Baker County approves three weed‑control grants, juniper‑removal and Hughes Lane burn plan

Baker City — The Baker County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 3 approved a package of weed‑control and habitat contracts that county staff and project partners said are meant to contain invasive plants and restore wildlife habitat in priority watersheds.

Commissioners voted to approve three grant applications to the Oregon Department of Agriculture/state weed program: a Powder River perennial pepperweed and other priority weeds project (application capped at $40,000), a continuation project focused on spurge and related sites (up to $35,000), and an Upper Burnt River noxious‑weed control project (up to $30,000). County staff and the presenting weed‑control coordinator said partners on the projects include the Baker County Road Department, Tri‑County CWMA, ODA, Union County weed control, Union Pacific Railroad and private landowners; some treatment areas will be cost‑shared while high‑priority, early‑detection sites will be covered fully by grant funds.

Gussie Cook, the county staffer presenting the vegetation and weed work, told commissioners the grant areas were chosen based on new detections and long‑standing problem zones and that some Early Detection/Rapid Response (EDRR) finds require rapid treatment.

"We found 30 plants of Dyer's Woad," Cook said, noting that detection triggered the need to inventory adjacent private lands and treat any additional sites found. "That is an EDRR for Baker County — we should not have it here, but now it's been detected, so we need to take care of it."

The board also approved a separate proposal to use a tractor‑pulled burn implement and no‑till revegetation on a 60‑acre Hughes Lane parcel to reduce Russia thistle and other invasives. Cook briefed the board on costs: the burn was quoted at $63 per acre and a no‑till drill plus applicator at about $43 per acre; seed purchase estimates ranged from the low‑$2,000s to about $4,600 depending on mix and seeding rate. Commissioners approved a professional‑services contract with Job Hill Consulting not to exceed $12,000 to complete the work described in the staff package.

In conservation work, the board authorized award of a juniper‑removal contract tied to an Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) grant. Caitlin Harold, Baker Sage Grouse LIT coordinator, said the O & O Contracting LLC bid exceeded available funding when taken as a combined phase but that project partners prioritized the more densely encroached “phase 2” acres. Using the contractor’s unit cost, Harold said the recommended scope allows treatment of 419 acres for about $97,271, consistent with available grant funds. "Based on the unit rate provided by the contractor, we are able to treat 419 acres within the approved budget for the total cost of $97,271," Harold said.

All motions to approve the three weed grant applications, the Hughes Lane burn contract and the juniper‑removal award were made, seconded and recorded as carried on the record. The transcript does not contain a full roll‑call with vote tallies; minutes show the motions passed in open session.

What’s next: county staff will finalize contracts and coordinate treatment windows with matching partners, landowners and reporting requirements tied to each grant. For the Hughes Lane project staff said they will notify neighboring landowners and monitor weather windows to complete burning and seeding as moisture allows.