one is too much - power

[Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX]

Having spent most of the past 35 years working in government I can assure
you that Ron is quite correct in the points that he raises. do not confuse
the opinion of one civil servant with a government decision. Only point I
would differ a bit on is the notion that there is little that can be done
about bureaucratic decisions (statutory decisions). In Canada such decisions
normally have an appeal process enshrined in the enabling legislation -
hopefully such is the case in USA also, if not, lobby your lawmakers to fix
that horrible oversight. If the legislated appeal process still does not
give one satisfaction then one could seek redress through the courts - of
course that costs money :-)

-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Gatrelle [mailto:gatrelle at tils-ttr.org]
Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2002 10:45 PM
To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: one is too much - power



----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Cherubini" <monarch at saber.net>

lots of snips
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------
> Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 15:06:31 -0500
> From: Wayne F Wehling <Wayne.F.Wehling at usda.gov>
> Subject: Re: Rhode Island
>
> Paul,
> Since when does "sufficiently uncommon" = "rare"
> Decisions that I make are, and must be, respectful of state concerns.
> Cheers,
> Wayne Wehling

One word jumps out at me here --  I  --.   Now I know this is all pulled
out of a much bigger picture, but the use of the word  "I" rather than the
word "we" would disturb me no matter what the subject and discussion.  When
one single non elected person (and this is not aimed at Wayne at all)  in
the _employment_ of federal, state or local government has the solitary and
sovereign ability to initiate and implement policy that concerns me
greatly.

If the dispatcher who works for the Police dept., which works for the City
Council, which works at the elected pleasure and will of the citizens,
makes the decision that 911 calls will not be accepted between 12 noon and
1 o'clock (their personal lunch time) not only would the dispatcher be
dispatched to the unemployment line, but the Police Chief that hired them
(esp. if their cousin) would likely go too.

Having worked for Federal agencies on wildlife matters,  I know just how
few people can be involved in decision making.   At times  I have been the
_only_ researcher. Thus, my views and recommendations relative to the
situation are 100% of what the government agency I was working for had to
go on.  Some may see that as a lot of power (and it is).  I see it as a
great responsibility on my part to make sure that what I conclude and
recommend is science based and not personal in any way.  Yes, I trust
myself.  But I don't expect everyone else to.

IF - someone in one of these one-man-decides-all positions does have an
agenda, then the rest of us are screwed - and may never know it.  And as a
bureaucratic decision, there is darn little we can do about it.

In the statement made by Wayne, he said he must be respectful of "state
concerns".  (Again, I am not picking on Wayne - but am only using this
situation as an opportunity to make a point.)  What if the "state concerns"
are also only the concerns of 1 person there?  How would anyone ever know
that?   Or let's say that the state concerns are of an entire state agency
of 200 people - but, let's say their honest concerns were the result of
them having hired one person (or mono-perspective group) to do a study and
that because the one individual or one perspective group has an agenda to
shut down Monarch releases that their "concerns" are actually based on a
totally false report?

My point has nothing to do with a pro or con Monarch release philosophy,
but with how easy it is for any process to be corrupted by the power of
ONE.   I personally lean on the side on non-release as I am not sure how
this all plays out in the genetic mixing of populations.  In that vein,
Monarch releasing bothers me the least, Vanessa next and on down the line
(or up the objection scale) as taxa become less migratory/dispersing.  I
would be totally against, say, the release in the northeast US of Florida
stock Black Swallowtails.

I am also for free enterprise as one man's money is just as green as the
next guys.

Ron Gatrelle



 
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