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May 9: Outside firm to look into DNR fundraising
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Natural Resources Commissioner Mark Holsten told legislators Friday that an outside firm will be hired to investigate whether fundraising for a state-supported game warden conference violated conflict of interest laws.
But two legislative committees got few answers as they questioned Holsten and other DNR officials about spending at least $383,000 on a game warden conference last July in St. Paul.
Holsten pledged to supply legislators with more information as internal and external investigators examine spending and employee actions related to the 2007 North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association conference.
"The allegations that have been raised are serious," Holsten testified before a joint hearing of House and Senate environmental committees.
The hearing and investigations were prompted by a Star Tribune report this week that the DNR pumped taxpayer money into the conference and required all 204 conservation officers to attend. The event turned a $76,000 profit, but the organizers didn't share it with the state. Some DNR officials believed the fundraising on state time for the conference was improper, the paper reported.
Holsten said an outside contractor, probably an attorney, will be hired to investigate the fundraising.
Rep. Jean Wagenius, DFL-Minneapolis, chairwoman of the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division, said a conference website created by the DNR had solicited contributions to be sent to Capt. Cathy Hamm, who works in the enforcement division. She is the wife of Col. Mike Hamm, the head of the enforcement division.
"This raises a lot of issues," Wagenius said of the web solicitation. "One is that there's a strong implication that this is a solicitation for the benefit of the state and that's questionable."
Defending the conference, Col. Hamm testified that the training, speakers, interactions with other field officers and vendor exhibits were "immensely valuable" to those who attended. He conceded that all conservation officers were taken out of the field during the event, leaving no DNR enforcement, but he said that happens rarely.
Legislators also questioned whether the estimated 14 hours of training offered over three days were a good use of taxpayer money. Rep. Paul Gardner, DFL-Shoreview, said only three of speakers were from outside Minnesota.
"It doesn't sound like an international menu of speaker options," he said.
The conference, held in a downtown hotel, also featured entertainment, including a fishing trip to Lake Mille Lacs and a fish fry. About 200 game wardens from outside Minnesota attended the St. Paul event, far short of projections.
Legislators said they will be collecting and analyzing more information as part of a continuing investigation. Legislative Auditor James Nobles also told the committees that his office will investigate.
Meanwhile, Holsten testified that the DNR is conducting a separate review into whether officials turned over all documents that the Star Tribune requested under the state open records law.
David Shaffer • 612-673-7090
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