Grass Roots News
Articles from Previous Issues
President’s Corner – by Howie Cushing, Jr.
February, 2010
As it exists in law, the Conservation Fund provides for a special account to hold funds derived from your hunting, fishing and trapping license fees along with several other miscellaneous fees. Also provided by law, the Conservation Fund Advisory Board consists of 13 voting members who are volunteers and receive no pay. Board members meet, discuss and report to the DEC Commissioner and to the stakeholders via an annual report submitted each year. They also make recommendations and attest to spending of Conservation Fund dollars as provided by law. Several years ago the current “CFAB law” was amended, creating Ex-Officio Members to include a representative from the Senate Finance, Senate En Con, Assembly Ways and Means, and Assembly En Con Committees. It was hoped that this would provide a vehicle whereby direct communication with legislators would be increased.
For the record, here’s the rub: if you look at the attendance record for the Conservation Fund Fiscal Year (FY) April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009, there is virtually no attendance by legislative representatives. The actual attendance record for this period is included in this Grass Roots News [see below]. How can you help? You need to take a copy of this to every meeting, show it to every sportsman or woman you are in contact with, and especially contact your legislator to ask why they do not care to come to a CFAB meeting and hear the truth.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is one of the many problems sportsmen and women have had to face over the last five years. Great news could be on the horizon -- if all the specimens out there being tested come back clean, DEC will file a regulation change relaxing the restrictions in the containment area. This could mean a back-to-normal hunting season for the sportsmen/women in the restricted area this fall. Yes!!
Save These Dates:
♦ The NYSCC Legislative Meeting in Albany at the Best Western Hotel on Saturday, March 13, 2010. Some interesting guest speakers will be on board concerning upcoming elections.
♦ Sportsmen/Women Conservation Day on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at the LOB --a rally day for all in the sporting community to interact with and educate legislators on “our” issues. Details to follow -- working with others in the sporting community to make the efforts a great success.
“Remember Elections November 2010”
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APPENDIX C P- Present, E- Excused, A- Absent
|
CFAB Member Attendance at FY 08 Monthly Meetings April ’08- March ’09
|
Voting Members
|
Apr
14
2008
|
May
12
2008
|
Jun
9
2008
|
Aug
3
2008
|
Sep
8
2008
|
Oct
14
2008
|
Nov
10
2008
|
Dec
8
2008
|
Jan
12
2009
|
Feb
11
2009
|
Mar
9
2009
|
Charles Bevilacqua
Region 1
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
Gordon J. Whiting
Region 2
|
P
|
E
|
P
|
E
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
Dominick Scarzafava
Region 3
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
E
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
Alan Rosa
Region 4
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
E
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
Jason Kemper
Region 5
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
E
|
Linda Sicily
Region 6
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
Charles Pace
Region 7
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
E
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
Charles O. Hancock
Region 8
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
E
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
Fred Langdon
Region 9
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dale F. Dunkelberger
Region 9
Appointed Oct 08
|
|
|
|
|
|
E
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
E
|
P
|
Howard Cushing
NYSCC
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
Jim Bertram
NYSFWMB
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
E
|
P
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gerald Bierker
NYSWMB
Appointed Nov 08
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
E
|
P
|
Ex-Officio Members
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DEC Commissioner
Represented by Patricia
Riexinger or designee
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
P
|
P
|
*
|
Senate Finance
Committee
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
Senate EnCon
Committee
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
P
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
Assembly Ways and
Means
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
P
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
Assembly EnCon
Committee
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
P
|
A
|
|