Minutes and Notes

Saturday, February 6, 2010

---

Meeting called to order at 11:40 by President Scott Mallory.

Attendance
Agenda Review 

Minutes from Nov. 21, 09 not available (read below.
   
Old Business: 

Scott asked for reports from represented agencies. 

Ecology, Agriculture, Parks and Fish & Wildlife.

Scott reminded everyone that Natural resources has a blog on the WFSE website.

Scott spoke about 6813, the bill that would combine Parks, Fish & Wildlife and DNR.

Political report-Alia Griffing

Break for members to call Legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000, 15 minutes.
   
New Business:
Carol spoke about supplemental bargaining issues.   

Contract negotiations- the team has begun. Please review article 39.   
   
Resolution HB6813 to oppose merging agencies this biennium by Tim Young. Second, carried.       

Discussion on reducing dues to WFSE in case of furlough. This will be addressed at the next Eboard meeting in June.

Good and welfare:
847.10 raised for Rebecca who lost her home.
431.48 Linda-Texas

People:   

Meeting adjourned at 2:00PM.

Real collaboration needed in any talk of natural resources reform

The Federation’s Natural Resources Policy Committee Chair Scott Mallery told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Thursday, February 11, that the reform effort in natural resources agencies needs a new kind of collaboration.

The governor this past fall came out with a series of recommendations on streamlining functions in such agencies as Parks and Recreation, Fish and Wildlife, Ecology and Natural Resources. That resulted in five bills forwarded to the Legislature, plus two requested budget actions.

“Reform is about getting more efficiency and providing the public better customer services (so) the government, Legislature and agency management should treat state employees with dignity and respect and transparency,” Mallery said.
 

That includes good pay, benefits and working environment, he said.
 

Mallery urged lawmakers to trim the growing ranks of management. He said in Ecology alone, reducing the staff-to-management ratio of 6-1 to 10-1 could be used to deploy 90 more Ecology employees to serve the public.

Gov. Gregoire, state officials announce actions to streamline natural resources services

Read the Governor's press release here.

REFORM I: NATURAL RESOURCE AGENCIES WILL SHARE, BUT NO MERGERS OR CONSOLIDATIONS IN GOVERNOR'S REFORM PLAN

Common sense prevailed and the final report on reforming natural resource agencies and the governor's resulting executive order do not include possible mergers or consolidations-ideas that had been floated since September.

The Federation's Natural Resources Task Force will keep an eye on what happens now after the Dec. 2 release of the report on transforming the delivery of natural resource services.

The changes that will come involve streamlining permitting, appeals and ending duplication in agency review processes. Several agencies will work together to integrate efforts to improve tourism and outdoor recreation. The Department of Natural Resources will provide maintenance and other services-except conservation management and land use policy--for 840,000 acres of land owned by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The six-month review involved agencies like Ecology, Fish and Wildlife, Parks and Recreation, Agriculture, Natural Resources and others.

While the governor rejected the costly and inefficient ideas to merge agencies, it doesn't mean the Legislature might not initiate some of those strategies.

That's why the WFSE/AFSCME Natural Resources Task Force has to remain vigilant, said its chair, Scott Mallery, an Ecology member in Spokane and member of Local 1221.

Letter to Natural Resources Task Force from Governor Gregoire

 

Read the Natural Resources Task Force's Final Report

 

Hi Natural Resources Members!

Members in bargaining units represented by the Natural Resources Policy Committee have several individuals who represent you on the Committee.

The committee consists of individuals from Parks, Department of Ecology, Department of Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife, and Agriculture. This committee discusses issues that are important to Natural Resources.

One of the biggest issues that we are facing in the upcoming legislative session, besides possible more cuts, is Natural Resources Government Reform. This reform is occurring because of the proviso in the budget and the Governor had her subcabinet to look into this. From the subcabinet, came up with a ‘bunch’ of proposals. Some of the proposals are combining agencies, sharing resources, and ‘streamlining’ permits.

We, as a union, have a chance to comment on these ideas. In order to have good comments, I need your help. The help I need from you is to take a survey.

• TAKE ONLINE SURVEY HERE

The results of this survey will help with comments back to Governor about this reform. The Governor has her own survey and WFSE has ours. WE need your comments on our survey to show how you care about what is going on in Natural Resources Government Reform.

Currently, the Governor’s survey has 200 responses and we have 20. We should have more responses on our survey---SO, please go to the following site on WFSE website and let the union and the Governor know what you think of Natural Resources Government Reform. WFSE survey is open until October 15.

The final official Natural Resources Policy Committee Newsletter will go out in the mail soon. In the future, to find out more of what is going on in Natural Resources, you will have to read it here, at the NR Policy Committee Blog.

If you haven't already, please consider signing up for the HOTLINE too. This is the way you can stay abreast of things happening in WFSE and your fellow brothers and sisters.

Besides the Natural Resources Government Reform, we have are Natural Resources Policy Committee meeting on Saturday, November 21 at the SeaTac Hilton.

The committee meetings are 3 times a year. At this meeting, we are going to elect the policy’s chair, vice-chair, secretary, and our delegates to the WFSE E-Board.

The E-Board is the governing body of WFSE and consist about 75 members of the union. So, get to your next Local Meeting and so you can become an elected delegate to NR Policy Committee. This way you can elect your NR E-Board member.

Finally, I want to thank you for letting me be your NR Policy Committee Chair. It has been an interesting year and several challenges. We have more challenges ahead with a possibility of more cuts and NR Government Reform. So, I challenge you to become more involve and let your voice be heard. You are the one who makes it happen---Stand up and be heard.

Thanks
!
Scott Mallery, NR Policy Committee Chair
Local 1221, Spokane and work for Ecology

If you have questions, please share them here as comments.

Natural Resources Task Force Needs Your Input

As you may know, the Legislature ordered the governor to convene a work group of natural resource agencies to "identify consolidation opportunities to improve service delivery and reduce costs."

That subcabinet group released a set of ideas yesterday, Sept. 14, and is now seeking public comment.

The Federation Natural Resources Task Force wants to hear from you so we can present your perspective to the administration.

•  SURVEY CLOSED

You'll be able to view state documents detailing the ideas and you can take our online survey. Your Natural Resources Task Force will then compile your comments and present them to the governor and public lands commissioner. They need to hear from you by Oct. 5.

The Federation task force includes representatives from several natural resource agencies, including Ecology, Parks and Recreation, Fish and Wildlife, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Health. It met Sept. 11 to go over a preliminary matrix of ideas. They got a briefing from John Mankowski, the governor's natural resource liaison. And they talked to Marty Brown, director of the governor's legislative affairs office.

The ideas rolled out yesterday are just that. They are not recommendations. They are not options. Many contradict each other. Many are cost-prohibitive. Think of them as food for thought.

But take them seriously. You must weigh in on them. Take the time to log on, read the documents and take the survey and submit your comments.

The ideas are grouped into four broad categories: organizational, with ideas ranging from consolidation into two agencies to inter-agency collaboration in the current structure; sharing services and resources, with emphasis on data, financial and law enforcement services; improving permitting; and streamlining the quasi-judicial hearings process.

Ideas to Improve Washington's Natural Resources by section:

Executive Summary and Sections 1-5




The Status Quo



Appendix 1-1: Effective Ways to Organize



Appendix 2-1: Sharing Services and Resources



Appendix 3-1: Improving Environmental Protection, Permitting and Compliance



Appendix 4-1: Streamlining Quasi-Judicial Boards





View charts that show the percentage of WMS and Managers