URGENT - Support WDFW Comm. Wecker

Tower Todd · Apr-01-2009, 08:09 PM

BDer's: Please take a few minutes and make some calls, send some emails, or attend the confirmation hearing of Commissioner Wecker. The information is below and there is alot of it. The confirmation hearing is FRIDAY SO DON"T WAIT!

TT

Miranda Wecker is the Chair of the WDFW Commission, and a strong friend of those who want to conserve fish and wildlife resources.

She has served on the Commission for four years without being “confirmed” by the Senate. (Other members are also not confirmed.)

Now Senator Jacobsen, Natural Resources committee chairman, has suddenly scheduled a confirmation hearing for Miranda Wecker. It is an interesting coincidence that this hearing was scheduled promptly after sportsmen and sportswomen worked so hard and defeated SB5127. The hearing is Friday, April 3rd, at 8:00 AM.

If Jacobsen is successful in removing Miranda from the Commission, you can draw your own conclusions about whether future near-term confirmation hearings may be scheduled for other Commissioners who lean toward conserving resources.

The message is: “support convervation; support Miranda Wecker’s confirmation now.” When you write your emails, please say whatever you wish to in support of Miranda.

Below is the text of an email from Miranda, including email addresses. And below that is a legislature website listing of the members of Jaconsen’s committee.

Thank you in advance for sending a couple of short emails!

************************************************** ***********

-----Original Message-----
From: Miranda Wecker [mailto:mwecker@wwest.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 9:34 AM

Subject: my confirmation hearing this Friday

Hello everyone..

The Senate Natural Resources Committee will be considering my confirmation to the Fish and Wildlife Commission this week.

If any of you would like to lend me some support, a quick email to the Committee staff and to the Governor's Office would be helpful.. Here's the email addresses:

Curt Gavigan, Senate Natural Resources Commitee staff:
gavigan.curt@leg.wa.gov
Marty Brown, Legislative Director, Governor's Office: Marty.Brown@gov.wa.gov

Thanks!

Miranda Wecker
PO Box 160
Naselle, WA 98638
360-484-7128

************************************************** ***********

URGENT

CALL TO ACTION TO SUPPORT CONFIRMATION OF MIRANDA WECKER TO WDFW COMMISSION

This notice is to urge you to send letters supporting the confirmation of Miranda Wecker as Washington Fish and Wildlife Commissioner. Senator Jacobsen has scheduled a confirmation hearing in Olympia before the Senate Oceans and Natural Resources Committee at 8:00 am on Friday, April 3rd. We ask that you please either send a letter or attend the hearing, or both, to show your support.

Senator Jacobsen’s purpose in setting this hearing is to remove Commissioner Wecker from the commission for her conservation and science based leadership. The sample letter below provides further background about Ms. Wecker’s service and the reason she is drawing this attack. Her biographical information is also attached which further demonstrates her qualifications for this position. We have also included talking points and contact information for the members of the Senate Oceans and Natural Resources Committee. Due to time constraints, if you wish to send a letter please send it via email.

Sample letter

Dear Senator ______________,

I am writing to ask that you support the confirmation of Miranda Wecker to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. Since her appointment by Governor Gregoire in March 2005, Ms. Wecker has served as Fish & Wildlife Commissioner with excellence, expertise, leadership and great concern for our resources. She has served as Chair of the Commission since January of this year.
Commissioner Wecker graduated from University of Washington School of Law with Juris Doctor and Masters of Law Degrees and has worked for over 25 years in the field of natural resource policy at the international, national, state, and local levels. Since 1995, she led the marine program of the UW Olympic Natural Resources Center. She is chiefly responsible for a program that successfully removed invasive grass, spartina, from Willapa Bay. Under her leadership, a coalition of concerned parties worked to save the Bay. Their success multiplied into huge benefits for fisheries, migratory birds, the shell fish industry and all of the citizens of Washington.
Commissioner Wecker and her fellow commissioners have steadily worked to base fish and wildlife management on science. The members of this commission are being attacked by those who oppose their recent attempts to put conservation and science at the forefront of fish and wildlife management. It would appear that the recent effort to dismantle the voter mandated Fish and Wildlife Commission through SB-5127 is closely associated with this confirmation hearing. Having apparently failed in their efforts to dismantle the commission through legislation they will now attempt to remove the commission one member at a time. Make no mistake this issue is about much more than the confirmation of Commissioner Wecker.
Commissioner Wecker's leadership has drawn this criticism from those interests that see their influence diminished when conservation and sustainable management is the goal. I urge you to support the confirmation of Miranda Wecker. She is highly qualified for this position and has demonstrated leadership and vision as both a member and as Chair of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Sincerely,

Name, Organization

Addresses for Senate Oceans and Natural Resources Committee:

Sen. Ken Jacobsen "mailto:jacobsen.ken@leg.wa.gov?cc=mwillms@agcwa.co m" jacobsen.ken@leg.wa.gov
(360)786-6790

Sen. Kevin Ranker HYPERLINK "mailto:ranker.kevin@leg.wa.gov" ranker.kevin@leg.wa.gov
(360) 786-7678

</SPAN>Sen. Bob Morton HYPERLINK "mailto:morton.bob@leg.wa.gov?cc=mwillms@agcwa.com" morton.bob@leg.wa.gov
(360) 786-7612

Sen. Karen Fraser HYPERLINK "mailto:fraser.karen@leg.wa.gov?cc=mwillms@agcwa.co m" fraser.karen@leg.wa.gov
(360) 786-7642

</SPAN>Sen. Jim Hargrove HYPERLINK "mailto:hargrove.jim@leg.wa.gov?cc=mwillms@agcwa.co m" hargrove.jim@leg.wa.gov
(360) 786-7646

Sen. Brian Hatfield HYPERLINK "mailto:hatfield.brian@leg.wa.gov?cc=mwillms@agcwa. com" hatfield.brian@leg.wa.gov
(360) 786-7636

Sen. Val Stevens HYPERLINK "mailto:stevens.val@leg.wa.gov?cc=mwillms@agcwa.com" stevens.val@leg.wa.gov
(360) 786-7676

Sen. Dan Swecker HYPERLINK "mailto:swecker.dan@leg.wa.gov?cc=mwillms@agcwa.com" swecker.dan@leg.wa.gov
(360) 786-7638

goatram · Apr-01-2009, 10:10 PM

Todd
Thanks for the link. I sent an Email to each of them in both mine and my wife's names. Now for the house bill that Our Donkey of a Senator Jacobsen amended

a couple a days ago and ran off to start this other mess to distract us to try and get his agenda passed. I am waiting for that call to arms on it. CCA WA State where are you on this?

Tower Todd · Apr-01-2009, 10:36 PM

GR,

That will be next week's battle. For now we need to help Commissioner Wecker retain her position! I'll be sending an update you on the other fight as it brews. Thank you for sending your emails. If you have a chance to make a phone call on Thursday as well, please do.

TT

goatram · Apr-01-2009, 10:38 PM

Todd
Is there a link some where with those numbers

Tower Todd · Apr-01-2009, 10:40 PM

I'll put one together. Or if you see your state senator on the list, call them.

TT

goatram · Apr-01-2009, 10:42 PM

Mine is Miss Mary Haugen. Cosponsor of the original bill SB 5127

Genie Aye · Apr-01-2009, 10:47 PM

TT

Thanks--E-mails sent.

Will look forward to next weeks battle.

Tower Todd · Apr-01-2009, 10:53 PM

Original Post Above Was Editied To Include Phone Numbers!

goatram · Apr-01-2009, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tower Todd

Original Post Above Was Editied To Include Phone Numbers!

We are not worthy of your great powers
KING T. TODD

elkruser · Apr-02-2009, 07:27 AM

Done did the thing.
Thanks for the heads up TT.

dragonballs · Apr-02-2009, 07:43 AM

I am on it

Tower Todd · Apr-02-2009, 08:47 AM

A synopsis of the process that Ms. Wecker faces is as follows:

Her confirmation has to be done by a full vote of the Senate. The hearing, scheduled for Friday morning is in the Senate Natural Resources, Oceans, and Recreation committee chaired by Senator Jacobsen. It is unknown if he will have a public vote at the hearing or if he’ll elect to go into executive session for a vote. From the NROR committee the bill goes to Senate Rules and then to the floor for a final vote. Committee votes can carry some weight on the floor but are not quite a rubber stamp.

If you haven’t written a note in favor of Ms. Wecker's being confirmed, I would encourage you to do so and send it to not only the NROR committee, but also to your Senator if he or she isn’t on the NROR committee plus a cc to the following people:

Curt Gavigan, Senate Natural Resources Committee staff:
gavigan.curt@leg.wa.gov

Marty Brown, Legislative Director, Governor's Office:
Marty.Brown@gov.wa.gov

(Even if your State Senator is not on the committee, please call, fax, email, or visit them as they will eventually get the chance to vote on her confirmation)