DGIF's Duncan tackling issues head-on

Ken Perrotte's outdoors column

Date published: 6/26/2008

BOB DUNCAN, exec- utive director of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, moved into his new job some 100-plus days ago, and busted out of the starting gates like a racehorse that's been chomping at the bit to get on the track.

Duncan said the brunt of his effort would be spent on reaching out to the agencies' many external constituent groups while working to rebuild employee confidence and morale internally.

During an interview last week, he said--and reports from agency watchers and insiders concur--that the last few months have seen a whirlwind of activity.

Duncan, former chief of the agency's wildlife division, began work with the General Assembly in mid-session. Duncan seized the opportunity to get to know key committee members in the House of Delegates and Senate and work to build a relationship with members of the assembly's sportsmen's caucus.

In working through certain pieces of legislation problematic for DGIF, as well as those the agency saw desirable, Duncan said he benefited from one-on-one conversations, constructive criticisms and positive feedback.

"I think we established a foundation for an improved relationship," he said.

He said he heeded the "sense of the General Assembly that more interpersonal contact with constituents was needed." One result is a change to the way the department develops and approves regulatory changes.

"We'll have town meetings to get input and a board meeting to further scope public sentiment, and then some serious staff work to present final recommendations to the board," he explained.

ROAD WARRIOR

Duncan said he has traveled some 7,000 road miles, meeting with sportsmen's clubs and associations, and sharing his views of how DGIF is eager to get back to the basics in terms of supporting core constituencies.

"I've spoken to more hunt clubs than I could begin to tell you about and many more are already lined up. This is a concerted effort to work with all of our conservation partners and I think it is paying dividends," Duncan said.

Among the efforts, a recent meeting in Keysville formed the Virginia Quail Council, designed to promote quail habitat and restoration of a once great game bird.

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Date published: 6/26/2008