Hamilton County Lays Off Bee Inspector **Discussion**

[Richard Stewart]

News Articles Discussing the mater:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090216/NEWS01/902160325/-1/today

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090306/NEWS0108/903060427

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20090322/NEWS0108/903220334/-1/NEWS

County Commissioner meeting minutes discussing the matter: http://www.bocc.hamilton-co.org/agenda/Agenda.nsf/vwAgendaByDate/40BE770E7ABFA71B852575700060C777?OpenDocument

In the Columbus Dispatch Hamilton County is not the only Ohio county laying off their inspector:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/03/20/Ohbees.ART_ART_03-20-09_B1_C4DA00D.html

[Richard Stewart]

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090412/NEWS01/904130322&s=d&page=2#pluckcomments

To be fair, I said that there should be real teeth in an agreement not something wishy washy where we meet again to revisit the issues and play a bureaucratic square dance of committees. I definitely do not think that beekeepers should have to shoulder the entire cost. I think there are lots of ways the county can plan and cover the cost. I think there are ways for the State to do the same thing AND benefit beekeepers AND tax payers. The program the IDOT is taking on where they cut out mowing and plant native grasses and wildflowers smacks of a common sense way to cut long term costs and benefit our community at the same time.

I do agree with some that Max has been a massive asset that we, as beekeepers get at no cost to us.

I would much rather pay the 5.00 per yard registration to a local fund that pays Max rather than paper pushing in an Ag program that does NOTHING to support beekeepers and encourage beekeeping. I will also say that I personally do not have a problem paying more for inspections. I do not know what more means though.

Portune says the County can pay for it. He is our ally in this discussion for certain...or at least was our ally a couple weeks ago. Politics...

In the end the County set precedence by supporting the position with county funds and has done so repeatedly, till now. Later we can across the State of Ohio come up with a better program possibly. Right now this is all we have and the easiest way to tackle it is to work out a way to cover Max's time and travel expenses.

[Richard Stewart]

With the SWOBA meeting coming up this Saturday it is my hope that we can discuss this issue and come up with a coherent idea on what beekeepers want and where we think the middle ground between us and the county is.

The county claims they do not want to set a precedence for continuing to pay for the Inspector position and wants the State to do so. I think most folks would understand that is no longer an issue considering the number of years the County has WILLINGLY paid for the service.

Currently no beekeepers pay for any of the inspection service. I personally would not mind funding PART of it. We, however are not the only ones that benefit from beekeeping. There are plenty of inspection programs that are funded by the population at large even if not everyone takes advantage of those services or inspection programs that are only partially funded by those using the inspection (like restaurant/health inspectors). No one is talking about doing away with those health inspectors and funding the entire project solely on the backs of restaurant owners.

Large costs associated with hive inspections will simply mean beekeepers will stop registering colonies of bees. This does no one any good. It increases the possibility of diseases, it decreases the amount of communication with the inspector being the go between person. It decreases the amount of knowledge we have about our bee population in the county and the State.

Keeping bees already costs beekeepers a fair amount of money. It is one of the few hobbies or businesses that tolerates at some level or another of loss of producing stock ranging from 15 to 60%. Beekeepers will ALWAYS have bad years and I think its a mistake to assume this ONE group should have to shoulder the entire burden when so many people share the benefits of having these pollinators in the region.

Looking at the amount the county wastes on mowing and spraying along roads and the amount of unnecessary street lights that costs tax payers thousands of dollars a year, my suggestion is that beekeepers agree to meet and help the county meeting the funding.

This is My proposal:

In addition to the five dollars per yard to register our hives with the State of Ohio (which gains us nothing but data for the minimal Federal and State funding in grants and research) my suggestion is that beekeepers fund 10 to 20% of the cost of the Inspector's position. This would mean Hamilton County beekeepers would be on the hook for a total of 650.00 to 1300.00 and an average per beekeeper cost ranging from 4.50 to 10.00. This is assuming we evenly split the cost of inspections. I think those (like myself) with more yards should shoulder my SHARE rather than a pr beekeeper inspection cost. I have 3 yards in Hamilton County (maybe more when we come to an agreement) so I would pay three times whatever the single yard beekeeper would be paying.

The county would then reduce the amount of mowing and spraying and lighting along roads that it does for PURELY aesthetic (form rather than function)making up the difference in the amount.

Certain areas of roadway could be planted in a range flowering, native, perennials, requiring little or no maintenance as well as forage material for local pollinators (not just honey bees). Fuel costs and pollution would be decreased. Toxic chemicals would decrease and thus the environment and communities exposure to such. The reduction in lighting (lighing USUALLY designed by Duke Power for the City) will decease the cost to taxpayers, light pollution of the region in general, and most importantly carbon emissions to generate the electricity needed.

All to fund a single 6500.00 position that has already cost the region close to that in time spent arguing, lost wages to meet, and the cost of local administrators to discuss and argue and notify and meet with beekeepers.

In return the County gets to use this for MAJOR public and environmental health PR campaign.

That's my proposal.

I am willing to pay my share.

On principal I am not willing to pay my share of the entire cost of the position until ALL county inspection is paid for by ONLY those they inspect and cost what little our County Bee Inspector costs us (12.50 in traveling charges and a part-time minimum wage with no health benefits).

Not to end this all on a bleak note, but, ultimately the very fact the county is unwilling to even consider funding the whole cost for such fantastic returns bodes ill for us all.
_________________
Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm

An Ohio Century Farm Est 1855

North Bend, OH

[Richard Stewart]

I would like to make an apology to all the area beekeepers that have bee keeping up of the Hamilton County Inspector issue.

I completely dropped the ball. I've been juggling far too much lately and everything came to a head this weekend in a sort of overload that had me thinking the meeting was on Tuesday.

I am quite angry with myself for having sort of sleep walked through the last 72 hours without checking my calendars.

When the county originally sent out invitations I was not even on the list but Max sent an email to them reminding them to invite me since he thought I started the public campaign (I think several people including Kevin Kress deserve this recognition not me).

Getting dates mixed up is not an excuse for something like this.

I apologize for not being there and not supporting those that were.

I have no idea of the outcome as of yet.
_________________
Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm

An Ohio Century Farm Est 1855

North Bend, OH