After nearly six months, Evers still does not have candidate for DNR secretary

Laura Schulte
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON — After nearly six months with no leader at the Department of Natural Resources, Gov. Tony Evers is still searching for a qualified candidate.

In an interview Monday, he said finding someone to fill the position of the DNR secretary has taken time and effort, "to make sure it's the right person."

"We're in constant contact with leadership that is there, and feel that we're doing things well, but we do need that leader," he said. "It's tough to find people to take these positions if their future is going to be the first decision Republicans are irritated with and suddenly they're gone."

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The position has been open since the end of October, when the previous secretary, Adam Payne, stepped down unexpectedly. Payne was on the job for less than a year, and cited a need to care for his aging parents and spend more time with his family as reasons for his departure.

In his short tenure at the DNR, Payne was vocal in his desire to address water quality issues, such as "forever chemical" contamination. He also waded into the debate on the wolf management plan, which has become a hot topic for Republican lawmakers who want there to be a set quota instead of a flexible management plan.

Payne left the position before he received a vote from the Senate on his confirmation.

Two other secretary positions are also open, at the Department of Revenue and the Department of Corrections.

DOR Secretary Peter Barca will formally step down from his position this week, and is considering a run for the 1st Congressional District seat.

Kevin Carr, the former secretary of the DOC, announced his retirement from the agency at the beginning of March and did not share a reason for his departure. The department has been facing several issues, however, related to the conditions inside several maximum security prisons, as well as the deaths of several incarcerated people.

Evers said both the DOR and DOC positions will be filled "soon."

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Leadership at DNR being looked at in 'climate assessment'

Since Payne's departure, the agency has faced upheaval.

More than half of the Natural Resources Board — which sets policy for the DNR — was ousted by a vote of the Senate in October, followed by Evers appointing new members who have not yet received votes from the Senate.

The agency has also faced scrutiny over its treatment of a series of allegations of sexism, racism, homophobia and retaliation within its conservation warden program, with nearly a dozen current and former employees sharing their stories with the Journal Sentinel. In one of those court cases, the state's appeals court sided with a former warden who said he was improperly fired, reinstating his job after more than five years, and granting him back pay, which could add up to $300,000.

More:'I was the Black warden': DNR's first African American warden recounts struggle for respect

The DNR has so far remained silent on the issue, with the Chief Warden, the communications department and Deputy Secretary Steven Little — who is serving as the acting secretary — refusing to answer questions about the issues.

The department is currently undergoing a climate assessment to look at the inner workings of the DNR and its leadership, and Evers said not having a secretary isn't impacting that process.

"It's going to give us the information we need," he said. "This can happen without a DNR leader, because a lot of it is talking about leadership."

Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X at @SchulteLaura.