The Conservation Commission met Oct. 16 at Ted Shanks Conservation Area in Pike County and Oct. 17 at Fiddlesticks Restaurant, Hannibal. Commissioners present were:

Howard L. Wood, Bonne Terre, Chairman
Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, Vice-Chairman
Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis , Secretary
Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, Member

At its October meeting in Hannibal on Oct. 16 and 17, the Missouri Conservation Commission discussed the results of a recent audit with Missouri State Auditor Claire McCaskill. The Commission also approved real-estate transactions, suspended the hunting privileges of 34 people and discussed a draft memorandum of understanding with the City of Joplin and the Audubon Missouri regarding the development of a community nature center.

State Auditor Claire McCaskill requested time at the Commission meeting to discuss her office's audit of Conservation Department business and accounting practices. Welcoming McCaskill, Conservation Commission Chairman Howard Wood said, "We are here to listen."

McCaskill stood by the audit and explained the audit's intention was to strengthen conservation programming. McCaskill said she has found the Conservation Department cooperative and open to suggestions. In particular, she said John Hoskins, who took over as the agency's director in July, was very open and candid.

Noting that Missouri's conservation program is "the envy of the Nation," McCaskill said "This audit isn't filled with all the accolades I could give the department for all it does well." She then outlined those areas where additional control measures are warranted to ensure the most effective use of state funds in capital projects and partnerships with not-for-profit organizations. Chairman Wood noted that in many cases the Conservation Department already had taken corrective action before the release of the audit report. He said the agency continues to make improvements.

McCaskill expressed dismay about the controversy that followed the release of the audit on Oct. 3. "Some of the press coverage has not been completely fair," she said. Conservation Commissioner Anita Gorman asked McCaskill about published reports that the State Auditor favors repeal of Missouri's earmarked one-eighth of 1 percent sales tax for conservation. McCaskill said, "I am not proposing a vote on the conservation sales tax." If the sales tax ever did come up for a vote, said McCaskill, "Personally, I would vote for it."

The Commission and McCaskill agreed that future audits can be improved by better communications prior to the issuance of audits. The Commission thanked McCaskill for appearing and expressing her continued support for conserving Missouri's natural resources.

Representatives from Ducks Unlimited, the National Wild Turkey Federation and Audubon Missouri also addressed the Commission regarding the audit to voice support for the department. Each described how partnerships with the Missouri Conservation Department have reaped significant conservation advancements.

The Commission approved the purchase of:
--5.5 acres in Boone County as an addition to H. J. Waters and C. B. Moss Memorial Wildlife Area, the site of the Conservation Department's Central Region Headquarters
--95 acres in Dallas County connecting Lead Mine and Berry Bluff conservation areas.

Other land transactions approved included:
--Acceptance of a gift of 133 acres in Audrain County. The land, donated by Pearl Fousek Lowe, is to be used for outdoor educational and recreational opportunities and provide watershed protection for Teal Lake, a community lake in Mexico.
--Acceptance of gifts of two tracts of land - 340 acres and 180 acres - in Crawford County from the estate of the late Melba S. Anderson. The 340-acre tract is three miles southeast of Steelville. The 180-acre tract is 1.5 miles east of the larger tract.

An update was presented of the agreement between the Conservation Department, Audubon Missouri and the City of Joplin to develop the Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center. This facility will be the third community project made possible through a partnership of state, local and private resources. Facilities in many communities are only possible through such unique cooperation.

In other business, the Commission approved new regional and unit boundaries as part of Conservation Department reorganization. The new boundaries are shown below:

The Commission voted to suspend the hunting privileges of the following people for Wildlife Code violations:
--Michael J. Alexander, Tunas, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Steven L. Allmon, Macomb, 5 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Richard Bradshaw, Winona, 2 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Paul E. Calvert, St. Joseph, 5 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Andy R. Carpenter, Clarksburg, 3 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--William E. Christopher, Oklahoma City, Okla., 5 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Barry Collier, Fredericktown, 5 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Travis C. Courtois, Dixon, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Clinton A. Dale, Cairo, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Joe Galli, St. Louis, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Judson B. Hall, Kennett, 2 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Brandon Hendricks, Eldon, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Preston T. Hudson, Hartville, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--William C. Leonhardt, Villa Ridge, 2 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Dustin Moore, Salisbury, 2 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Ricky E. Morgan, Hannibal, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--James A. Pender, Van Buren, 5 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Ralph D. Phelps, Lebanon, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--James H. Piatt, Bunker, Mo. , 4 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Billy G. Pulliam, Birch Tree, 5 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Nathan K. Roth, Mountain Grove, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Travis J. Sadler, Joplin, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Claude Salmon, Tiptonville, Tenn., 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Michael J. Soles, Windsor, 3 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Mark Starkey, Leopold, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--John J. Stevens, Springfield, 3 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Steven L. Teeple, Council Bluffs, Iowa, 2 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Charles D. Swisher, Stover, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Charles W. Thompson, Columbia, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Emil P. Timmerman, Ethel, 3 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Bobby Tumlin, Moberly, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Charles D. Turner, Bevier, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Paul A. Weber, Freeburg, 2 years, all hunting and fishing privileges;
--Mark A. White, Naylor, 1 year, all hunting and fishing privileges;

The Commission set its next meeting Nov. 20 and 21 in Columbia.

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