http://www.starnewspapers.com/star/s...mix/161sx4.htm
Thursday, December 16, 2004
By Bob Maciulis/Outdoor Notebook, The Star
Since we are discussing pathetic abuses, how much have you heard about the systematic dismantling of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources by Governor Blagojevich and his patronage army?
Eighty-some more positions have gotten the axe, including 11 IDNR site superintendents. It's a slaughter.
According to a well-placed source, among them are the site supers at "the Des Plaines River Conservation Area, Illinois Beach State Park and Goose Lake Prairie State Park (early retirement packages). The site super at Goose Lake was also responsible for Heidecke Lake State F&W Area (so, anglers are also affected as will be hikers, cross-country skiers, children taking field trips to the Goose Lake Prairie Visitors Center and museum). The immediate concern on these positions is if they will ultimately be filled with political hacks or competent, deserving conservation professionals.
As far as lay-offs, the site super at Volo Bog State Natural Area was laid off. One or two staff people at Kankakee River State Park were let go and the site super at the Momence wetlands. At least one staff person at Moraine Hills State Park was let go, and I think all clerical help within Region 2 (northeastern Illinois, us) was laid off. I also heard that the support people for the Spring Grove Fish Hatchery (Fox Chain O'Lakes) were laid off so that facility may not be in operation in 2005.
There are other lay-offs affecting facilities in other parts of the state but I would not be as familiar with them. There are state people also presently conducting inspections of the buildings at IDNR facilities so the Gov.'s office may be looking at taking another run at moving the maintenance of IDNR facilities from IDNR to the Central Management Services."
The DNR, as an agency, has been gutted and the axe will continue to swing unless the public vents its outrage, aiming directly where the bureaucrats feel the pain, squarely in the ballot box.
"As an Illinois waterfowler and as the vice president of the Northern Illinois Waterfowlers Association," Southland entrepreneur Bill Smith, who developed the FeatherHead Decoy system (FHD101@aol.com) said, "I call upon my fellow Illinois waterfowlers, deer hunters, dove hunters, pheasant hunters, squirrel, rabbit, quail, goose and recreational resource sportsmen and fishermen to demand that the Governor of Illinois stop the gutting of our DNR and to stop the dismantling of conservation and recreational programs that benefit Illinois sportsmen.
As a sportsmen, I also demand that all types of abuse of our sporting dollars and special funds be stopped by politicians who see (funds ear-marked by law for use in conservation and wildlife management) as a way to make up for state budget shortfalls in other programs that have nothing to do with the protection or the restoration of the natural resources of Illinois I call for an independent DNR commission so that political abuses by politicians do not affect conservation programs or management. We also must have an investigation as to why our current (funded) programs are failing to provide better recreational opportunities. We must have an investigation into all of our recreational generated sporting dollars to see where those dollars are being spent, right down to the dime. These monies must remain protected from political abuses and misuses. We call for an investigation to see who or what politician has supported such actions to tap into sportsmen's dollars for general use for programs other than conservation and resource developments that benefit sportsmen of Illinois. The fact is if they are taking dollars from our sportsmen's conservation efforts we want to know who they are and where our money is going and this information should be made public to the recreational sporting public of Illinois so that all sportsmen can see who they shall kick out of office come next election period."
Smith is calling for an immediate audit, "that shows recreational sportsmen's-generated funds right down to the boat tags fees. We call for an accounting or appropriations of these funds to see where those dollars have gone and to whom or for what program."
The fees we pay for licenses, tags, various permits and boat stickers, the dollars generated by state and federal laws are dedicated, Smith added, and there must be a public accounting, therefore, regarding how, where and for who's benefit they are being used if not for the programs they were intended.
What do you mean it sounds like more big city politics?
Governor getting rid of Illinois Department of Natural Resources ??
