Members criticize F&W appointment
Toolbox
By Dennis Jensen Herald Staff - Published: March 27, 2007
Several current and former members of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board are criticizing Gov. James Douglas' decision to name Dana Kittell as chairman, citing the fact Kittell missed nearly half of the board's meetings in 2005 and 2006.
Douglas named Kittell, who represents Franklin County on the 14-member board, on Friday, replacing Washington County's Rob Borowske, whose term expired in February.
Critics said Kittell's poor attendance at board meetings made him perhaps the least qualified to take over as chairman.
Robert Shannon, who represents Lamoille County on the board, has maintained a record of meetings and minutes over the past four years. He said Monday that Kittell was absent from five meetings in 2005 and five more in 2006.
The board meets 11 times a year.
Joyce Wyman, who served as the Bennington County representative until resigning last year, was the most vocal in opposition to Kittell.
"I served on the board two years with him," she said. "This guy was gone more often than he was present." Wyman said she could not comprehend how Douglas could name the East Fairfield resident to head the board.
"I'm so upset over this. He doesn't deserve the chairmanship. Any one of the other guys was more deserving," she said. "This is very political."
Kittell and his CPA firm have contributed to Douglas' last three campaigns, according to the secretary of state's Web site.
Wyman said she believed the most qualified members to head the board were probably Rutland County's Jeremy Baker and Orleans County's Craig Lefevre.
Albert Floyd, the Orange County representative, also said Kittell was the wrong choice.
"He wouldn't be my choice," Floyd said. "I'll bet you he's missed half the meetings. I think the governor should have checked his attendance record."
Floyd said that, during the height of the highly charged deer herd meetings the board held two years ago, Kittell lashed out at the board because it didn't go along with the recommendations of Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche.
Wyman, Floyd, Shannon and Baker said Kittell missed several crucial meetings two years ago when the board was anguishing over what to do about Vermont's dwindling deer herd.
"He criticized the board when we made the decision on spikehorns," Floyd said. "And he wasn't there at any of the meetings for the discussions" over the spikehorn issue. In 2005, the board ultimately decided to place a moratorium on hunting spiked bucks over the next five years.
Floyd said he was unaware of Kittell's appointment until he was contacted by the Herald. "Jesus, I can't believe it," he said. "He's a nice enough guy and he's very articulate. But he ought to be there more than half the time."
Kittell, who was named to the board in late 2003, said he believed the criticism was unfounded.
"I have missed, probably, two meetings a year," he said. "I am a businessman. I'm a CPA. I have other things that have to be done."
Asked if his appointment could be linked to his contributions to Douglas's campaigns in 2002, 2004 and 2006, the 55-year-old Kittell said, "I hope not."
Kittell is the managing partner of the St. Albans accounting firm of Kittell, Branagan & Sargent. He also owns, along with a cousin, the Bakersfield Country Club.
Kittell said his top priority as chairman would be the department's financial woes.
"I think the financial wherewithal sort of says it all," he said. "The shortfall in the finances of the Fish & Wildlife Department is preventing us from doing the things that we want to do."
Kittell said it was his understanding that the department is so underfunded that it is unable to fill all of its positions.
"We need to address those issues," he said.
Attempts to reach Douglas were unsuccessful.
Shannon said he was "surprised" when he learned, by e-mail, that Kittell had been named chairman.
"He missed 10 meetings in the last two years," Shannon said.
"My gut response was not from the level of his ability to run the board, but just the mere fact that his attendance record has not been consistent," he said. "I felt that he had missed some key votes."
Shannon said Kittell's absence during some of the board's deer herd meetings two years ago were particularly noteworthy.
"Those were very contentious issues," he said "The board was being put under the microscope by the public. Every vote was very important."
"I was surprised," by the appointment, he said, "and was wondering if the governor was privy to that information before he made the appointment."
Wayne Barrows, who represents Windsor County, said he had no problem with Kittell's appointment.
"I always thought that he was a straightforward person," Barrows said. "I think he's capable of doing the job. I know he missed some meetings in the past, but so be it."
Barrows said Douglas and the Fish & Wildlife Department are in agreement that Kittell is "qualified to do the job. I think he's qualified."
Baker said he was "surprised" when he learned of the appointment Friday.
Baker said his surprise was generated by "the fact that he's had a record of not attending all of our meetings. I didn't even know he was interested" in becoming chairman, Baker said.
Baker acknowledged he was aspiring to become the new board chairman.
"I wrote a letter of intent to the governor's office in January, stating that I would like to be considered for the chairmanship position," he said. "I said that I recognized the excellent job that Rob Borowske did and was hoping I would have an opportunity to continue to develop the board … to carry on Rob's good work."
Baker was asked if he thought Kittell was named to the post because of political reasons.
"Contrary to the belief of many people, every appointment to the board is political, with the exception of a few" members, he said.
Baker said he has not contributed to the governor's election in the past and has no "connection" to the governor's office nor the Fish & Wildlife Department.
The Fish & Wildlife Board, an advisory body to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, has had more than its share of scandal, with two members forced to resign over the past four years because of fish and wildlife law violations.
Kermit Spaulding, who represented Washington County, resigned after he was convicted of shooting at a decoy deer from inside his truck in Stowe in 2003. Appointed by Douglas, he resigned from the board after admitting to the charge.
Susan Winter, who represented Grand Isle County, resigned her position in October 2005 after she was charged with shooting a Canada goose in a Grand Isle County cornfield during a closed season.
Contact Dennis Jensen at dennis.jensen@rutlandherald.com
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