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Show MOUNTAIN Continued from page 10 ed “no contest” on May 4, 1994 at the Wayne County Courthouse to eight misdemeanor counts (plea bargained down from an original 33 counts) of illegally moving quarantined fish and keeping improper records. The Leavitt's were fined $25,000 and given an 18-month probation that ordered them not to transport fish -unless certified as disease free. For their part, the DWR employees who had taken part in the investigation into whirling disease at the Leavitt hatcheries soon found themselves without jobs. In addition to Bruce Schmidt, DWR director Tim Provan, Law Enforcement Chief Bruce Johnson, Assistant Enforcement Chief Craig Miya, Chief Investigator Randall Peck and others were forced out of the division. Even DWR Deputy Director Darrel Nish, a 33-year division veteran (who took only a small part in the investigation) was pushed into “retiring.” He represented the “old way” of doing things, he was told. State officials deny that dismissals were in retribution. Ted Stewart, the director of the Department of Natural Resources and Bob Valentine, the new director of DWR, said personnel changes were made only in an effort to restructure the organization and to meet budget constraints. “When I took over this place, DWR was in a hell of a mess,” Stewart said. A total of 71 DWR employees have left the agency during Gov. Mike Leavitt administration, according to Natural Resources records. The shakeup shattered the professional lives, and in many ways the personal lives of DWR employees. Was the shakeup punitive? “Absolutely,” says Craig Miya, the former assistant enforcement chief. Former Law Enforcement Chief Bruce Johnson echoed Miya’s observation. “There is no other word for it,” he said. Not all DWR employees were given outright walking papers. A number said they simply could not continue to work in an environment where professional wildlife management was completely replaced by politics. “It isn’t fair to the people of Utah,” one said. That sentiment was repeated again and again by former employees. TIMES Resources during a 1994 press conference included budget constraints and the need to restructure DWR, as recommended by the Wildlife Management Institute, a respected private research organization in Washington D.C. ew DWR_ Director Bob Valentine is quoted in a Provo Daily Herald story as saying the state relied heavily on the recommendations of the Institute. But the report, itself, shows that Utah officials ignored almost everything the Institute recommended. One example: the report recommends that control of whirling disease stay with DWR, because the agency “has the expertise.” Even a casual review of the Wildlife Management Institute’s report, released in March 1994, reveals that absolutely no recommendations were Real Reason for Shakeup? ever made to terminate or demote any- The impacts from the shakeup remain with the agency. Even now, DWR employees dare not talk of trying to control whirling disease. Beyond that, the governor signed a one. In fact, the report states that DWR was vastly understaffed and needed bill shortly after taking office that moved control of water-born diseases from DWR to the State Department of Agriculture. The public never was given the real reasons for the shakeup at DWR during and after the investigation into whirling disease at the Leavitt family’s fish operation. Reasons offered by officials at the Department of Natural more personnel to meet an over- whelming workload. claims from the Furthermore, Leavitt Administration that there was a funding shortage are refuted by Legislative leaders. There was state money available that could have been used to avoid any of the terminations. Those funds, refused by Gov. Leavitt and Director Stewart, were offered by legislators for the express purpose of retaining 28 sacked employees, said Rep. Mike Styler, R-Millard, Sanpete. ( : Galleria In made a recent interview, Rep. Styler it clear that the Legislature could provide sufficient money to avoid any and all terminations. Rep. Styler says it this way in the Manti Messenger on Jan. 27, 1994: “J gathered legislative support for funding . . . (to avoid) the Division of Wildlife Resources reduction-in-work force. With this support, I went to the governor and the director of Natural Resources with the offer of supple- mental funds. I was told that the DWR work force reduction needed to continue expeditiously. And ‘thanks, but no thanks.’ “ Claims by the Leavitt Administration that money could not be found to retain DWR employees appears as < thin veil for more sinister motivations Wildlife Even the Management Institute’s report says that if there were budget restraints, they were the result of “fiscal mismanagement.” The institutues report continues on page 5: “Utah’s investment in fish and wildlife resources has been minimal relative to needs... Utah ranks 25th (nationally) in terms of permanent fish and wildlife personnel. The serious shortage of full-time staff leaves many fish and wildlife problems unattended... the Wildlife Management Institute views the down-sizing of DWR’s workforce as an unfortunate result of fiscal mismanagement, and not an indication of the staff required.” necessary to do floral & Design 580 Main ¢ Galleria Mall « Park City J )ark City’s - Favorite on Florist Historic Main ° Guaranteed Fresh Flowers e European Gardens Casual Comfortable Civilized 649-2600 World Wide Delivery ACO Goldener Hirsch Jun enjoy quaking aspens s» twilight dinner SILVER LAKE VILLAGE IN UPPER DEER VALLEY 649-7770 Summer Hours Lunch Friday-Saturday 11:30-2:30 £, < aw G 8.9 ee.) Dinner ti er Special “Mountain Times” D 3-course dinner with beverage now through October Wednesday-Sunday 5:30-9:30 AAQUN comior Sunday Brunch 11:00-3:00 PAGE 11 = ae the Continued on page es job 12 |