DNR Public Relations Faux Pas

[Grumpy]

Fishy fines
Posted: Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 - 11:43:18 am PDT


DNR charges, then delays fees. Why?

What conclusion can be drawn from the unannounced application of fees from a state agency, a delayed payment deadline and the agency director running for re-election in November?

A positive thinker might believe an agency made a major blunder in application of new fees and the director is working to educate the recipients of surprise bills left at their homes as to why the fees are being collected.

A cynical person might suspect the delay in collecting the fees is an attempt to keep a very unpopular money grab by a state agency out of the public's sight to keep this from becoming an election issue.


Recently the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) dropped notes on Moses Lake homeowners, who live along the lake and have boatlifts, indicating they owe $175 per boat hoisted out of the lake.

The notes delivered look like some sort of law enforcement ticket.

The DNR said there are about 450 unauthorized boatlifts on Moses Lake. Doing the math, this means the state agency responsible for public lands and generating money for schools sees Moses Lake as a source of roughly $78,750.

But what is the money being collected for?

DNR Senior Communications Consultant Jane Chavey told the Columbia Basin Herald the money goes for "administrative fees" for management of other public lands.

DNR Government and Community Relations Director Michael Grayum said the money could help the DNR find "solutions" to milfoil and other invasive components, which could threaten Moses Lake.

Which is it?

When asking about the deadline to pay the fees, we were told no date is set and there may be some public meetings later this year to explain the fees.

Isn't that a bit after the fact?

DNR Commissioner of Public Lands Doug Sutherland is running for re-election and facing the challenge of Democrat Peter Goldmark from Okanogan - a city east of the Cascades.

Perhaps this was all a terrible mistake by DNR bureaucrats or maybe there is more to the way the agency applied the fees, felt the heat from the people being taxed - sorry, we mean fees - and would prefer not to have this decision brought up for debate.

But every new tax - we mean fee - forced on us by the state should require some sort of discussion before implementation, especially with the people who are going to be forced to pay.

The reason to charge boatlift owners, the amount charged, what it would be used for, how it was administered and the reason for backing off from collection are all topics we would like to hear more about.

Doug?



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From Moses Lake Paper Courtesy of Dawn C.