Commissioners approve 2024 noxious-weed report and 2025 control plan

The Harvey County Board of Commissioners voted May 20 to approve and sign the county’s 2024 annual noxious-weed eradication report and the 2025 control plan.

Rexhawn (Rick) Shawn, Harvey County Noxious Weed Director, reviewed the report’s financials and field estimates, explained why the filing was late and outlined the county’s control priorities for the year. Shawn told the commission the annual financial figures had been delayed by auditor timelines, so the required state submission had been turned in unsigned earlier; commissioners signed the final report at the meeting.

Key points from the report: - The director cited total 2024 revenue of $336,420 and expenditures of $233,069, leaving an ending balance; capital and carryover numbers were presented to commissioners. - The report included estimated acreage treated in 2024 broken down by species (field bindweed, Johnson grass, musk thistle, sericea lespedeza) and by land category (private, county, state, city, federal). Across species and land categories the director reported a combined treated/infested acreage on the reporting worksheets; the director emphasized variability in seasonal detection and that computer-estimated acreage can differ from the field director’s estimate. - Herbicide use, typical chemical mixes and monthly treatment summaries were included; the report recorded no warning or legal notices were required in 2024 and said public cooperation in the county has been generally strong.

Commissioners then moved to approve the annual report and 2025 control plan and signed the required forms so staff could forward the completed package to the state. The director invited commissioners to a regional weed directors’ training event Harvey County will host in August focused on calibration and application water quality.