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* Talk about over the top…
In a political move reminiscent of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Gov. Bruce Rauner
will make Rep. Wayne Rosenthal (R-Litchfield) the head of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, multiple sources said.That breaks campaign promises to have a professional head the agency.
Instead, it will be Rosenthal, a retired Illinois Air National Guard Brigadier General who operated the family’s grain farm. He is an avid hunter, who established a game preserve.
The decision, the exact opposite of shake up Springfield, is doubly insulting because sportsmen and women were some of Rauner’s staunchest supporters and credited with helping him win a tight primary.
That lede is just outrageously ignorant of history. Blagojevich? Come on, man.
Rosethal is a highly respected legislator and is deeply involved in conservation issues. The Rauner team was blown away when they interviewed him. I gotta figure sportsmen and sportswomen are gonna like him.
* And I’m not sure that Rauner promised to appoint a “professional” to lead the department. For instance…
He spoke about his concerns regarding the state’s Department of Natural Resources, saying there are problems there he hopes to fix.
“We’ve had folks in the department who don’t have expertise in natural resources or how to fix. We need folks who really know the biology, the ecology, and who really know the hunting and fishing in the department. And I’ll restore that,” said Rauner.
Rauner says he hopes to accomplish that by hiring experts and properly funding the department.
Those experts would be on a lower rung than the director.
Also, this…
When asked what he would specifically do to improve the IDNR, he initially expressed his love of the Illinois outdoors. Bruce Rauner is an avid hunter, having taken many deer since his youth. He and his family hike and fish and truly understand the importance of this state’s natural resources.
First, he stated, he would evaluate all IDNR management positions and replace any one not qualified to do their assigned job. He suggested that many of IDNR appointed managers were never capable of doing what they were hired for, and thus have failed to deliver. He stated that regardless of whether it is the management of deer or any natural resource, he would assign “qualified people” in those fields to ensure that our natural resources received the expertise and attention they deserve. He fully comprehends the need to balance sound resource management with sportsmen opinion.
The director oversees these managers, who do, indeed, need to be qualified professionals.
* A less hostile take…
At first glimpse, naming a legislator to a cabinet position doesn’t seem like a major “shake-up” of things. And the last time we had a legislator atop DNR (Joel Brunsvold) things went poorly. Then again, things didn’t go real well under a “resources conservation professional,” the phrase that became common under departed Director Marc Miller.
Miller’s problem was not a lack of conservation knowledge, but an inability to get things done and what appeared to be a relative lack of power in the administration. Here’s hoping Rosenthal can get Rauner’s ear now and then and stand up to do the things that need to be done at the DNR. And that list is long.
Brunsvold did a great job. His problem was that Blagojevich was determined to slash IDNR’s budget.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:27 pm
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I think Dale wanted Brent Manning back. That’s my take, anyway, from reading his column over the years.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:36 pm
My problem with the appointment is that a good legislator is leaving the chamber. We’ll miss him.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:37 pm
===I think Dale wanted Brent Manning back.===
I was thinking he might have wanted Dave McKinney back too.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:39 pm
Briefly, I’ve known Rosenthal for years. He is more than capable to hire experts for key positions in IDNR, professionally manage and run the agency, work within the governor’s administration and work well with the General Assembly, where his word is true. He also was committed to supporting natural resources in word and deed long before this opportunity arose. Good choice IMHO.
Comment by Decaff Coffee Party Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:40 pm
Wasn’t that department one of the many areas where candidate Rauner promised to increase funding? I remember he made promises related somehow to parks, but I don’t remember the specifics.
Is a former Republican Rep even going to go in and ask for more money? It will be interesting to watch.
Comment by Gooner Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:42 pm
The good general is money.
Comment by Jorge Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:45 pm
47, I hadn’t noticed anyone at the Sun-Times stepping up on that subject.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:49 pm
After the replay, my last post has been reversed. There was that newsroom petition.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:52 pm
If Director Rosenthal takes the state helicopter to work every day the same way that Director Brunsvold did, I hope that the same lavish praise is afforded him.
Comment by RFG Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:57 pm
How much cash did Rosenthal dump into the inauguration? 10,000?
Comment by Dr X Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:57 pm
so a Brigadier General does not count as a professional administrator? What do they exactly mean by professional? Of course, they probably haven’t thought of that.
Comment by Ahoy! Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:59 pm
whatever, politics. But Dale Bowman is one of the best columnists in business on any topic. His column is a must read for the subject. Dale truly knows his subject, brings all sorts of small bits to the page, and has a big heart. He knows that the outdoors is not just about guns, but about fishing and hiking, and finding morels. He wants the best for all those who love the outdoors in Illinois so I take him for that. Yearning for better.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 12:59 pm
The issue is not the Director, but the funding for the agency and the money simply isn’t there, Rauner’s pandering during the election notwithstanding.
Comment by slow down Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:03 pm
Rich you may find it unfair, but when you went through a campaign and made it your key point to shake things up and then appoint a legislator to a directors position seems to go against the narrative Rauner wrote for himself. It isn’t the only time I have heard it said the early days of Rauner looks and awful lot like the early days of Blago. Should be fun to watch.
Comment by 618662dem Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:09 pm
The best thing Rauner and Rosenthal could do would be to stop any fund sweeps out of IDNR now and future. If he can work with Cullerton and Madigan to transition the agency into a fee funded entity and then protect those fees from Blago type sweeps it will be one of the best acts for those of us who enjoy the outdoors.
I suspect most outdoorsmen would trade some higher fees for a fully funded IDNR.
Comment by Mason born Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:12 pm
Good luck to Director Rosenthal. Best conservationists I have known were not professionals in the field; Gerry Ridden of Paxton and Pheasants Forever and Jim Range of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
No Director can be an expert on everything their department does. Trick is to manage people doing jobs you could not do yourself.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:15 pm
Of course it’s going to feel to some a lot like when Blago took over. Why? Because that’s the last time the Governor’s seat switched parties. Funny thing happens when your side doesn’t win: you lose the right to say who should be in the political appointment jobs. “I’m shocked, SHOCKED”
Comment by Anonymoiis Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:16 pm
Rodeen not Ridden.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:18 pm
Fee-fund it, Bruce. And good luck clearing out all those patronage idiots.
Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:18 pm
DNR is also in charge of state parks and right now they look like crap because of lack of funding and employee shortage at the parks. That would be a good place to start. As far as Brunsvold is concerned, I was told he had a great love for hunting and the outdoors. I also heard that he wanted the job when as a former legislator he could have had a better one if he watned it. They also named the building after him when he passed.
Comment by Ginhouse Tommy Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:26 pm
No doubt there were some questionable, high ranking patronage hires filled with unqualified “candidates” at the DNR under Quinn that had the effect of undermining morale among the real professional staff. At the same time some of the very well qualified professionals had to endure a great deal of unjustified ankle biting from many disgruntled and vocal hunters.
As a hunter and naturalist I cannot agree there was any sound ecological or resource management reason for Wayne Rosenthal to get his bill allowing the hunting of bobcats passed by the legislature (and subsequently vetoed by Quinn). Hunters believe they carry most of the freight and should have their interests trump all, while many of us have witnessed a huge degradation of ecological assets because of the extreme limitation of capital and personnel. How will ecological restoration weigh in the balance of interests?
Perhaps Rauner can get his millionaire conservation minded peers to get a progressive tax passed in the legislature that would give the DNR the money to fulfill our stewardship roles and put some real ammunition behind Rauner’s pledge. Otherwise its just more play of rhetoric.
Comment by vole Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:37 pm
Rep Rosenthal is a fellow member of the ISRA. He supported the ISRA’s successful effort to overturn Chicago’s unconstitutional hand gun ban and onerous registration law, as a City of Chicago resident and gun owner I thank him for that. He supported concealed carry legislation.
He has both administrative (Macoupin County Soil & Water Conservation District Board) and legislative experience, so in terms of competency he seems qualified. I am not sure being IDNR director requires having a degree in forestry or parks management.
Comment by Rod Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:38 pm
Dale Bowman one of the best columnists in the business on any topic? I’ll give him outdoors, but I’ve read others and disagree.
Comment by The Purple Sun Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:38 pm
Dale Bowman is the medium for Mike Conlin and Brent Manning - two retired DNR guys sitting around singing “glory days”.
Those two guys have an axe to grind and contribute no insight to the dialogue currently needed on how to manage the Agency with limited revenue and staff.
Dale Bowman continues to miss the point - use the pen to create healthy dialogue and not the political agendas of his buddies.
Comment by Ex DNR Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 1:43 pm
Workers Compensation will be a big one to watch. Any news?
Comment by The Purple Sun Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 2:05 pm
Ex: If all of us didn’t have some agenda would we be interested at all in any of the political happenings in Spring Patch? Those guys from the so called glory days (I don’t recall it being so glorious although I get your point) do have a great deal of institutional and resource insight to offer as does Bowman.
Way too much got dumped into the DNR including some roles that should have been retained in other independent agencies. Why is it involved in developing regulations for oil fracking? Why is it involved in issuing permits to mine coal?
With some of the least amount of natural land area of any state in the US why is the IDNR mission not restricted solely to managing that? We are losing it, not in small part to further development by agriculture (not to mention, Rosenthal is a farmer and Farm Bureau guy).
We are going to see just where these guys’ values lie.
Comment by vole Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 2:05 pm
Wayne Rosenthal is as professional as they come. You don’t move up in the military to Brigadier General without strong ability to lead. He’s quiet, listens, and acts and is not afraid to take advice.
Comment by 1776 Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 2:08 pm
Glad to hear Wayne’s gonna get it
Comment by Todd Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 2:31 pm
Wayne is responsible for hundreds of acres of habitat restoration abutting ag. land….and implements smart policies like”no till” He’s a farmer & conservationist.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 2:32 pm
Chill out Rich. Dale Bowman wrote this article.
Comment by North Shore Joe Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 2:43 pm
===Dale Bowman wrote this article===
And?
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 2:45 pm
Dave Kenny was the last DNR Director that wasn’t introduced as a “avid hunter.” As has been said, DNR is more than hunting. Let’s see if Rosenthal can meet the needs of other outdoor enthusiasts, as well as lead in other DNR areas (mining, water resources, etc.).
Comment by Sir Reel Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 2:48 pm
Oops I forgot Mike Witte wasn’t a hunter (and boy did the hunters make a big deal about it).
Comment by Sir Reel Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 2:55 pm
=== Brunsvold did a great job. His problem was that Blagojevich was determined to slash IDNR’s budget. ===
Gov. Rauner is determined to roll back the entire income tax hike in four years, and has so far proposed only a little over half a $million a year in new revenue via his service tax. Consequently, based upon what we know thus far, it may be that IDNR will be in for more budget slashing.
Comment by anon Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 3:08 pm
It’s not like General Rosenthal is some career politician. He’s only been in Springfield for 4 years.
Comment by econ prof Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 3:10 pm
Long enough to know how to play the game.
“Rosenthal was among the donors who gave up to $10,000 to the Rauner
Transition and Illinois Inaugural Committees.”
from Bowman’s article
Comment by vole Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 3:32 pm
Knowing what I know about Wayne, I think it will be a good pick. Military, farmer, legislator, conservationist. Rauner could have done much worse.
Comment by G.I.Joe Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 3:39 pm
Will he still keep his position as LLCC trustee?
Comment by Dr X Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 3:45 pm
anon there is simply no question if Governor Rauner keeps his pledge to fully fund k-12 education all other agencies including IDNR will have to take hits.
The General Assembly if the revenue losses were shared proporiately would reduce K-12 public education funding for the coming school year by more than $1 billion. So if ISBE is held even harmless and the funding loss is transferred and spread out to all the other agencies their losses will be significant. There is really nothing Wayne Rosenthal can do about that, possibly we will return to the closed parks scheme of Rod Blagojevich executed on November 1, 2008.
Comment by Rod Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 3:52 pm
Gave $10,000? Really? Move over Rod. More of the same…
Comment by NovMan Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 3:57 pm
Hey folks, dnr is way more than fishing and hunting…it is an agency in dire need of a director that can deal with the myriad of issues it is responsible for both state and federal, an increasingly urban population, and retirements of front line knowledgeable staff to name just a few.
At least one of Manning’s cronies did not get the nod.
Miller was in over his head, and had no vision or leadership skills.
Best of luck to Rosenthal.
Comment by Loop Lady Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 4:12 pm
The problem with IDNR is that their service to the people of the state cannot be had online. Nor can it by going into an office. The vast majority of the service that DNR provides to the public is as relaxation at the state parks and outdoors. That is where most of the funding should go and the hiring should be, not another stiff behind some desk.
Comment by Ginhouse Tommy Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 4:33 pm
I think that it will be to the benefit of hunters and conservationists to have Rosenthal at DNR and Rauner as the chief executive. I really feel that better days are ahead for DNR than the days of Blagojevich and Quinn.
Comment by The Dude Abides Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 5:52 pm
Considering we were flying chickens on state planes while key deputies went on medical leave so they could fish in competitions - how can it not be dramatically better? That’s not even mentioning the political abuse…
Comment by Your Captain Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 6:40 pm
‘Way too much got dumped into the DNR including some roles that should have been retained in other independent agencies. Why is it involved in developing regulations for oil fracking? Why is it involved in issuing permits to mine coal?
With some of the least amount of natural land area of any state in the US why is the IDNR mission not restricted solely to managing that?”
Thank Brent Manning for that. He created DNR when the old Dept of Conservation merged with Mines and Minerals, Historic Sites, Natural History Surveys, and some others I can’t recall.
With all the issues with fracking so far and lots more to come no doubt the new Director may want to thank Mr. Manning personally. LOL
Comment by Leave a Light on George Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 7:15 pm
Fishes and Deer Out Front
Behind the Money Curtain: Coal
Comment by x ace Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 8:20 pm
Rauner mocked “flying chickens on state planes” in a campaign gimmick, but it’s an example of public money used efficiently for public benefit. All the money came from a fund which is paid into by hunters and fishermen for wildlife preservation efforts. Flying the prairie chickens was the safest way to transport them from Kansas to Illinois, and safety is important if the goal is to repopulate an endangered species. IDNR, with this project, is spending responsibly in a way that directly benefits their constituents, whose tax money was set aside for this exact purpose. It’s the way more government agencies should function and it shouldn’t be used as a cheap shot against them.
Comment by anon Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 8:38 pm
Anon knows a lot about the topic. Are you the contractual employee handling it? Bruce should send you on a flight to Kansas.
Comment by NovMan Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 9:03 pm
As a retired DNR Administer Brunswold was a joke and don’t expect much more out of Rosenthal. Politicians and science/biology don’t mix. Dissapointed!!
Comment by XDNR Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 10:38 pm
If Brunsvold was a joke so were the political clowns that followed him. They were a downgrade from him. DNR is one of the agencies/depts. that has always been a dumping ground for political flunkies.
Comment by Ginhouse Tommy Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 11:21 pm
Unless you know Wayne Rosenthal, don’t prejudge him. My opinion is that he will do the best for the citizens of Illinois that he can, given the financial limitations of our state. The IDNR director needs to know how to manage people and not
necessarily be a biologist.
Comment by BaconHill Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 11:25 pm
Joel Brunsvold was the chief behind the $50,000,000 campaign to build the World Sport Shooting Complex at Sparta. Which represents to me one of the big problems with the DNR — that it has been seen and used a vehicle for economic development and growth, for the dollar value of recreation vs. protecting the intrinsic value of the resource itself. Which unnecessarily brings the DNR into land use conflicts created by having to satisfy public demands for such monstrosities like ATV parks. This is certainly not in the best interest of the land but to ATV dealers and their associated lobby, yeah, great idea. All of which begs the question of why the state is involved in the development of projects that should be solely in the realm of private enterprise. Shooting sports, really? There has been way too much mission creep at the DNR that has little to do with natural resources and much to do with meddling influences posed by state legislators and the many varied interests pounding on their doors. They now have way too much to do with way too little.
Rauner’s first move to curtail travel certainly doesn’t help the resource managers and biologists get to the field — a road they have been down way too many times under the previous two administrations. Why the hell many of them stayed in Illinois … The many who still in their productive years took early retirements is very telling.
Comment by vole Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 5:39 am
One last word on bobcats: It is very likely Wayne Rosenthal will move to have the Bobcat hunting and trapping bill approved. Question for Mr. Rosenthal — if bobcats need controlling for such questionable reasons like they prey on quail then would it not make much more sense to put in place a year round, open season on feral cats and domestic cats whose owners allow them roam outside where they kill far more prey in one year than bobcats will kill in one hundred years? This just illustrates how ludicrous some of the efforts by state legislators in involving themselves in resource issues and the pretzels that resource professionals have to tie themselves in to accommodate such demands. Now we got one at the helm.
Comment by vole Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 6:47 am
Vole, I thought it always has been open season on feral cats and wild dogs. Sure seemed that way when I was a kid.
We lived on a farm a few miles out of town on the state highway. It wasn’t uncommon for people in town to load up an unwanted bag-o-kittens or puppies from a litter and chuck them out the car by our or neighboring farms.
Those that survived grew big, mean and half crazy. You never saw cats so big that survived on crows and field varmints. My sister got slashed by one she surprised in a barn. It was standard practice to put them down on sight.
Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 7:45 am
Maybe with the new guy getting started, it might be a good idea to take a long look at DRN and its mission.
It’s counter-intuitive to lump recreational and tourism functions like hunting, fishing, state parks and the state museum in with mining for coal and drilling for oil. Those seem to be completely different missions.
Shouldn’t the parks and historic sites be under the same umbrella, perhaps tourism? The idea is preservation and get folks to visit, with rhe local economic opportunities that come with that, right?
Hunting and fishing could probably use some tourism marketing, I know Wisconsin and Michigan sure are marketing their parks and recreational activities in the Chicago market.
I don’t see what coal or oil has anything to do with that.
Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:09 am
here kitty kitty kitty …
Comment by vole Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:13 am
Step Right up folks let the Rauner Circus begin! What a joke of an appointment. Its not just the Bobcats that are in trouble, its lakes, rivers, streams, forests, wetlands. Should have guessed this numbskull didn’t care about native wildlife after mocking the Prairie Chicken reestablishment efforts. Should I go on, an am a biologist? Let me be the first to say that appointing a farmer/ politician to an agency that’s mission is to protect natural resources is no coincidence. Come on Man open your eyes people of Illinois! He has been put in place to lax regulations on coal companies so the 0.0001% can get even richer. He has taken funds from numerous Chis Cline coal companies during his political tenure, Hillsboro Energy and Foresight Energy. Look it up! Don’t be surprised to see you fishing and hunting licenses both go up, the closure of the state fish hatchery system, the privatization of state parks, and repeal of the endangered species act. Cant wait to see our natural resources raped and pillaged over the next 4 years!
Comment by BlameBruceRauner-BRB Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 1:28 pm