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Commissioner asks whether right‑of‑way spraying will target poison hemlock; public works says spot control and GPS tracking will continue
Summary
During the May 26 meeting a commissioner asked about right‑of‑way spraying and control of poison hemlock; Mr. Whittaker said standard roadside spraying is done, targeted spot control will be used for heavy infestations (reed canary, cattails, poison hemlock, Japanese knotweed), and crews record GPS locations rather than trying to eradicate plants across the right of way.
A commissioner asked May 26 whether the commission was up to date on right‑of‑way spraying and whether crews would perform targeted spot control for poison hemlock and other invasive plants.
Mr. Whittaker said routine roadside spraying is completed and that additional targeted efforts will be undertaken where needed. He listed species commonly targeted for spot control — reed canary grass, cattails, poison hemlock and Japanese knotweed — and said crews record the location of problem stands with GPS rather than attempting full eradication in the right of way: "We don't necessarily have a program where we say, 'Hey, let's eradicate that in the right of way.' But if it's there, people take a recording of, you know, get a GPS location of it."
On whether the state (ODOT) was resuming a statewide spray-control plan, Mr. Whittaker said he would not anticipate that this year "given their current budgetary problems." Participants noted local spot spraying by small vehicles (a Gator/side-by-side) occurs in some areas. Mr. Whittaker also clarified that spring spraying is applied from the pavement shoulder to the bottom of the ditch and may carry onto the back slope, but crews do not perform broad bank or brush spraying (for example, they do not proactively spray blackberries).
The exchange was informational; no change to policy or new authorization was recorded in the transcript.
