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Clallam County weed program board approves 2026 work plan, backs mapping and staffing moves
Summary
The county board approved its 2026 work plan, endorsing a county‑controlled GIS weed‑mapping application, expanded volunteer mapping of county parks, and plans to post a technician job and hire seasonals; funding and software costs will be evaluated.
At the meeting, the board approved its 2026 work plan after discussion of priorities, data systems and staffing needs.
"We accept the 2026 work plan," the chair said when members put the plan to a vote; meeting minutes record the motion, a second and unanimous approval.
Context: staff described persistent administrative burdens from tracking parcel inspections in multiple Excel sheets and explained why a dedicated database linked to county GIS would improve field efficiency and preserve photos and notes that were previously lost when the WSDA system changed. The chair credited Christina Epperson (county GIS) with building a tailored weed‑mapping application and said the board will pursue county GIS support to develop the tool.
The work plan also calls for expanded volunteer involvement. The Master Gardener Roadside Weed Management Team will map regulated weeds in county parks so staff can present a scope and budget estimate to county commissioners and finance during upcoming budget meetings.
Staffing and training: the technician position paperwork has been submitted for posting and the program expects to post by mid‑May with a hoped‑for start by mid‑June. Seasonal positions were increased this year and a seasonal pay raise was added; staff said that helped expand capacity this season. Sam and Rachel are scheduled to take WSDA 'weed free forage' training with the aim of offering a lower‑cost, locally delivered certification option for hay producers instead of paying for outside certifiers.
Budget and next steps: staff said a recent grant funded some private‑land treatments but those funds were nearly exhausted; the board noted funding decisions will be part of the county’s budget cycle and scheduled a budget meeting for July 28 at 4:30 p.m. to discuss needs. The meeting record shows motions to approve staff and financial reports were made and recorded, and the 2026 work plan passed by the board.
The board also attempted to show a 20‑minute Open Public Meetings Act training video (narrated by Assistant Attorney General Morgan Davarone) and discussed requirements in RCW 42.30 related to public comment, remote meetings and executive‑session rules.
