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Show AUGUST 1996 Whirling Disease FIASCO Continued from page 11 When contacted in Washington DC, institute officials were reluctant to talk and be seen as publicly critical of a state government that had just paid them handsomely for the report. But one institute official, who to be named, said did not want the Wildlife Management Institute does not make staffing proposals within its reports. “We never make recommendations on hiring, firing or shuffling specific personnel. We notified Utah’s Natural Resources to that effect in writing,” he said in a telephone interview. The report cost the state $60,000 during a time of budget constraints. Was it meant to ed or forced out during the following year. After the first 28 of those terminations took place, Department of Natural Resources officials called an April 1994 news conference to explain their actions. They complained of poor performance on the part of those dismissed DWR staffers. “We had prided ourselves on serving with dedication and skill,” says exemployee Bruce Johnson. “But we According to page 36 and 37 of the report: “The Station (in equipped Fisheries Logan) and Experiment is better operated than staffed, any such state facility WMI has seen... It has been responsible for Utah’s rare status as a disease-free state.” Beyond pathologist that, at ay Ron Logan, received regional for “excellence” Goede, had fish recently and national awards in researching and anyone in Utah government today dare take such action? Apparently not. Mark on the State reported that at a June 2, 1995 meeting, - Peterson then approved the variance, even though the Fish Health Board was not apprised of the action. ‘ Present DWR employees, who investigated the Leavitt’s contaminated them hatcheries, a Fearing order to save money for the state? Apparently not. State records show that most of the positions terminated were quickly filled by new people. During the firing process, Bob Valentine was hand-picked only “sloppy” retribution, on anonymity. labeled enterprise. they spoke the condition For example, of they say screens meant to prevent the Leavitt's fish from entering public waters in tributaries of the Fremont River had large holes in them. The Schmidt papers indicate that while DWR attempted to by the Leavitt Administration to be the new director at DWR. But there was a problem: he was not qualified to be DWR_ director under state law. Although Valentine had served on the State Wildlife Board, the Utah Wildlife Code had long speciPhoto by Larry Devoto of Photo Fishermen pull them in at Leavitt's private trout pond, near Loa fied that a DWR director must “professional have wildlife training,” which Valentine did not were told a major shakeup was necescombating whirling disease. have. sary to help us learn how to get along California’s chief fish pathologist, It was a hurdle easily overcome. with people.” John Modin, praised Utah as “a model The governor pushed through and The Wildlife Management Institute agency for others to follow in researchthen signed a bill changing the code to report directly refutes the claims of ing and controlling disease.” read that the director need only have poor performance by DWR personnel: But someone in the Leavitt some “experience” in wildlife manage“WMI found a highly trained, profesAdministration wanted oversight of ment. It was a “custom fit,” as one sional work force that is committed to whirling disease out of DWR. That DWR employee put it. the welfare of Utah’s fish and wildlife oversight was moved to the Utah Valentine took over as DWR direcresources but is overwhelmed by the Department of Agriculture, which has tor on Nov 15, 1993. The records show enormity of its responsibilities,” the no daily contact with public fishing that 36 DWR personnel were terminatreport states. waters, as does DWR, explained Bruce Schmidt. “Agriculture has no mandate to keep public waters free of water- borne rket arm,” and it has no law he said. was soon demoted, and with no further influence in the battle against whirling disease, left DWR. til The Leavitts claimed that a quarantine “until the fish could test negative” on their hatcheries was punitive and arly afternoon Fresh Produce Baked Goods Fresh-cut Flowers Arts & Crafts Entertainment Activites cost them about $500,000 Sevier Leavitts by Devoto in 1991, River drainages, dragged repairing continued their damaged the feet in screens and fish from moving contaminated hatcheries. At least one angry fish grower wrote to DWR, insisting the agency put a halt to the illegal activities by the Leavitts, which were giving all Utah fish farmers “a bad name.” For his part, Gov. Leavitt has denied knowledge of the variance granted to his brothers by the Agriculture Department director. He also says that the “down-sizing” was necessary and demotions and terminations were not vindictive nor part of a vendetta against DWR investigators. “Such accusations are a very con- venient thing to say,” he told The Tribune. “Its been handled in a very arms-length fashion.” The investigation into the Leavitt's fish farm by former DWR employees was thorough and _ professional, according to a former member of the Utah Attorney General’s Office. Robert Lunen, now in private practice, assisted in the prosecution. “These were clear-cut violations after DWR worked patiently through a memorandum of understanding to try and allow the violators to remain in business while yet finding a way to protect whirling the public interest disease. DWR simply against did the job that citizens would expect it to do,” angry with DWR Lunen said. The investigation may have been a investigators. little too thorough, says former DWR Cary Peterson, a Leavitt appointee. The Assistant question becomes, will state officers try to curb the activities for which DWR Miya. “I would say we did a thorough job. Apparently too thorough for people in high places.” @ employees PAGE and alone. Reason enough, perhaps, to be Control of whirling disease now is with Department of Agriculture chief tb onznsion8 @ i keep whirling disease from spreading from the Fremont businesslike, Leavitts Continue Course When Schmidt attempted to follow up terms of the Leavitt’s 18-month court-ordered probation to no longer transport fish not certified as diseasefree, he was told to “forget it.” Schmidt mie July 27 to |. October 19 8:00 a.m diseases enforcement fit Historic Pionerk PARK 500 er 30 Sh Soe) * * ¢ ° ° © Advisory the Advisory Council voted to approve a variance allowing the Leavitts to move quarantined fish. down-size a state bureaucracy in foo fresh Utah-grown fruits and vegetables such as raspberries, corn, zucchinis, herbs, lettuce, mustard greens and more, Also breakfast items, brunch and lunch specials like grilled salmon sandwiches, Navajo tacos, specialty coffees, freshly squeezed orange juice and many other vendors. Leavitt sits Aquaculture Council that makes recommendations on how the state regulates his and other fish farms. The Salt Lake Tribune 12 were terminated? Would Enforcement Chief Craig |
