The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will present a Public Works Conference on July 28-29 at the Uvalde Fairplex, 215 Veterans Lane in Uvalde.
Coordinators said the conference is for maintenance workers, groundskeepers, park superintendents, golf course managers and others involved in public works.
The first day will be an optional noncommercial applicator training and the second day will be the Public Works Conference.
The cost for the conference alone is $45 for general participants and $25 for county employees. The cost for the conference along with the noncommercial political subdivision applicator training is $200. The registration fee covers educational materials and lunch.
To register, go to https://bit.ly/3ypvPXM. The registration deadline is July 19.
“As these people dedicated to public works strive to keep their municipality beautiful and safe for the public to enjoy, we hope they will take a couple of days and join us at the Public Works Conference,” said Bret Allen, AgriLife Extension agent for Kinney County and a conference coordinator. “Participants will learn about new technology and methods to manage recreational areas and sports fields, plus learn about the wildlife and pests that can be a nuisance in those areas.”
Applicator training July 28
A non-commercial political subdivision applicator training will be offered from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 28. Registration for the training begins at 8 a.m. This training is for people needing to acquire a Texas Department of Agriculture, TDA, applicator’s license to use chemical herbicide and pesticide controls in public spaces.
“Anyone applying pesticides or herbicides – either general or restricted-use products — in public areas must have an applicator license or work under the supervision of someone who has their applicator license,” Allen said. “Any employee of the state, county, city or school district applying pesticides or herbicides in or around structures are required to be licensed under the TDA structural applicator license.”
July 29 conference content and cost
On July 29, the conference will begin with check-in from 8:30-9 a.m., and lunch will be served at noon. There will be individual breakout-session tracks from 1-2:15 p.m., then regular sessions from 2:30-4 p.m. An optional school integrated pest management, IPM, refresher is slated for 4-5 p.m.
Continuing education units are available for the conference subject to final approval by TDA and those breakout sessions chosen by the conference participant. There are six agricultural units available – one general, four integrated pest management, and one laws and regulations. There are also structural units available – three general, one landscape and ornamental, and one weed.
Conference presenters and topics scheduled for July 29 include:
— Maureen Frank, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist, Uvalde. Integrated Wildlife Management: Promoting Nature Recreation and Reducing Conflicts.
— Janet Hurley, AgriLife Extension specialist in school IPM, Dallas. Managing Turf and Landscape Pest in Public Places.
— Becky Bowling, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension specialist – urban water, Dallas. The Toughest 10 on the Back 9: Tackling Hard-to-Control Weeds in Golf Courses.
— Hurley, School IPM Refresher.
— Bowling, Cultivating Your Dream Turf.
— Bowling, Doing the Best with the Least: Making the Most of Low-Input Turfgrass Management.
— Larry Stein, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horticulturist, Uvalde. Texas Superstar Plants.
“This conference will be beneficial to the people who work hard to enhance and maintain the public spaces they make special for their community,” Allen said.
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