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Commissioners direct one-year funding increase for county's weed program, ask staff to rework IGA with Soil & Water
Summary
Jefferson County commissioners directed staff April 23 to increase the county's one-year contribution to the countywide noxious weed coordinator position and to update the intergovernmental agreement with the county Soil and Water Conservation District to reflect the higher, fully loaded cost for 75% of the position.
The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners voted April 23 to direct staff to update the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to increase the county's contribution for the county's noxious weed program coordinator for one year.
County and SWCD staff told commissioners the position was established as a trial and originally budgeted to cover roughly $82,000 for 75% of the coordinator's time. After a year in operation staff said overhead costs, insurance and indirect costs underestimated the budget and that funding should be increased by just over $20,000. The county portion plus SWCD's 25% would bring the fully loaded county cost for the 75% position to about $103,000.
Commissioners discussed alternatives: bringing the position back in-house as a Jefferson County hiring, continuing the current SWCD arrangement while strengthening grant-seeking to offset county costs, or using a mix of grant funding and county funds to expand the program. Several advisory committee members and landowners spoke in favor of continuing and expanding the program because weed control provides benefits across agricultural and public lands; they noted cases where enforcement and abatement had prevented larger problems.
The board approved a one-year funding adjustment to maintain the 75% county-funded portion at the higher, more accurate level and asked staff to revise the IGA accordingly. Commissioners asked staff to return with budget detail and funding sources; the finance director also said Fund 02/2005 has limited carryover and staff would provide a separate update on fund balances and possible budget amendments.
Commissioners framed the vote as a limited, one-year commitment so the county and SWCD can continue the program while pursuing grants and evaluating whether the position should be brought into county payroll in future years. Staff said they will invoice and pursue existing project grants in the near term to offset costs and will report back in the fall on program and budget performance.
