Inslee Appoints Bear Attack Survivor to Commisison, Reappoints Ragen

[bigtex]

Woman Named To WA Fish And Wildlife Commission

 By Andy Walgamott  January 11, 2025  HEADLINES  0 Comments

A Northeast Washington woman active in the regional Rotary Club has been named to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, state records show.


Lynn Theresa O’Connor of Ferry County has very big boots to fill as she replaces Douglas County rancher Molly Linville, who was informed yesterday by the Governor’s Office she would not be reappointed to her Eastern Washington seat, a blow to sportsmen and a loss of some of the last remaining shreds of dignity to the citizen panel overseeing WDFW policies at a time when it’s widely seen as “dysfunctional.”

“I am excited to be on the commission, but I am so new that I plan to listen and learn for a while,” O’Connor said in an emailed statement early this afternoon. “I bring no agenda except a desire to serve in a group that listens to many different perspectives in the hope of creating sound, balanced policies.”

Her LinkedIn profile shows she has been active in the Rotary Club’s District 5080 – she’s the local public image chair – and a bio states she oversaw 57 clubs in Eastern Washington, Idaho and British Columbia as a district governor. She owned Colville Sign Company for over 19 years. Prior to that she was a state park aide and seasonal national park ranger in California and at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.

O’Connor is also on the board of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Association and in the early 2010s she was the president, vice president and a member of the board of the Kettle Range Conservation Group of Northeast Washington. She attended Illinois Wesleyan University in the late 1970s and early 1980s for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

If O’Connor’s name rings a bell, it’s because she was attacked by a bear while hiking with her dogs in September on her and her husband’s 1,000-acre property south of WDFW’s Sherman Creek Wildlife Area above Lake Roosevelt.

The attack, O’Connor’s initial reaction to defend herself by punching the sow three times, the puncture wounds to her shoulder and head she suffered and which required hospital treatment and 18 staples, and her request of game wardens not to kill the offending bear were widely reported in the news.

She recounted the incident and bear conflict prevention measures in two WGIPPA videos.

Her bio points to “deep experience in steady leadership and conflict resolution” gained during the Covid pandemic and states she “remains dedicated to community service and navigating the complexities of community needs and projects.”

O’Connor’s appointment by Governor Jay Inslee came within the last 100 hours of his third term, four years in which he has placed a number of controversial members on the commission as there’s been a wider push to “reform” state fish and wildlife management and agencies. The Governor’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for her commission application, but when it does, I’ll fold that in.

Inslee yesterday also reappointed Commission Vice Chair Tim Ragen of Anacortes. Both Ragen and O’Connor are slated to serve through December 31, 2030. Commissioner Jim Anderson was left on the panel but without official reappointment.

https://nwsportsmanmag.com/ferry-county-woman-named-to-wa-fish-and-wildlife-commission/

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[bigtex]

With 4 days left in the Governor's office you can bet this is Inslee flexing his muscle to form the commission in the way he wants it.

I'd be shocked if Jim Anderson can stick thru the next few days.

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[Buckhunter24]

If you're reading this thread and voted for inslee, 

[Rainier10]

She asked that the best that attacked her not be harmed? Oh boy.

[MADMAX]

It’ll be interesting to see what the locals up there say about her🤞

[pd]

With 4 days left in the Governor's office you can bet this is Inslee flexing his muscle to form the commission in the way he wants it.

Hmmm.  That is an interesting perspective.  Over these many years not once did I get the feeling that Inslee even cared about the F&W Commission.  I have never heard him speak about F&W issues. 

I always suspected that he left this issue to aides (which is common, of course, for governors, presidents).

Having said that, it would not surprise me to hear of "score settling" in the dying days of an administration that will be quickly forgotten by history.

[Limhangerslayer]

Shouldn’t even be legal.  But nothing surprises me anymore

[JimmyHoffa]

With 4 days left in the Governor's office you can bet this is Inslee flexing his muscle to form the commission in the way he wants it.

Hmmm.  That is an interesting perspective.  Over these many years not once did I get the feeling that Inslee even cared about the F&W Commission.  I have never heard him speak about F&W issues. 

I always suspected that he left this issue to aides (which is common, of course, for governors, presidents).

Having said that, it would not surprise me to hear of "score settling" in the dying days of an administration that will be quickly forgotten by history.

I'd guess it was crunch time negotiating to get Jaydolf a coveted spot on the board of some group like sierra club, biological diversity, peta, alf, etc.

[bigtex]

With 4 days left in the Governor's office you can bet this is Inslee flexing his muscle to form the commission in the way he wants it.

Hmmm.  That is an interesting perspective.  Over these many years not once did I get the feeling that Inslee even cared about the F&W Commission.  I have never heard him speak about F&W issues. 

I always suspected that he left this issue to aides (which is common, of course, for governors, presidents).

Having said that, it would not surprise me to hear of "score settling" in the dying days of an administration that will be quickly forgotten by history.

True. I should say the Inslee Admin.

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[Platensek-po]

Immensely underqualified to be on the fish and Wildlife commission

[fishngamereaper]

I'm not holding my breath with this one...

[Bullkllr]

Prior to that she was a state park aide and seasonal national park ranger in California

Does not inspire much confidence of even a middle-roader.

[blackveltbowhunter]

With 4 days left in the Governor's office you can bet this is Inslee flexing his muscle to form the commission in the way he wants it.

Hmmm.  That is an interesting perspective.  Over these many years not once did I get the feeling that Inslee even cared about the F&W Commission.  I have never heard him speak about F&W issues. 

I always suspected that he left this issue to aides (which is common, of course, for governors, presidents).

Having said that, it would not surprise me to hear of "score settling" in the dying days of an administration that will be quickly forgotten by history.

Inslee is an old man but is a new school Democrat. He is definitely anti consumptive use and pro preservation over conservation. I am sure he is similar in his mindset as the Colorados queer. The main difference being all the heavy lifting has already been done for him. He can appoint whoever he likes, to the commision. Those seats should be elected from within the districts they represent.  IMO

[CJ1962]

"vice president and a member of the board of the Kettle Range Conservation Group of Northeast Washington"


Do you know who the executive director of KRCG is?  Tim Coleman

Tim Coleman was kicked of the WAG by Kelly Suswind
https://nwsportsmanmag.com/on-the-dismissal-of-a-wdfw-wolf-advisory-group-member/

Also In several lawsuits by KRCG against the Forest Service the lawyer representing them was Claire Loebs Davis.  If you don't know who she is, she is the head of Washington Wildlife First.
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/washington/waedce/2:2021cv00161/95480/74/

So I don't expect Lynn to be on the side of hunters.

[pickardjw]

If anyone has commercial contractor contacts in Idaho or Montana that are hiring PM’s I’ll be looking for a way out of this state in the next few years…

Between the anti-hunting game commission and anti-2A rest of the government I’m at my breaking point. Hard to leave a good job/company though for the unknown.