Thursday, February 14, 2008
For Bob Duncan, the question is: where to start?
Bill Cochran
Recent columns
Bob Duncan
When Bob Duncan sat down at his desk this week as the new executive director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, one of his first thoughts must have been, “Where to start?”
Let’s assume that Duncan, who is 59, has five years to do the job. During that time:
>More than half of the agency’s top administrators will be eligible for retirement.
>Operating expenses will increase as much as $2-million a year and will exceed revenues if new funding sources aren’t found.
>The agency has a bunch of dams that must be repaired, and that could cost up to $35 million, money it doesn’t have.
>Long range planning must be accomplished, along with more effective communications so sportsmen won’t feel caught off guard by the actions of the agency.
>Innovative ways to recruit new license buyers while holding onto the current ones must be devised in view of the fact that hunting license sales, a huge source of income, are declining 1- to 2 percent annually and fishing license sales are softening.
>Efforts must be made to derive money from those who enjoy wildlife but don’t pay their way because they aren’t hunting and fishing license buyers.
>Deer herds must be kept in check, along with diseases that would impact them, while habitat for quail, grouse and non-game species must be enhanced.
These kinds of issues are on the plate of most wildlife agency across the nation, but in addition Virginia has some unique challenges.
The previous director was fired after just 13 months. The one before is awaiting a mid-April trial on a felony charge punishable by two to 10 years in prison and up to a $100,000 fine. This trial, plus two others involving high-ranking game wardens, has potential to damage the agency’s already wounded credibility.
While the DGIF board has worked to re-establish its accountability, morale still isn’t good, inside or outside the agency. There is outright suspicion and mistrust in too many instances. This is reflected in General Assembly bills that would change the way the DGIF is organized and does business.
Sportsmen are sharply divided over the agency’s focus on the deep-seated tradition of hound hunting. Some see it as the salvation of the sport and others view it as a move to abolish hound hunting.
Considering all this, you have to wonder why anyone of merit would want the director’s position, but 29 applications were submitted.
The one that counted was from Duncan, a 30-year career biologist with the agency, the last 18 years as Wildlife Division Chief. When Duncan’s application arrived, everyone else was vying for second place.
Duncan had not applied in the previous round, when 78 resumes were submitted. The word on the street was that he was fed up, and ready to retire, that the fun had gone out of his job. You could see stress in his face. But the passion was back the day he was appointed. He called his career a “labor of love” and “a fulfillment of a lifelong dream.”
“I applied this time and pursued this job because I felt like it was the right thing to do; the time had come when someone needed to step up from within the agency and, fortunately for me, I think the board saw it that way as well.”
Duncan gave an inspiring speech when the DGIF board unanimously named him director. He said success would come by putting the resource first while balancing public opinion and good science. He promised a study on ways to do more with less money.
His appointment brought a standing ovation from those in attendance, mostly invited leaders of sportsmen groups and staff members who long to put aside the bickering, the pettiness, the stagnation, the cronyism in order to reclaim the glory days.
When the last cheer had sounded, Duncan had the foundation he needed to build on: loyal supporters and a talented, dedicated staff.
But there are a lot of people still on the fringes. Winning back their trust and respect will be the measuring stick by which his administration is judged.
A few privately questioned the appointment, saying Duncan is too quick to bow to powerful individuals and political pressure. But there have been times when he has proven that there are limits as to how far he will go to please people. He has stood firm against baiting; against canned hunts; against deer farming and stocking elk out of fear that diseases will be imported.
“You get into this business because you want to work with critters, and find out that if you want to work with critters you need to work with people,” he said in a folksy Aldo Leopold way.
The people always are the hard part, and it will be no different this time.
