Lots of Improvements in DIF&W Budget

At 2 pm today, DIF&W Commissioner Judy Camuso will present her new budget to  the legislature’s Appropriations Committee. Yesterday, Judy briefed the IFW Committee on the budget, focused on changes and increases.

She covered everything from purchases of snowmobiles and ATVs to lots of improvements in the Warden Service.

More money is proposed for everything from landowner relations to fish hatcheries to a significant increase for the Information and Education Division. One of Judy’s major goals is to provide lots more information to all of us about what DIF&W is doing.

I am going to share Judy’s presentation to the IFW Committee with you. Here it is.

 

Presentation by Judith Camuso, Commissioner

Inland Fisheries & Wildlife

 

Before the Joint Standing Committee on

Inland Fisheries & Wildlife

 

Presentation Date: March 20, 2019

 

 

 

Good morning Senator Dill, Representative Nadeau, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.  My name is Judy Camuso, and I am the Commissioner of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.  I am here today to present an overview of the 2020 and 2021 biennial budget for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The proposed budget for the upcoming biennium contains a limited number of new general fund initiatives.  They are as follows:

  • An increase of $104,610 in FY20 and $130,707 in FY21 in the Enforcement Operations program to maintain current operational requirements for dispatch services for the Maine Warden Service. (A-351)

 

  • A transfer of $18,125 in FY20 and $14,125 in FY21 from the All Other line category to the Capital Expenditures line category to replace capital equipment items within the Bureau of Resource Management that have become unsafe or unreliable. These funds, along with additional matching federal funds, will be used to replace ten snowmobiles, two boat motors, one all-terrain vehicle, and one electrofishing backpack.  (A-354 and A-363) This equipment will be split between the Fisheries and Wildlife Divisions.

 

  • A transfer of $189,664 in each year of the biennium from the Office of the Commissioner to the Bureau of Resource Management Fisheries account as well as a transfer of $198,991 in each year of the biennium from the Office of the Commissioner to the Bureau of Resource Management Wildlife account is included to restore funding that was shifted to other sources in the previous biennial budget. (A-354, A-360, and A-364)

 

  • A transfer of $125,000 in each year of the biennium from the All Other line category to the Capital Expenditures line category in the Fisheries and Hatcheries Operations program to replace capital equipment items that have become unsafe or unreliable. These funds will be used to replace four fish stocking trucks, two fish stocking truck beds, and two sets of fish stocking tanks.  (A-355)
  • An increase of $150,000 in each year of biennium in the Landowner Relations program to improve or maintain good relationships between landowners and outdoor recreationists. (A-357)

 

  • An increase of $80,000 in each year of the biennium in the Public Information and Education Division to provide funding for additional web support. (A-361)

 

  • An increase of $250,000 in each year of the biennium in the Public Information and Education Division to provide funding to support the promotion and marketing of the department. (A-361)

 

  • A transfer of $2,125 in FY20 from the All Other line category to the Capital Expenditures line category to purchase one new all-terrain vehicle. Additional matching federal funds will also be allocated for this purchase.  (A-364)

 

  • Finally, there are several initiatives impacting the general fund that reorganize or reallocate positions:

 

An increase of $192,007 in FY20 and $137,403 in FY21 to reorganize 68 positions within the Bureau of Resource Management.  This reorganization of the Biologist series is needed to remain a competitive employer.  (A-349, A-355, and A-364)

An increase of $41,540 in FY20 and $43,458 in FY21 to increase one Chaplain I position from part time to full time to provide additional support and liaison services to victims, witnesses, game wardens and other involved parties at emergency situations.  (A-351)

One Game Warden position will be reorganized to a Game Warden Specialist position within the Landowner Relations program and will be reallocated from 100% General Fund to 95% General Fund and 5% Other Special Revenue Funds.  The net impact to the General Fund for this initiative is zero.  (A-351 and A-357)

An increase of $51,911 in FY20 and $28,412 in FY21 to reorganize five Office Associate II positions to Office Specialist I positions and one Office Associate II position to a Secretary Associate position within the Maine Warden Service.      (A-352)

An increase of $3,016 in FY20 and $3,009 in FY21 to reorganize one Game Warden position to a Game Warden Investigator position.  (A-352)

An increase of $57,440 in FY20 and $57,926 in FY21 to reallocate 50% of one Game Warden Specialist position within the Maine Warden Service from the Whitewater Rafting program, Other Special Revenue Funds to the General Fund.  (A-352 and A-368)

An increase of $43,008 in FY20 and $27,399 in FY21 to reorganize one Public Service Executive II position from a range 34 to a range 36, two Public Service Manager II positions to Public Service Manager III positions, and one Public Service Manager I position to a Public Service Manager II position.  (A-355, A-358, and A-364)

An increase of $36,309 in FY20 and $39,052 in FY21 to reorganize one Promotional Coordinator position to a Public Service Manager II position.  This initiative also transfers and reallocates the cost of the position from 33% General Fund and 67% Federal Expenditures Fund within the Bureau of Resource Management to 70% General Fund and 30% Other Special Revenue Funds within the Division of Public Information and Education program.  (A-355, A-362, and A-365)

An increase of $6,273 in FY20 and $9,245 in FY21 to reorganize three Biologist III positions to Public Service Manager II positions.  (A-356 and A-365)

A transfer of one Assistant to the Commissioner position from the Division of Public Information and Education program to the Office of the Commissioner program.  The net impact to the General Fund from this initiative is zero.  (A-360 and A-362)

An increase of $30,182 in FY20 and $30,289 in FY21 to reallocate one Education Coordinator position from 70% Licensing Services program, Other Special Revenue Funds and 30% Division of Public Information and Education, Other Special Revenue Funds to 70% Licensing Services program, Other Special Revenue Funds and 30% Division of Public Information and Education program, General Fund.  (A-362)

An increase of $19,853 in FY20 and $7,627 in FY21 for the reclassification of one Recreational Safety and Vehicle Coordinator position to a Recreation and Emergency Response Supervisor position.  (A-365)

An increase of $9,251 in FY20 and $2,996 in FY21 for the reclassification of one Biologist II position to a Biologist III position.  (A-365)

 

In addition to these General Fund initiatives, there are also several other initiatives impacting Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Federal Expenditure Funds and Other Special Revenue Funds.  They are as follows:

  • An increase in allocation in the Federal Expenditures Fund by $575,000 in each year of the biennium and in the Other Special Revenue Funds by $175,000 in each year of the biennium in the Capital Expenditures line category to purchase and improve land for boat launch facilities throughout the state. (A-347)

 

  • An increase in allocation in the Other Special Revenue Funds by $90,000 in each year of the biennium in the Capital Expenditures line category for capital improvements and maintenance activities at publicly owned boat launch facilities on inland waters. (A-347)

 

  • An increase in allocation in the Other Special Revenue Funds by $16,600 in each year of the biennium for the Enforcement Operations program to support the operational needs of the Warden Service Aircraft Fund. (A-352)

 

  • An increase in allocation in the Other Special Revenue Funds by $104,000 in each year of the biennium in the Capital Expenditures line category to replace ten snowmobiles each year that have become unsafe or unreliable. (A-352)

 

  • An increase in allocation in the Other Special Revenue Funds by $27,000 in each year of the biennium to support the operational needs of the Youth Conservation Education program. (A-361)

 

  • An increase in allocation in the Other Special Revenue Funds by $17,900 in each year of the biennium to support the operational needs of the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area. (A-363)

 

  • An increase in allocation in the Federal Expenditures Fund by $1.8 million in each year of the biennium for the purchase of wildlife habitat. (A-367)

 

There are also two language parts in the biennial budget impacting Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:

  • Part LLL found on page 89 amends the fiscal stability program to begin in the 2022-2023 biennium.

 

  • Part MMM found on page 90 authorizes the State Controller to transfer $43,000 in fiscal year 2020 and $44,000 in fiscal year 2021 from the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Carrying Account for the Maine Warden Service to purchase one replacement aircraft engine in each fiscal year.

 

This concludes my presentation. I would be happy to address any questions you may have.

 

George Smith

About George Smith

George stepped down at the end of 2010 after 18 years as the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to write full time. He writes a weekly editorial page column in the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel, a weekly travel column in those same newspapers (with his wife Linda), monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine, two outdoor news blogs (one on his website, georgesmithmaine.com, and one on the website of the Bangor Daily News), and special columns for many publications and newsletters. Islandport Press published a book of George's favorite columns, "A Life Lived Outdoors" in 2014. In 2014, George also won a Maine Press Association award for writing the state's bet sports blog. In 2016, Down East Books published George's book, Maine Sporting Camps, and Islandport Press published George and his wife Linda's travel book, Take It From ME, about their favorite Maine inns and restaurants.