Valley County OKs modification to Boise National Forest weed-management grant; staff outline related road and bridge projects

The Valley County Board of Commissioners on May 27 approved a modification to a Boise National Forest grant that county Road and Bridge staff said will expand inventory and treatment work for noxious weeds in areas disturbed by recent fires.

The change adds $19,457 to an existing Boise National Forest award that Road and Bridge staff said already totaled $24,112.79. The commissioners approved the modification and authorized the chairman to sign the updated grant agreement.

Why it matters: county road and resource staff said the additional money will fund inventory work over burned and disturbed ground following several fires and will support limited spraying and GPS mapping of infestations. Staff warned the work covers a large area and could require overtime for seasonal employees, which may require a later budget reopening and public hearing so reimbursable expenses can be placed in the correct fund.

Steve, a Road and Bridge staff member who presented the item, told commissioners the grant work will focus “any place there’s disturbed ground or they cut roads,” including access roads and fire lines in areas affected by the Goat, Snag, Nelly and Bulldog fires. He said crews will use UTVs to inventory sites, GPS locations and perform some spraying where needed.

Clerk Miller, County Clerk, warned that although the grant funds are reimbursable, the county must ensure expenses are in the proper fund and likely will need to reopen the budget and hold another public hearing if overtime is paid from local accounts before reimbursement is received. “I do think we’ll have to potentially have another public hearing just to make sure that it’s transparent of what the county is, in fact, doing,” Miller said.

Commissioners and staff discussed that the inventory could cover thousands of acres, with some speakers noting the footprint might extend to hundreds of thousands of acres in terms of attention area. Steve said a mix of inventory and targeted treatment was planned and that some areas are not yet accessible.

Staff also briefed commissioners on related and upcoming grants and projects: a Four Corners FEMA grant of roughly $300,000 to support a kickoff and scoping meeting; coordination on a Frank Church River of No Return cooperative agreement (MOU) with neighboring counties for weed-management cooperation; a Western Federal Lands Lakeshore Drive project the county estimated at about $6 million for design and construction; and LTAC-funded safety and guardrail work and culvert lining projects (including work at Willow Creek, Mud Creek and a Gold Fork bridge rehab).

Other operational notes included the start of mosquito trapping earlier in the month with five or six traps being set, and upcoming local Road Department training and certification events. Commissioners and staff also discussed potential staffing impacts from the extra grant work and the need to track reimbursements accurately.

The board approved the grant modification by voice vote; the record shows the motion was moved and seconded and commissioners indicated “aye.”

Looking ahead: staff said they will work with the County Clerk to determine whether a formal budget amendment and public hearing are required before using overtime funds and will return with the recommended administrative steps if needed.