Agenda - Council - 07/10/2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Our Mission: To wok together to respcsibty grow Our community, and to provide quality, cest,effective, and efficient government services. CC Regular Session 4. 6. Meeting Date: 07/10/2018 By: Chris Anderson, Community Development Information Title: Adopt Resolution # 18-134 to Enter into Memorandum of Understanding for Anoka County Cooperative Weed Management Area Partnership Purpose/Background: Earlier in 2018, the Anoka Conservation District (ACD) was awarded $20,000 in grant funds from the Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR) to manage noxious weeds within Anoka County. The purpose of this case is to approve a Memorandum of Understanding with the Anoka Conservation District to make funds eligible to Ramsey residents. The Conservation District has convened multiple meetings with municipalities, county parks, watershed districts and organizations, and state agencies over the past several months on how to best distribute the funds through the establishment of a Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA/Management Area). Ultimately, the Conservation District intends to make the grant funds available to property owners within Anoka County, through a competitive application process. The funds are intended to assist with their efforts managing noxious weeds. For property owners to be eligible for the grant funds, municipalities need to enter into a non -binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlines the primary goals of the Management Area. These goals include the following. These objectives are intended to create a consistent management plan across Anoka County. • Information Exchange • Education • Prevention • Noxious Weed Control • Cooperation. Observations/Alternatives: The grant funds assist local communities in meeting existing statutory requirements. Minn. Statutes § 18.78-18.85 outline the requirements for local weed inspectors, including inspections throughout their jurisdiction for noxious weeds and their control. Through past efforts of the Environmental Policy Board (EPB), information is available on our website(http://www.citvoframsev.com/304/Invasive-Species) providing information on invasive and noxious weeds. Joining the Management Area would improve access and consistency for educational materials. The Management Area will have an emphasis on mapping occurrences of noxious weeds and addressing 'new' infestations before they can get firmly established. Additionally, the Management Area will emphasize education. For example, Conservation District Staff have already met with Ramsey Public Works Staff to review certain noxious weeds, how to identify them, and review control measures. Staff has also worked with Conservation District Staff in the last month to confirm a small infestation of Wild Parsnip, a noxious weed that can cause severe