Amador County – The Plymouth City Council last week took steps to end a 3-year contract with a goat herder for weed abatement at the city sewer plant spray field. The city council voted to advertise a request for proposals for handling the weed abatement. City Manager Dixon Flynn said “we are seeking a proposal from anyone to keep weeds abated, with any means.” He said herders normally pay to keep their goats on irrigated grazing fields. A contract with Bushwackers, a weed abatement company, was signed in April 2006 and expires at the end of this month. Flynn said the contract called for Bushwackers to keep 400 goats on the property, but “they’ve been running about 100 goats.” The city pays the company $2,500 dollars a month, or $30,000 dollars a year to keep the goats there on the property, off Old Sacramento Road. Flynn said city staff moves fences, makes sure the goats have fresh drinking water, keeps the fences clear of weeds and feeds the guard dogs 3 times a week, in addition to paying for the goats. A Bushwackers representative said the number of goats at the property was lowered from 400 to 100 because the city had stopped irrigating the fields, where treated wastewater is disposed of in the city sewer system. Mayor Jon Colburn asked why they were not spraying. Flynn said the water is too low in the reservoir, which is almost dry. He said sewer consultants for the city, Amador Water Agency had a goal “to get the pond as low as possible, to zero for September 30th,” so that the pond will have capacity for winter. Flynn said a couple of options were brought by city staffers. One used a borrowed wide-wheel-based 4-wheeler with a mower and was able to mow the steep hillsides. He said buying a new quad and a new mower, the total package would cost the city $11,000 dollars. City maintenance manager Selby Beck said he could use the existing city 4-wheeler and “our mower and do it for nothing.” Flynn said a city engineer’s employee, Matt Osfelt and his brother are goat herders, who said “they would be willing to pay to have an irrigated pasture for their goats.” Councilwoman Pat Fordyce asked about damage to sprinkler heads from 4-wheelers. Flynn said the wider wheel base allows the driver to look down, see and avoid sprinkler heads. The council voted 4-0 to advertise for a weed abatement contract. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.