Take Back The MDC
A Gathering Point for True Sportsmen
Behind Closed Doors
Wednesday January 30th, 2008
First off we want to let everyone know who has emailed us concerning the legislative brochure that they have been sent out and should be showing up in legislative mail boxes this week. Copies have also been sent out to almost every relative gun, hunting and watchdog group we could think of both in state and out as well as media outlets, lobbists and personalities. In addition, a number of groups have agreed to pass these out at hunting and gun related events in the coming weeks around Missouri.
If you have yet to request a hard copy of the brochure, you can do so by sending an email with your address to info@takebackthemdc.com and one will be sent to you as copies remain available. Or you can wait and PDF copies will be downloadable from the website probably by Friday afternoon.
Thank you for all the emails of support concerning this project and to those who helped put it together. We have high hopes it will work to encourage positive change at our Department of Conservation.
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This is a topic we wanted to tackle a few months ago in 2007. But certain circumstances didn't allow us at that time so we will report on it now. One of the biggest and most numerous complaints we get about the MDC leadership is its secrecy and the decision making processes that the director is involved in.
So often we hear about closed door official meetings with the director, his staff and the commissioners and then the attempt to find out what was discussed in these meetings is met with resistance. Meeting minutes are turned over that contain basically no topics or are so vague that it makes one believe that nothing was discussed really at all.
When these concerns have been brought up in the past, the department would brush it off and direct attention elsewhere. At the same time, loyal MDC supporters from groups like the Conservation Federation of Missouri would accuse those asking questions of being overly contentious and looking for any excuse to cause trouble.
FINALLY!!! We have concurring evidence that MDC leadership is covering up discussions that very much effect the department and its direction along with future hunting regulations and involvement.
In August of 2007 the State Auditor found that the MDC and its leadership are not keeping proper records of roll call votes and is doing a very poor job of recording decisions being made in closed door sessions. This is required by law.
Click Here For The 2007 State Auditor Report
The Auditor also found some other interesting things. Flight transportation for example has declined for resource management but general trips remained steady. We're not sure what "general" means in the report but we find this interesting.
The MDC reported a combined operating loss of more $1,075,000 for its five manned shooting ranges for fiscal year 2006. It has long been rumored that MDC leadership would like to get rid of these manned ranges. Sources inside the MDC have continually reported that they want to get rid of most things associated with shooting including the 5 manned ranges. Perhaps if leadership took more of an interest in hunting and shooting then maybe the operating cost could be put in the black. However, the fact that the MDC offers hunters and new shooters safe and modern facilities is very much worth the taxes we pay to keep them open even if it does operate at a small loss.
The bottom line we feel to correct this situation is to put in place new leadership that has the shooting and hunting community at the forefront of its agenda and allow them to concentrate on putting the operating costs back in the black.
The report also mentions that the MDC had budgeted the replacement/addition of a manned range at a cost of $4 million dollars. Sources from inside Lindenwood college, a college that has a very popular shooting program for its students say that Lindenwood offered to pay an estimated $2 million to help bring this new range into reality but that it was shot down by MDC commissioner Cynthia Metcalfe.
All of this is a major concern to hunters who want to see transparency in the department leadership decision making and its processes. Most of the distrust that exist now could have been avoided if the leadership were more open with its decisions. It is only natural to distrust those that make decisions behind closed doors instead of out in the open for all to see.
We have to applaud the MDC for taking a number of steps to see how hunters felt about the new restrictions on antlerless deer and moving the season around. However, we would very much like to see the results of the online polling after the decision is made one way or the other and that future polling is performed by a third party and not within the MDC.
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Sen. Dan Clemens Remarks
Just last month State Senator Dan Clemens made remarks on the Missouri Senate Floor expressing his concerns with the current leadership at the MDC. Please read his remarks and forward them on to others who may wish to read them. Click Here
Report to Elected Officials
Please download and pass on the Take Back The MDC report to elected officials concerning the current state of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Please call your state elected representatives and senators and tell them that you are concerned with the Leadership at the MDC. Tell them you want change!
Download HERE
