Important Oregonian articles

[birdhunter]

Two very interesting ones today. First one is about the problem we have w/ pinnipeds.

seal link

Check it out an see for yourself. Its another Bill Monroe piece. I think it does a pretty good job of explaining the problem and how hard they are to deal with. The picture they have in the paper is one I'm all too familar with.

The other article of interest is just a blurb in metro, but it may be very important. HB 3637 passed yesterday in the Oregon Senate 23-5. Basically it lets the Governor appoint the 7 F&W commissioners, subject to senate confirmation, and name the chairman. Now since the F&W commission is the one who appoints the agency's director, it looks like we're in the same boat again of having a politically appointed ODFW director AND commission now. Great news I know. The bill goes to the house again for approval of changes. Just thought I would keep you all up to date.

[ 06-27-2001: Message edited by: birdhunter ]

[Phish_on]

Go, ORCAS!

About the Commission ... what do you see as the better alternative? I know - YOU want to appoint them - but what? ELECTED F&W commission?

Almost every "Board" or "Commission" or "Council" member in the state is appointed by the Governor. It's a thing the Governor does.

[Eric]

Claiming ignorance and trying to be open minded, there are 2 sides to every story. Educate me.

1) What does the legislateure see as being the problem with the current system?

2) Why does the legislature think this new system will improve the agency?

For the bill to be passed that overwhelmingly there must be some point everyone there is sold on. What is it? And how would it be bad for sportsmen?

I'm not for or against this bill....just want to be educated.

I know up here in Washington about 12-15 years ago they tried a similar scenario where a deal was made that if the governor got to appoint the director and commission, the wildlife dept. would be guaranteed stable funding year to year.

Well, neither option panned out too well. We had to endure 3 directors who were clueless puppets and the funding was not stable. Finally, the citizens voted on an initiative a few years ago that returned the vote of the director back to the commission...not the governor. We're getting there slowly but funding still seems to get cut every year.

[Hoosier Daddy]

I'm not going to claim to be unbiased, because I am currently po'd about just about everything the legislature does. My take on it is that 1) They are peeved that they don't have much control over it now, and 2) They think that the changes will give them more control over it later. They are currently all po'd because Jim Greer, the former ODFW director, took advantage of a little known clause to stick around in the department while he looked for work elsewhere. They wanted him gone altogether, even though he's not making decisions, they are still po'd. Whatever. Believe me I'm keeping track. Most of the folks pulling this stuff are out of my district so I can't do much but gripe. Oh well.