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The Missouri Conservation Commission met at Missouri Department of Conservation headquarters in Jefferson City on Aug. 22 for a budget workshop and closed executive session and on Aug. 23 for its regular open meeting. Commissioners present were:
- Don C. Bedell, Chair
- Wm. L. (Barry) Orscheln, Vice Chair/Secretary
- Steven D. Harrison, Member
- Mark L. McHenry, Member
Presentations
The Commission received the following presentations/reports:
- Director’s Comments — Sara Parker Pauley, Director
- Operational Excellence Update — Kendra Witthaus, Assistant to Director, Operational Excellence
- Communications Update — Heather Feeler, Communications Chief
- Report of the Regulations Committee - Mike Hubbard, Deputy Director and Chair, Regulations Committee
- Fiscal Year 2019 Year-End Financial Report — Andrew Bond, Financial Services Chief
- Fiscal Year 2019 Year-End Report of Information Technology Projects Completed — Douglas Fees, Information Technology Services Chief
- Fiscal Year 2019 Year-End Report of Major Construction Projects Completed — Jacob Careaga, Design and Development Division Chief
- Conservation Employees’ Benefits Plan Update — Tom Neubauer, Human Resources Division Chief
Administration
The Commission:
- Recognized the following staff for national awards:
- Rick Rath, Private Land Conservationist from Greenfield, as the recipient of the 2019 National Fire Bird Award from the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative.
- Bill White, Private Land Services Division Chief from Jefferson City, as the recipient of the Spirit of the Shack Achievement Award from the Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
- Outreach and Education Division on receiving 10 awards at the 2019 national conference of the Association for Conservation Information:
- First place calendar section: 2019 Natural Events Calendar,
- Second place magazine fisheries article: Lobsters of the Midwest,
- Second place photograph of people: Trout Stocking on the Eleven Point,
- Second place regulations publication: Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2018-2019,
- Third place graphics layout: Nop’s Guide to Nature Photography,
- Third place one-time publication book/report: A Guide to Missouri’s Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms,
- Third place video PSA: Discover Nature TV PSA on Spring Peepers,
- Third place one-time publication other: CWD Sampling Promo,
- Third place photography flora and fauna: Baby Box Turtle Hatching from Egg, and
- Third place photography flora and fauna: Pipevine Swallows.
- Approved proposed rulemakings from mid-year Wildlife Code review, and final orders of rulemaking for permit restructuring, landowner registry and acreage requirements, nonresident landowner permits, carcass transport/disposal, and trout permits. More information will be posted in the MDC Online Newsroom at mo.gov/newsroom.
- Approved the submission of the estimated Fiscal Year 2021 appropriation requests to the Office of Administration budget director.
- Approved the exchange of two tracts containing 0.19 acre and 0.98 acre, respectively, of August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles County for one tract containing 1.17 acres as an addition to August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area.
- Approved the exchange of approximately 35 acres of Poplar Bluff Conservation Area in Butler County for approximately 11 acres as an addition to Poplar Bluff Conservation Area, together with compensation for the difference in the amount of acreage being exchanged.
- Approved the sale of approximately 584,512 board feet of timber located on 173 acres of Compartment 3, Birch Creek Conservation Area in Shannon County.
- Approved the sale of approximately 469,676 board feet of timber located on 139 acres of Compartment 4, Logan Creek Conservation Area in Reynolds County.
- Approved the sale of an estimated 1,652,260 board feet of timber located on 551 acres of Compartment 3, Current River Conservation Area in Shannon County.
- Approved 2020 plan-year recommendations for the Conservation Employees’ Benefits Plan.
- Suspended or revoked one or more hunting, fishing, or trapping privileges of 22 individuals for cause:
- Justin K. Bassett, Rolla, Hunting, 1 Year;
- Benjamin K. Blasingain, East Prairie, All Sport, 1 Year;
- Ryan L. Edwards, Birch Tree, All Sport, 4 Years;
- James A. Elswick, Louisburg, Hunting, Add 3 Years to Current Suspension;
- William A. Eubanks, Winona, All Sport, 1 Year;
- Dustin J. Gatzemeyer, Villa Ridge, Hunting, 1 Year;
- Zachariah J. Hardwick, Ellsinore, Hunting, 1 Year;
- Donald D. Hendren, Columbia, Hunting, 3 Years;
- William L. Ichord, Duke, All Sport, 1 Year;
- Rodney S. Kiel, Marceline, Hunting and Fishing, 1 Year;
- Cody M. McGuire, Buffalo, Hunting, 1 Year;
- Niles M. McNee, Fairview, All Sport, 1 Year;
- Robert M. Moad, Albany, Hunting, 1 Year;
- Jeffrey W. Nash, Fulton, All Sport, 1 Year;
- Joshua M. Nutter, Lebanon, Hunting, 1 Year;
- Travis K. Rumph, Blytheville (AR), Fishing, 1 Year;
- Logan A. Sawyer, Bolivar, Hunting, 1 Year;
- Robert L. Schwartz, Old Monroe, Hunting, 1 Year;
- Brittany N. Shoemaker, Camdenton, All Sport, 1 Year;
- Ron G. Schrock, Harrisonville, Hunting, 2 Years;
- Carl D. Smith, Cadet, Hunting, 1 Year; and
- Chris E. Tharp, Hannibal, Hunting, 1 Year.
- Suspended or revoked one or more hunting, fishing, or trapping privileges of three individuals as ordered by the Missouri court system:
- Lynn D. Hook, Rushville, Hunting, Revoked until 5/16/2021;
- Donald J. Moore, Linneus, Hunting and Fishing, Revoked until 5/30/2020; and
- Lakota G. Williams, Purdin, Hunting and Fishing, Revoked until 5/30/2020.
- Suspended or revoked all hunting and fishing privileges of 223 individuals who are not in compliance with applicable child support laws.
- Suspended or revoked one or more hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges of 295 individuals in accordance with the terms of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.
- Suspended or revoked hunting privileges of one individual who inflicted injury to another person while hunting.
- Set the next regular meeting for October 10-11, 2019.