I had the opportunity to attend the Baker County Weed District meeting on March 29 at 1 p.m. I have been a proponent of the Baker County Weed Levy my entire time as a property taxpayer. Background, I’m born and raised in Baker, 1982. I understand I’m still young, however I also have spent the last 17 years as a crop consultant in Baker and Union counties under two different companies. After attending the meeting, I encourage a NO vote on any continuing weed levy, as the Baker County Weed District is not fulfilling its commitments to spraying.

Per the meeting, it was stated there was minimal broadleaf management last year and many of the gravel roads were not treated last fall. It would seem the district responsible for enforcing the control of noxious weeds in our county is not taking care of their own spraying duties.

I have no complaints with the cost share program the Baker County Weed District has implemented over the past years. This program is a cost share for spray to control noxious weeds on private property. The Baker County Weed District Board of Directors has approved the proposal to both sell chemical and rent equipment (cite 3/29/22 1 p.m. meeting). Which is in direct competition with at least 16 local businesses who provide certified commercial applicators and/or licensed pesticide dealers. Also, a credit card reader has been ordered (first in Baker County Government’s history). A card reader costs my business 3% per transaction. If the cost share program works for spray, why isn’t the Weed District offering a cost share program for spray application or the rental of spray equipment rather than directly competing with local privately owned businesses? After the state COVID mandates, putting local restaurants out of business, who is to say the government won’t step in and say there aren’t enough sandwich shops to cover the needs of our community, while using our tax dollars to open up a new sandwich shop in town. This is a very slippery slope and I don’t feel it is necessary or appropriate to fund the government to compete directly with my small business, or any other privately owned business.

Joe Hill

Baker County