Meyer Grills Hassett Over DNR Enforcement
During an occasionally tense briefing, Rep. Dan Meyer, R-Eagle River, roasted DNR Secretary Scott Hassett on constituent issues. He said while the DNR often complains about lack of funding the agency "seems to have enough resources to make life miserable for a number of citizens."
Meyer painted the DNR as an agency run amok. He cited a constituent who has had several court cases with the DNR over enforcement actions and said when asked by locals in his Northwoods district what's wrong with the agency, he tells them, "It's a management problem."
Hassett looked down at the table and scratched notes on a pad during Meyer's grilling. Meyer ended the barrage by saying that people are afraid of the DNR. "I can't imagine why, can you?" Meyer asked sarcastically.
Hassett said he strives for transparency in the agency, and said he encourages criticisms be brought to him. "I don't like being tried by anecdote in these types of hearings," he said.
Co-chair Rep. Dean Kaufert lightened the mood a bit a little later, saying, "We want to remind people that their fishing licenses expire tomorrow so we don't have any more enforcement actions."
Hassett said the agency gets a lot of attention from the media and public because it is in the thick of a lot of emotional issues. He said the DNR's broad reach provides efficiencies, and disagreed with Co-chair Sen. Scott Fitzgerald that some of the agency's programs should be spread to other departments. He also stressed the importance of the DNR's stewardship program.
"I think the greatest threat to fishing and hunting in this state is access, not the cost of licenses and fees," Hassett said. "If we had that same way of thinking 50 or 75 years ago Devil's Lake or Peninsula State Park might be condo developments now," Hassett said.
