Noxious Weed Department head prepares for new season
- Charlene Sims, Journal staff
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
By Charlene Sims, Journal staff
MOUND CITY – On Monday, March 23, the Linn County Commissioners heard a report from Linn County Noxious Weed Director Johnny Taylor and also approved a resolution that the county would spend $30,000 on the noxious weed cost-share program.
Taylor reported that he had the 2026 price list for the chemical for the cost-share program completed and several residents have already called to get started on the program.
Taylor told the commissioners that, since he had been in that position, the cost of the chemicals had been $30,000. He said that one year they had to go over because that budget because of a late season. However, if that turned out to be necessary, he said he would come back to the commission to ask for an increase.
Taylor said that he had a couple of main points about the cost-share program any that he would like to hit for any residents that were watching or listening. They are:
HOW TO REACH TAYLOR. Taylor said that he knows that most residents are working and it’s hard to meet with him in person so he encourages them to give him a call. His office number is 913-471-4947 and his cellphone is 620-224-7882. The office number and other information are also available on the website and he will also leave a card with his numbers at the Public Works department in the Courthouse Annex.
INFORMATION NEEDED. Taylor said one of the big things that is sometimes a hurdle for some of them, is that he does need the land description, which is the section, range and township. He said that is needed if his office is audited by the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) on their paperwork. KDA would like to have that for any land that they are treating for noxious weeds with chemicals.
INFORMATION ON THE CHEMICAL AND THE QUANTITY. Taylor said that other information he needs is the chemical they’re going to be applying and the quantity. He said that he encourages residents to speak to the vendors from which hey are going to purchase the chemicals. This will help out with what chemicals they want to use and the quantity because he will need that information before he fills out the voucher.
Next, Taylor talked with the commissioners about the 2026 management plan that he had sent to the commissioners for their review. He said that he would like to make a change in the first paragraph of the management plan under the section about the goals and priorities of the program for the coming year.
Taylor said that the change he would like to make is to institute a plant growth regulator (PGR) program for maintaining roadsides.
“This is a strategic application of chemicals that will control broadleaf weeds while slowing the growth of cool weather grasses resulting in saving at least one early round of mowing. The goal is to begin applying it as spring begins and apply both sides of all paved roads in the county before the end of May,” said Taylor. “When you might need a really good mowing on a roadside in, say, the end of May around Memorial Day, this (PGR program) may push it to the end of June or even the Fourth of July.
“And if that’s true and we have that kind of success, I think that’d be really beneficial to the road shops," he said." I think the foremen and all those guys will enjoy it if we can save labor and gas on mowing. So I want to start that program with the main thoroughfares and paved roads and kind of make this an experimental year this year and see how that works.”
Taylor said with the PGR program there will still be good eradication or at least control of the musk thistles and the teasels and the things that are the broadleaf ones as well as the sericea lespedeza.
Below is the state notice on control of noxious weeds:
