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Clallam County board approves 2025 work plan; inspection process, staffing and grants highlighted
Summary
The Clallam County Noxious Weed Board accepted staff and financial reports and unanimously approved its 2025 work plan. Staff described a newly approved full‑time hire, a recent vehicle purchase, federal and state grant funding, and plans to modernize a weed‑tracking database and expand landowner outreach and inspections.
Clallam County Noxious Weed Board members on Wednesday accepted the staff and financial reports and unanimously approved the board’s 2025 work plan, advancing efforts to expand inspections, outreach and contract work across the county.
The work plan centers on staffing, inspections and outreach. Sam, the county coordinator, told the board, “we've got approval to bring on another full time person,” and described plans to post the new year‑round position within weeks following approval by the county commissioners.
The new hire is intended to allow the program to fulfill contracts and deliver more on‑the‑ground weed treatments for partners including the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and state agencies. Sam said the person will work “almost exclusively out in the field, actually doing weed treatments for our partners.”
Board members said the program has also secured equipment and grant reimbursements that support operations. Staff reported a recent reimbursement from the U.S. Forest Service and described committed funds totaling $43,000 (staff said this reflects a $28,000 award in November plus $15,000 rolled over from another contract). The program returned roughly $6,000 to a state grant in 2023 when hires could not be filled; staff said that repayment will not affect future funding. Staff also reported buying a new Ford Maverick truck paid from district reserves after repeatedly repairing an older vehicle; Sam said more than $10,000 had been spent repairing the older truck over two years.
The board discussed several operational priorities in the work plan: modernizing an aging Excel‑based database used to track properties and communications; surveying and targeted eradication of rare county species (examples cited included Italian thistle and milk thistle); continued coordination with federal, tribal and local partners on weed control near timber harvests and floodplain projects; and expanded public outreach, volunteer events and school visits. Sam explained the inspection workflow in detail: early reminder letters to known landowners, a three‑week follow up window, door‑knock contact when owners are on site, escalating written notices after repeated nonresponse, and, when necessary, an enforcement path that can set a contracted control date.
Board member Bobby moved to approve the 2025 work plan; Eric seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The board likewise voted unanimously to accept the staff and financial reports.
The board emphasized education and partnership. Christina, a staff member, said the program’s priority is “to work with landowners to get them to control their weeds,” noting staff try to “meet people where they are” and provide safety information for difficult species such as poison hemlock.
Staff listed upcoming outreach events, including the Olympic Invasive Working Group spring meeting and multiple talks for local groups and colleges. Sam said the program is preparing to send targeted early reminders for tansy ragwort and other seasonally active species and to continue surveys for English holly and spurge laurel.
The board set the next meeting and flagged the July 22 budget meeting in its calendar.
