Bob Mercer: Jeff Vonk new GFP Secretary

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Bob Mercer (sorry, not available on-line) is reporting this AM in the Pierre Capitol Journal that Governor Mike Rounds has picked Jeff Vonk of Iowa for the post of South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Secretary.

Watch for more on this as the official announcement comes out today.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Aren't South Dakotans smart enough to run game and fish? What is with this? Does Rounds always have to pick someone from out of our state for these lucrative jobs? Judging from Cooper's performance, looks to me like any idiot can run GF&P. Why pick an outsider?
8:40 AM
Anonymous said…
The jury is still out, but Iowa (except for turkeys and deer) have nothing better than SD. I should not prejudge but I think a SD should have been picked.

Us hunters and landowners will wait and see.
9:42 AM
Anonymous said…
Anon 8:40 AM:

What are you talking about? How many out-of-staters has Rounds hired? I think every single Cabinet hire he's made has been a South Dakotan.
10:27 AM
Anonymous said…
Cooper was from out of state and so is the new predator control pilot they hired. Both jobs could have been given to SD people who know the area much better.
10:32 AM
Anonymous said…
Rounds didn't hire Cooper, Janklow did. Cooper was a Fed, and had lived in SD for a long time.
11:31 AM
Anonymous said…
10:27 not only are they all SDakotan's but most of them have never been out of Pierre!
2:10 PM
Anonymous said…
If 8:40 is right that any idiot can run GFP, I hope 8:40 applied!
3:43 PM
Anonymous said…
Finding the "perfect" person to head Game, Fish and Parks would be a monumental, if not impossible task. The person must balance the needs and wants of a very diverse group that include: sportsmen, landowners, recreationists, tribal interests and the list goes on and on. Whether you liked him or not, Coop did a great job of balancing these interests and making decisions based upon the good our state's natural resources. I know this will irritate people who disagree, so let the flames begin. It's a symptom of a very thankless and complex job.

Like the others have said, I am not aware of too many nonresidents in cabinet-level positions. Mr. Vonk appears to be very experienced and was likely the best candidate among the four finalists. After all, he does have experience in running a natural resources department in a neighboring state. Just because you live in South Dakota, you are NOT qualified to take on a complex position like the Secretary of Game, Fish and Parks.

Let's at least give Mr. Vonk a chance. It will not take long before all of the interests are on attack. The people of Iowa filed petitions to try and keep him; he can't be all bad. Okay, let the criticism begin. It seems that whining and complaining from the "lunatic fringe" has become way too common on this blog.
8:51 PM
Anonymous said…
We're the "lunatic fringe" if we think SD jobs should be filled by South Dakotans?

Well, excuse us for daring to think that there are several South Dakota folks who are smart enough, capable enough and well educated enough to fill these jobs.
11:51 PM
Anonymous said…
You can all rest assured that the Sec. of Ag job will be filled with a South Dakotan. My sources in his hometown area tell me Randy Frederick is moving to Pierre. Given Randy and an out-of-stater, I'd pick the out-of-stater.
8:53 AM
Anonymous said…
Sounds like someone was passed up for the job and is now crying sour grapes! I'd be very concerned about anyone who actually wanted to be Secretary of Game, Fish and Parks. It's a thankless job that creates enemies because of its dynamic constituencies. Good luck Mr. Vonk!
9:28 AM
Anonymous said…
Maybe my memory is faulty, but I can't remember anyone getting upset with GF&P before John Cooper took it over. If Vonk tries to run GFP like Cooper, he's going to have the same sort of trouble. If he operates GFP like the heads who preceded Cooper , he'll treat landowners with courtesy and respect and appreciate hunters for the dollars they bring to his organization.

We'll wait and see, but from Vonk's statements so far, they sound like more of the same "brown shirt" tactics that ruined Cooper's reign. If that’s the case, Vonk will need all the luck he can get.
12:25 PM
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