Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, January 23, 1995 TAG: 9502020005
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
That has delighted Bill Woodfin Jr., the agency's new executive director.
``I have nothing but good things to say about how we came out in the budget,'' Woodfin said. ``I think the budget speaks well of the support that the governor and secretary [of natural resources] have for this department.''
While the agency may be holding onto most of its money and staff, Gov. George Allen's proposed state budget offers no new funding for wildlife programs. Nor does Woodfin anticipate there will be any bills in the General Assembly that will develop additional money sources, such as from hunting and fishing license fee increases or general fund revenue earmarked for non-consumptive wildlife programs.
In fact, the agency will not solicit new funds, he said, even though several general-fund appropriations requested by the department's 11-member board of directors failed to make Allen's budget. They included efforts to restore American shad and other migratory anadromous species to historic habitat in the James River and to control the spread of zebra mussels and hydrilla.
Money for these projects can be found in sources other than tax money, Woodfin said.
Woodfin, 46, came to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries in early June, sent there by Allen to become the agency's acting director. In October, the board named him director, effective Dec.1.
A Virginia native, Woodfin has been an employee of the Commonwealth since 1969 and has served as deputy director for operations at the Department of Environmental Quality and director of the Virginia Department of Waste Management.
``I hope the one thing I bring to the agency is some experience in state government,'' he said.
The department plans to keep a low profile during the short, 30-day, General Assembly session, which means it will concentrate more on the wise use of current funds rather than going after new money, Woodfin said.
Woodfin has been more visible around the office lately, and the department's administrative services has been revamped with the appointment of Raymond Davis as director of administration. A certified public accountant, Davis had a private law practice in Roanoke before taking the Richmond assignment.
Davis will deal with issues that have been raised by audits of the agency in the past, Woodfin said.
In addition, Woodfin is supporting efforts in the governor's budget to raise the state grade ranking of the department, which is the lowest among natural resource agencies.
``State agencies are graded one-to-five,'' he said. ``We are a level four. One natural resource agency is a No.1, and the others are a three.''
A higher grading would mean more flexibility in hiring decisions, he said.
Woodfin said he had no plans to beef up the Richmond headquarters staff at the detriment of field biologists and game wardens.
``That biologist out there in the field is the closest person to the issues,'' he said.
A major problem, Woodfin said, is a lack of a computer network to link the department's five field offices with the Richmond headquarters. That makes it difficult to gather the information needed to make decisions, he said. A new computer system is being installed to resolve the problem.
``I think the best thing about this department is the support that we get from the different interest groups we work with,'' he said. ``There is tremendous support from hunting groups and fishing groups and boating interests.''
Woodfin said the agency needs to look for ways to embrace new constituents among those who enjoy the outdoors but who don't buy a hunting or fishing license.
``At the same time, we need to make certain that the money of the traditional constituents is going where they want it to be,'' he said.
by CNB