Advisory Board: Integrated Pest Management Advisory Committee (IPMAC)
Subject: 5. DISCUSS the decision-making documentation component of the IPM Program and ADVISE on potential adjustments to the process for developing decision documentation.
Presenter: Wade Finlinson
Contact: 925.490.3428
Information:
The County IPM Policy states that IPMAC “serves as a resource to help both Department Heads and the Board of Supervisors periodically review, update, and improve existing programs and the processes used for making pest management decisions.”
Referral History and Update:
The IPM Decision-Making Subcommittee is currently the only standing subcommittee of IPMAC. In pursuit of the above purposes, the Subcommittee creates and revises documentation to transparently depict rationale for pest management decisions within County operations. These documents often include recommendations for operational refinement. The production of decision documents is considered to be one of the greatest contributions of IPMAC.
This Subcommittee met on April 23, 2026 and June 18, 2026 and provided general feedback on the process for developing decision documents. Topics included elevating the role of the pending IPM Program website, clarifying work flows for staff and IPMAC, and drafting a template that will assist operational departments to provide an accurate narrative about their pest management programs.
Based on feedback received, the IPM Coordinator drafted a flow chart that delineates responsibility and a template form for operational staff to complete. Both draft documents were subsequently revised after these deliberations and in consultation with Subcommittee members and staff. The current version of each document is attached. A link to all decision documents can be found on the second page of the April 23, 2026 Decision-Making Subcommittee agenda which can be found on the County meetings calendar at:
<https://contra-costa.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx>.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
Staff recommends IPMAC members provide feedback on the draft process, and discuss how to best develop a strategy that accurately depicts decision-making in various County pest management systems.