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Weed department outlines stable operating budget, warns of staffing strain and grant-driven work
Summary
Weed department staff told commissioners May 8 that operating lines are largely unchanged but grant-funded workload has grown; the director asked for permission to prepare a staffing proposal after reporting administration of roughly $2.7 million in grants and heavy daily demand.
Kellyanne, the county weed department presenter, told Ravalli County commissioners on May 8 that most operating-line items are unchanged for the FY26 preliminary budget but that workload and grant administration have increased substantially.
She said chemical costs and power bills have not spiked in the past year, and that routine supplies and fuel requests were left largely level. At the same time she reported administering roughly $2.7 million in grants and said the department has significant reimbursement activity underway; she expects reimbursements to start arriving as claims and reports are processed.
Kellyanne walked commissioners through line items she proposed adjusting: replacing worn backpack sprayers, small tools and supplies, and a trash pump (which she and commissioners agreed should be moved to the capital list). She said a recent grant will cover a set of loaner backpack sprayers, and agreed to remove four loaner sprayers from the budget request to avoid duplication with grant funds.
She described routine cost controls—using used/refurbished equipment when available and seeking vendor sales—and noted one-time building repairs for security hardware following a power outage. Workshop and shop-foreman work increased department capacity, but the presenter said the current shop foreman is using personal tools and the department should purchase a standard cordless tool set (brand preferences were discussed).
On staffing, Kellyanne said she currently performs many tasks alone: grant writing and administration, education, mapping, monitoring, complaint investigation and enforcement work, staff oversight and coordination with multiple agencies and landowners. She estimated daily contact volumes of 20–50 phone calls and 20–30 emails during peak season. She asked commissioners for permission to work with finance and HR to develop a formal staffing proposal and data tracking to support it; commissioners said legislative revenue cuts make new positions less likely and asked that any proposal include identification of potential grant funding.
No formal budget vote occurred at the May 8 meeting; commissioners directed staff to continue working on line-item details and to bring a staffing proposal back for separate consideration.
