Two members appointed to Fish and Wildlife Commission
OLYMPIA-Larry Carpenter, a Mount Vernon boat dealer and long-time sportfishing enthusiast, and Jay Kehne, an Okanogan County conservationist and hunter, have been appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire to two vacant positions on the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.
The commission is a nine-member citizen panel that sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Members are appointed by the governor to six-year terms. The commission holds public meetings that provide an opportunity for citizens to participate in management of Washington's fish and wildlife. Three members must reside east of the summit of the Cascade mountains, three must reside west of the summit and three may reside anywhere in the state.
"We're extremely pleased to welcome these great additions to the commission," said Miranda Wecker, commission chair. "These are two strong individuals and we are looking forward to seeing their perspectives brought to the table."
Carpenter, appointed to a western Washington position on the commission, is owner of Master Marine Services, Inc., in Mount Vernon. He also serves on the Southern Panel of the Pacific Salmon Commission, the body formed by Canada and the United States to implement the Pacific Salmon Treaty. He has been a long-time, active participant in the North of Falcon process, which is used to plan annual salmon-fishing seasons. Carpenter, who resides in Mount Vernon with his wife, Eileen, also has been a member of the Northwest Marine Trade Association's Fish Committee, which works to increase sportfishing opportunities and participation in the Northwest.
Kehne, appointed to an eastern Washington position on the commission, serves as Okanogan outreach associate for Conservation Northwest. He previously had 31-year career with the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, including serving as resource conservation and development coordinator for Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties and providing conservation assistance to farmers, ranchers and other landowners. He has collaborated on an Okanogan County conservation-easement working group with county officials, land trusts and WDFW staff. Kehne, a member of both the Rocky Mountain Elk and Mule Deer foundations, lives in Omak with his wife Rita and two children.
The commission's next meeting is scheduled Jan 6-7 at the Natural Resources Building in Olympia. For more information on the commission visit
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/ .
