner Report. Joe Skinner informed the Board that the new County Administrator, Earl Mathers, has started and that his duties involving departments that operate under Boards was currently being discussed. Skinner will have more information for the Board at the October meeting. Vrooman stated that she had met Mr. Mathers in the Courthouse and invited him to a Weed Board meeting.
1. Public Comment/Other.
· Jennifer Johnson from the Yellowstone Club introduced herself. She has been hired by the Yellowstone Club to coordinate noxious weed control for the development. She has visited with Hengel by phone to discuss control measures for some of the noxious weeds in the area.
· Fred Tubb told those present that the Farm Bureau Annual Meeting would be around September 27th, and he would like to get specific information on the Dyer's Woad Reward program. Hengel informed Tubb that the State had a $50 reward program for the location of new active infestations of Dyer's Woad. Gallatin County offers a $100 reward for locations of new infestations of Category 3 weeds. Printed information will be sent to Tubb on the projects.
2. Commissioner Report (cont). Skinner remarked that the Weed District was given a new FTE in the new budget and the Board could start advertising and interviewing even though the position does not start until January. Skinner also stated that he would like to get another Weed Summit set up with a more informal atmosphere for the fall. He would like to have more of a round table format. There was a lot of discussion regarding the duties of the Weed District and jurisdiction over other agencies. The general consensus was that the fall meeting would be to discuss among agencies what was achieved during the field season, what were their challenges and what sort of cooperation is needed to get the job done. Skinner stated that Legislators need to become involved, as funding is a problem at all levels.
He suggested that the Legislators be invited to the Weed Summit Round Table meeting. Fred Bell suggested that we also get Land Trust people involved. Hengel stated that at the Federal level weed management plans are required in land swaps. This is how the Weed District became involved in the Frog Rock program. The second week in December was suggested for the Summit meeting with a follow up meeting in April to discuss plans for the upcoming field season.
3. Coordinator Report. Hengel brought up discussion regarding a Memo that he had sent to the Board on the topic of the Weed Law. He attended the Weed Law Committee meeting in Helena and presented the six (6) points that he feels need attention in order to streamline the enforcement process. Hengel would like to reword part of his proposition and submit it for publication in the MWCA Weed Times. Joe Skinner asked if the Weed District could send notification of weed infestations to property owners this summer and then start the second step next spring. Hengel replied that this is not specified in the law; however, some counties do this. Fred Bell addressed the topic of contaminated gravel pits. Can the Weed District stop development of a gravel pit that is infested with noxious weeds? Hengel
said that no Weed Districts do not have this enforcement ability and this issue is one of the points he brought up with the Weed Law Committee and requires a change in the weed law. Hengel remarked that Heart of the Valley (Humane Society) is a case in point. Heart of the Valley was given some land near Belgrade adjacent to the JTL gravel pit. The property is contaminated with Spotted knapweed. Heart of the Valley has informed of the infestation by the Weed District but has not controlled the Spotted knapweed on the property as required. This year Heart of the Valley leased their property to JTL to create a gravel pit. Once the gravel pit is in operation the Spotted knapweed will be spread throughout Gallatin County. Hengel remarked that the spray crews will be done spraying by September 15th of this year. Until that time, we have one crew completing some fall spot spraying and another crew winterizing equipment. He also informed the Board of a complaint
received by the Weed District that a spray crew had sprayed caraganas in the Cottonwood Canyon. Hengel had inspected the site with Brad Jones (Department of Agriculture). The inspection showed that the caragana plants were stripped of foliage and that the stems were still green. Jones suspected that the condition of the plants was due to insect and disease not herbicide damage.
4. Special Improvement Agreements. Hengel informed those present that because of a few developers that had not done the weed control work as outlined in their weed management plans he would like to have a special improvement agreement program set up. He cited Antelope Ridge subdivision where the homeowners have inherited a huge problem from the developer. Joe Skinner stated that he would contact Greg Sullivan (County Attorney's office) regarding this topic.
5. Upper Madison WMA. Hengel showed the Board maps that have been put together by Toni Ipolyi for the Upper and Lower Madison Weed Management Areas. He held a meeting in West Yellowstone to address the issue of weeds in the area and also the development of a weed management area. PPL has funds from the Missouri River Trust Fund and Hengel has applied for funds including monies toward the cost of hiring an on-site coordinator. The Town of West Yellowstone has offered to provide office space if we can hire a coordinator for the area.
6. Coordinator Performance Evaluation. Vrooman had stopped in the HR office on her way to the Weed Board meeting. She had picked up the summary of the 360 Review for the coordinator. The Board will review and respond at the next meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 3.05PM. The next meeting will be October 5th, 2006.
Respectfully submitted,
Rosemary Perry, Secretary.
| 
