Last night, I was notified in an email from the Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources of the following:
“[T]he department has determined there are no items that require consideration by the Natural Resources Board at the meeting scheduled for September 22, 2021. Therefore the department will not be proposing any agenda items and the department does not plan to be in attendance or supporting the meeting. Given the department will not be proposing any agenda items and will not be staffing the meeting, we recommend the board meeting be canceled.“
This is an unfortunate decision by the Department, as September meetings have historically had a robust agenda in the heart of the hunting seasons. I am deeply concerned that the Department has made this political decision contrary to state statutes, which say that the Department is under the direction and supervision of the NRB.
The NRB operates as partners with the Department, and without their participation we cannot do the work of the people of Wisconsin.
I am therefore forced to cancel the September NRB meeting.
I do not believe in the history of the NRB the Department has ever made such a decision. Nothing like this happened the last time NRB members held over, pending senate confirmation of their successors.
