Post by: T-Bone on September 11, 2015, 07:21:26 AM
$850,000 for ‘outside help’ on wolf issue – and closed-door meetings: Although the job of Senate majority leader has added to my legislative workload, I’m still keeping tabs on the questionable state-agency spending that concerns taxpayers statewide and the wolf-management situation that concerns owners of land, livestock and domestic animals in our part of Washington.
That’s why a Sept. 2 report in The Capital Press caught my attention. It explained how the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is shelling out a lot of taxpayer dollars to a conflict-resolution consultant from Houston for work with the state’s wolf advisory group. Here are excerpts:
“Conflict-resolution consultant Francine Madden will start her new two-year, $850,010 contract with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife by leading a closed-door session Thursday of the state’s wolf advisory group.
“The group, following WDFW policy, had met in public for years until Madden convinced the department to close the May meeting. Since then, WDFW has re-upped Madden to lead meetings, conduct workshops and, according to her contract, coax warring parties into “mutually acceptable coexistence.” …
“…Madden, based in Houston, Texas, will be paid up to $8,000 a day to lead meetings and $400 an hour for “remote engagement and strategic guidance.” While traveling to Washington, she will receive $200 an hour.”
The operating budget proposed by the House of Representatives would have authorized WDFW to hire a consultant to lead wolf meetings. Our Senate majority successfully opposed it. The Capital Press reports WDFW instead funded the position from its capital budget – money that’s intended for infrastructure and other physical assets, not operations.
State Sen. Brian Dansel of Republic is a member of our Senate majority; he serves the 7th Legislative District in northeast Washington, which has the heaviest concentration of gray wolves. Appropriately, Dansel pointed out to the Capital Press how closing meetings to the public raises transparency concerns.
The WDFW wolf-policy coordinator is quoted as saying the contract represents a six-figure investment in addressing human conflict, and that human conflict is the biggest challenge with wolf management. I have to ask: Isn’t the biggest challenge really the conflict between wolves and the humans whose property and livelihoods are threatened by the wolves?
WDFW invites public to help identify priorities: If you want to weigh in on wolf management or other fish and wildlife topics, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has scheduled regional forums to get public input. The closest meeting for 9th District residents is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Center Place, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley.
Other meetings are scheduled around the state.
Post by: CAMPMEAT on September 11, 2015, 07:34:19 AM
Post by: birddogdad on September 11, 2015, 07:48:34 AM
Post by: 2labs on September 11, 2015, 07:57:04 AM
Post by: PlateauNDN on September 11, 2015, 08:01:20 AM
Post by: 2labs on September 11, 2015, 08:11:42 AM
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on September 11, 2015, 08:22:17 AM
http://www.humanwildlifeconflict.org/MaddenBio.htm
http://www.humanwildlifeconflict.org/Leadership.htm
Post by: CAMPMEAT on September 11, 2015, 08:22:36 AM
Post by: Badhabit on September 11, 2015, 08:27:39 AM
Post by: T-Bone on September 11, 2015, 08:31:14 AM
Tom
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on September 11, 2015, 08:32:04 AM
good topic to forward to local news investigators....
Jessie Jones!!!!!!
Post by: JimmyHoffa on September 11, 2015, 09:41:51 AM
Post by: luvtohnt on September 11, 2015, 10:21:35 AM
So, WDFW saving tens/hundreds? of millions in court costs by paying for her service.
Ding! Ding! Ding! I think we have a winner.
I would venture to say this may be the biggest issue they are trying to avoid. Look at all the lawsuits that Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana have dealt with (I would be curious what the lawsuits cost the taxpayers in those states). If this is the only lesson learned from the other states mentioned then we may be a decade ahead of those states by dealing with this issue now instead of when things get out of control.
Brandon
Post by: 2labs on September 11, 2015, 10:26:46 AM
Post by: 724wd on September 11, 2015, 12:48:41 PM
Post by: jasnt on September 11, 2015, 06:09:55 PM
"By empowering others to apply the principles, processes and skills of CCT, Francine has worked behind the scenes to help people and projects halt wildlife trafficking where it was once rampant, significantly improve community-park and other stakeholder relationships, convince judges to administer harsher sentencing for convicted poachers, reduce the use of lethal control, modify land-use planning to reduce and prevent conflict, and dramatically improve overall social receptivity toward and decision-making for wildlife conservation and management on every continent where humans and wildlife coexist." :rolleyes::puke: !!!!!!!!!
Post by: buckfvr on September 11, 2015, 06:24:41 PM
Post by: Roundhead on September 20, 2015, 10:04:17 AM
Why can't, WE THE PEOPLE, fix stupid ? We have zero say in any type of our corrupt government spending or anything else these people do, why ?"WE THE LIBERALS" are higher in number.
Blue State, will always be Blue State, and that's how we roll.
Post by: CAMPMEAT on September 20, 2015, 11:56:00 AM
Why can't, WE THE PEOPLE, fix stupid ? We have zero say in any type of our corrupt government spending or anything else these people do, why ?"WE THE LIBERALS" are higher in number.
Blue State, will always be Blue State, and that's how we roll.
At least you have the knads to say you're a liberal.
Post by: Dan-o on September 20, 2015, 12:57:33 PM
"By empowering others to apply the principles, processes and skills of CCT, Francine has worked behind the scenes to help people and projects halt wildlife trafficking where it was once rampant, significantly improve community-park and other stakeholder relationships, convince judges to administer harsher sentencing for convicted poachers, reduce the use of lethal control, modify land-use planning to reduce and prevent conflict, and dramatically improve overall social receptivity toward and decision-making for wildlife conservation and management on every continent where humans and wildlife coexist." :rolleyes:
Ouch.
We're screwed. :bash: :bash:
Post by: Roundhead on September 20, 2015, 06:26:44 PM
I'm not. I'm just saying that's the general population of WA state.Why can't, WE THE PEOPLE, fix stupid ? We have zero say in any type of our corrupt government spending or anything else these people do, why ?"WE THE LIBERALS" are higher in number.
Blue State, will always be Blue State, and that's how we roll.
At least you have the knads to say you're a liberal.
Post by: CAMPMEAT on September 20, 2015, 07:22:01 PM
I'm not. I'm just saying that's the general population of WA state.Why can't, WE THE PEOPLE, fix stupid ? We have zero say in any type of our corrupt government spending or anything else these people do, why ?"WE THE LIBERALS" are higher in number.
Blue State, will always be Blue State, and that's how we roll.
At least you have the knads to say you're a liberal.
Scared me....... :tup: