Brookfield/Elm Grove Monthly
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/146350
AUGUST 2013 Page 2A • Freeman Brookfield & Elm Grove DNR secretary focused on customer service By Arthur Thomas Freeman Staff WAUKESHA – Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp said recently it would be good for the city of Waukesha to help people understand their application for Lake Michigan water. "I think it's good PR and good neighbor relations for the city if , they choose to, to reach out and explain now what they've boiled down as far as where they're going," Stepp said. Rep. Jon Richards, D-Milwaukee, has called for the DNR to hold public hearings in Milwaukee on Waukesha's most recent application. Stepp said her agency has encouraged Waukesha to reach out and the city has done a good job of talking to various stakeholders. "We've got a process, and right now we're abiding by that process," Stepp said, adding that hearings could be held, "but it shouldn't be something that the agency is running, that's really not our role." She said that the DNR's job is to help Waukesha develop an application that could be approved. "We'll be the guinea pig here and it's going to be important that what ever application we put forward we feel has a very good possibility of being approved," Stepp said. The water application was just one of a number of issues Stepp addressed when she met with The Freeman last month. Citizens as customers Since becoming secretary in 2011, Stepp has placed an emphasis on thinking about those impacted by DNR actions as customers and incorporating practices from private business. She also wants employees that work for the agency to approach their work with a focus on permitting activities, not prohibiting them. "We are way farther along than I ever thought we would be," Stepp said of the changes she has been trying to implement. When she arrived, Stepp said, she found problems of not enough staff, regional divisions and a lack of communication in the agency that she said had "never been managed before." "My job isn't to manage the natural resources of Wisconsin, my job is to manage the people who manage the natural resource; they're the experts on the science part, my job is to manage the workforce," Stepp said. Internally she said the depart, ment is working to implement "meaningful" performance reviews and put staff in positions where their talents can be used efficiently She said the agency . faced problems with employees spending too much time behind desks and not enough in the field. "That, and there wasn't anybody behind the desks because of the failure to fill positions which were really key to environmental protection," Stepp said. The department also had a shortage of vehicles, preventing employees from even going out into the field. It got to the point where companies would either have to wait two weeks or pick up DNR employees at their office, Stepp said. A designation as an "Enterprise Agency" has helped provide flexibility from Department of Administration regulations, Stepp said. In particular, the DNR has been able to adjust things like which vehicles it purchases and when. Despite her desire to approach the DNR from the perspective of a business owner, Stepp said she couldn't foresee the agency being converted to a private-public partnership, similar to how the Department of Commerce was converted to with Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. "I think there would be too much discomfort with that," she said, noting the regulatory and enforcement role her agency plays. The greatest environmental threat Stepp pointed to a lack of staff as the greatest threat to Wisconsin's environment, saying that it could lead to a lack of oversight and poor permitting. She described the 23 percent vacancy rate when she took over as "staggering." The current rate is about 13 percent, according to Stepp. "It's not where I want it to be, because the hiring process in state government is grueling," she said, adding that DNR employees need to be focused on helping people comply rather than waiting for a violation to occur. Meanwhile, Stepp said the potential dangers of sand mining are often overblown and there haven't been any health studies showing problems. She said some groups have sought to have tighter regulations but she doesn't see a clear benefit to that. "When people hear the word 'mining,' they start to think certain visuals in their mind," she said. "That's probably one where I see a lot of nervousness there where it's nothing new, it's just that people are all of a sudden paying attention that there's sand coming out of the ground." Stepp said that the tensions at a proposed iron mine in northern Wisconsin have given her reason The FREEMAN Established in 1859 Brookfield & Elm Grove THIS MONTH How to reach us 801 N. Barstow St., P.O. Box 7, Waukesha, WI 53187 262-542-2500 Hours: M-F 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. If you have a news tip from the Brookfield/Elm Grove area, contact Mary Reardon at 513-2657 or news@conleynet.com To advertise in "Brookfield & Elm Grove This Month" call the advertising department at (262) 513-2624. To subscribe to the daily Freeman call 542-2500 Subscription Rates • By in-county mail 13 weeks........$33.80 26 weeks........$64.22 52 weeks......$121.68 • Out-of-county mail 13 weeks.............$45 26 weeks............$90 Charles Auer/Freeman Staff Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp talks about resource management issues during a recent interview. to be concerned about her staff monitoring the test sites. A video surfaced recently showing protesters clashing with employees of Gogebic Taconite. Stepp said the DNR has taken to having wardens accompany staff as they monitor the site. Balancing competing interests Two recent court rulings have gone against the DNR, both involving residents living near lakes raising concerns about how their property values would be impacted. In May a Waukesha County Cir, cuit Court judge ruled the agency hadn't followed its own permitting rules for a proposed boat launch on North Lake. Last month, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled the DNR failed to consider enough economic evidence in determining the proper water level for Lake Koshkonong. The cases predate Stepp's time as secretary and she said she wasn't sure how she might have proceeded differently However, she . did say that her agency always welcomes more detailed guidance on how it is supposed to carry out state law. Stepp said that the DNR is in the process of rewriting the rules that govern shoreline protection, not- ing that area of regulation causes problems for many homeowners. "That's also where the department's had the most challenge in trying to balance water quality needs with property rights," she said. The changes could include addressing differences between incorporated and unincorporated areas, providing flexibilities for impervious surfaces, dealing with nonconforming structures and other topics. The rules are still being developed and would have to be approved by the Natural Resources Board before going into effect. 52 weeks..........$175 Electronic edition ......$6.95 a month with credit card Easy buy .....$8.95 a month with credit card Circulation Dept. To reach the Circulation Department call 542-2501 or go to www.gmtoday.com/wfhelp. Deer, wolf hunts deemed important Stepp said Wisconsin's wolf population is "absolutely too high" and there are areas in southeastern Wisconsin where the deer population has gotten out of control because of local ordinances preventing hunting, Stepp said. She said the wolf hunt presents a delicate issue because of the wolf's spiritual significance for Indians and the potential harm for people and livestock. She said the target population is 350 and the state has "well over 800." 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