Klamath County commissioners on Jan. 7 approved a resolution setting weed-control fees for 2025 and an order declaring the entire county a weed-control district, moving two species into a higher enforcement category.

Todd Pfeiffer, Public Works weed-control supervisor, told the board the fee schedule change responds to staffing shortfalls that left the program losing money. "This fee schedule increases the rate for an applicator from 25.45 to 28.45," Pfeiffer said, and "increases the rate for a driver helper from 22.74 to 24.74," while raising overhead from 94% to 95%.

The fee-resolution was moved and adopted with unanimous votes. Commissioners present—Commissioner Kelly Minty (chair), Commissioner Andy Nichols and Commissioner deGrute (vice chair)—voted in favor.

Separately, the board approved an order declaring Klamath County a weed-control district for 2025 and adopted the county's noxious-weed list for the year. The county Weed Board recommended reclassifying Medusahead and Benton Autograss from the C list to the B list; Pfeiffer described the A/B/C categories for the record: A weeds are high-priority and potentially eradicable, B weeds are widespread and subject to enforcement for control, and C weeds are recognized but not subject to enforcement.

The board's actions authorize the county to collect fees and to proceed with enforcement consistent with the newly declared district and the reclassification. No separate fiscal appropriation was attached to the orders; staff said fiscal impacts depend on individual weed-control agreements with outside landowners and agencies.

The measures were routine on the county calendar but reflect a programmatic shift toward higher hourly reimbursement to stabilize weed-control crews and increased enforcement for two previously lower-category species.