Changes in Naming DNR Secretary

Senate votes to end power to name secretary
By STEVEN WALTERS and STACY FORSTER

Madison - The state Senate voted Tuesday to return to having the state Natural Resources Board - and not the governor - appoint the secretary of the Department of Natural Resources, beginning in 2011.

The DNR bill's chief sponsor, Sen. Robert Wirch (D-Pleasant Prairie), called the current system, pushed through the Legislature in 1995 by then-Gov. Tommy G. Thompson, a "failed experiment."

Having the governor name the DNR secretary has not resulted in any "marked improvement" in the agency's performance, Wirch said.

Some Senate Republicans failed Tuesday to make the change effective immediately and not in January 2011, when the next governor takes office.

They also wanted to limit future agency secretaries to four-year terms.

If returning to the old system is worthwhile, "I don't see why we should delay this until 2011," Sen. Neal Kedzie (R-Elkhorn) said.

But Sen. Mark Miller (D-Monona) said Gov. Jim Doyle just named a new DNR secretary, Matthew Frank, who has assembled his own management team.

It would be "very disruptive" to make the change now, Miller said.

The 21-12 Senate vote sent the bill to the Assembly.

One of its chief Assembly sponsors, Rep. Spencer Black (D-Madison), said it was likely the bill would pass that house, although party leaders are split over it.

Gov. Jim Doyle has supported the measure in the past but will wait to see in what form the Legislature passes it, said aide Matt Canter.
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