This monthly report describes the operational side of the Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District for December 2017.
The Clackamas SWCD district operations team provides the support needed for the District to implement conservation practices and to function smoothly…things like keeping the vehicles running and paying the bills, and making sure that board directors and staff have what they need to succeed.
Annual meeting rescheduled
Per Oregon Revised Statute 568.580, Clackamas SWCD is required to hold an annual meeting:
“Each year after the creation of the first board of directors at a time fixed by resolution of the board, the board, by giving due notice, shall call an annual meeting of the landowners in the district and present an annual report and audit.”
A key phrase is “by giving due notice.” Clackamas SWCD staff submitted the required notice to a regional newspaper on time, but the newspaper did not publish it in time to meet the notice requirement for our expected annual meeting date. At their December 2017 regular meeting, the Board of Directors rescheduled the annual meeting to 4:00 pm on January 16, 2018.
At the January 2018 annual meeting, the Clackamas SWCD annual report and annual audit for fiscal year 2016-2017 will be presented. We will also present the results of our recent survey on natural resource issues. That survey will help inform Clackamas SWCD as the next annual plan and annual budget are developed.
Monthly reports
December is always a fragmented month because of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. It is also colder and wetter, often resulting in fewer calls for technical assistance and fewer site visits.
Clackamas SWCD published the following reports to help keep our constituents informed about the activities of their soil and water conservation district:
- District Operations Report: November 2017
- Outreach Insight for December 2017
- The Prickly Thistle: A December 2017 WeedWise Update
January 2018 reports for the Conservation Planning, Outreach, and WeedWise programs will be published later in January.
Financial highlights
Payroll processing system
Our transition to a new payroll processing vendor continued in December. The transition is expected to occur on January 1, 2018, with December’s payroll processed by the new vendor.
Audit completed
Clackamas SWCD is required to be audited annually before December 31 of each year. This work was completed and presented to the Board of Directors on December 19, 2017. The auditor gave an unqualified opinion, which means no adverse findings were discovered in the course of the audit.
Budgeting process begins
Each year, Clackamas SWCD develops a proposed budget and follows the processes described in Oregon’s Local Government Budget Law. December is the time when our thoughts turn to the steps necessary to develop the next budget. The internal budget team will be designated in January 2018.
District farm in Beavercreek
Conditional use hearing scheduled
On December 18, 2017, Clackamas County announced that a public hearing on the Clackamas SWCD’s application for a conditional use permit will be held on January 25, 2018. Details are available from the County’s announcement, downloadable here in PDF format:Â Conditional_Use_Hearing_Notice-18Dec2017-mobile
Some of the reasons that Clackamas SWCD seeks to build an office and meeting facility in Beavercreek include:
- Efficiency and cost
- Consolidating services in one location
- Demonstrate conservation practices at our office location
- Long-term cost reduction and stability
- Safety and convenience
- Parking sufficient for our farm and forestry customers
- Security of people and property
- Improved workshops and educational events
- Facilities adequate to conduct workshops and large meetings at our office location
- Preservation
- Retain existing open space by building on the already developed footprint
- Retain the rural character of the site
- Preserve the integrity and usefulness of the historical barn
Other
Vehicle prowl
We are starting to see more issues around our current location, including late night prowlers and people checking trash bins.
In December, items were stolen from a Clackamas SWCD vehicle. A window was broken to gain access. Damage totaled approximately $1,965.
End of the calendar year
As we came to the end of calendar year 2017, we reflected back on another tremendous year for Clackamas SWCD and our constituents. The annual report for fiscal year 2016-2017 completed in December 2017 provides a brief overview of the activities and accomplishments of the Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District.
Thank you
Thank you for a great year of conservation and community. We close calendar year 2017 with this photo taken by General Manager Tom Salzer at Moolack Beach on December 31, 2017. We hope you enjoy this peaceful scene of one of Oregon’s many beautiful beaches!
Moolack Beach, Oregon – December 31, 2017 – Photo by Tom Salzer
