57 DNR staff layoff notices

[Lee Borgersen]

  Fifty-seven DNR staff receive layoff notices amid talk of budget cuts.

April 22, 2015 9:41 a.m.

  Wisconsin:

  .........
Fifty-seven employees of the state Department of Natural Resources began receiving formal notices this week that they might face layoff as part of Gov. Scott Walker's budget for the next two fiscal years.

DNR spokesman Bill Cosh said that of that number, 27 employees are in the Bureau of Science Services, a unit of the DNR where Walker is proposing significant cuts.

The bureau performs significant research duties for the DNR, and the cuts have come under fire from wildlife and environmental groups who say research is the underpinning of many agency activities.

DNR officials have said in recent weeks that it's premature to say what cuts will actually occur, and how science and research will be handled at the DNR in future years. Cosh has said that science is carried out across the DNR, and not just in the Bureau of Science Services.

The DNR's scientific staff conducts research on matters ranging from estimating the size of the state's deer herd to to studying the effects of aquatic invasive species. Work is paid for with state and federal funds.

Environmental groups have expressed concerns that a weakened science staff will hurt the agency and ease the way for politics to dictate how the DNR addresses resource issues.

Walker's budget would cut 18.4 positions in the Bureau of Scientific Services.

The bureau has a total of 59.4 budgeted positions, although 9.4 are vacant. That would be a 31% cut in total budgeted positions and a reduction of 18% of the positions now filled in the bureau.

All told, Walker's budget would cut 66 positions from the DNR. Of this, more than 25% would come from the science group. Cosh said a smaller number of employees received notices than the 66 positions in the budget because some positions targeted for cuts are vacant.

Cosh said in an email that the notifications are an "initial step in the process" until the Legislature completes its work. He said that 27 people received the notice because, as required, it represented everyone in that classification.

In an email, a DNR employee who received the notice circulated her concerns to others in an email asking to "do what I dare not" and contact members of the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee, which will take up DNR funding on Wednesday.

"Never mind that I, like most others targeted, are federally funded or funded from (a segregated account) and not general purpose revenue," the employee said. "Thus, this measure will have no effect on the state budget."

[glenn57]

he must need more cash to keep himself out of jail or for his soon to be failed presidential campaign!!!!!!!

[The General]

Well Obama won't cut anything so walker has to do his job for him.  Way to go Walker.  Now get after those corrupt police officers, lawyers, and judges who went after your supporters.  Only DFL liberals sink so low.  Busting down people's doors in the middle of the night on trumped up charges, fraudulent IRS, leaders of the KKK. 

[Lee Borgersen]

 

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[glenn57]

  :rotflmao:I love being the black sheep.

[beeker]

most government agencies are have so much waste that they could all cut 50 people and never notice. the jobs are broken down to the dumbest level of dumb