Wildlife Department to Host Town Hall Meetings

By Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Conservation

First posted on 11-20-2009

Sportsmen will have a new opportunity this year to voice their thoughts on wildlife, hunting and fishing related issues at one of several town hall meetings held across the state by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

“These town hall meetings are a chance for sportsmen to have open discussions with Wildlife Department officials about matters that affect them directly,” said Micah Holmes, information and education supervisor for the Wildlife Department. “In the past, the Wildlife Department has held public hearings where discussions are usually limited to a posted meeting agenda, and while the Department will still collect formal comments on proposals, these town hall meetings provide a better opportunity for sportsmen to discuss other matters on their mind.”

At each town hall meeting, visitors will have the chance to speak with Wildlife Department officials about a range of topics of their choice. Law enforcement and wildlife and fisheries biologists from the Wildlife Department will be on hand to answer questions and facilitate discussion.

Meetings are scheduled for Dec. 7, 8, 9 and 11 at locations statewide. All meetings begin at 7 p.m. The following is listing of dates and locations:

December 7, 2009, 7 p.m.
Enid – Central Fire Station, 410 W. Garriott

December 8, 2009, 7 p.m.
Ada – Ponotoc Technology Center, 601 West 33rd
Jenks – Tulsa Technology Center, Riverside Campus, 801 E. 91st Street
McAlester – Kiamichi Technology Center, 301 Kiamichi Drive: SW corner of Hwy 69 and Hwy 270
Lawton – Great Plains Technology Center, 4500 W. Lee Blvd

December 9, 2009, 7 p.m.
Muskogee – Muskogee Public Library, 801 W. Okmulgee
Clinton – Senior Citizen Center, 323 S. 8th Street

December 11, 2009, 7 p.m.
Oklahoma City – Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Auditorium, 1801 N. Lincoln Blvd.

In addition to the new town hall meetings, the Wildlife Department also will be hosting three public hearings Jan. 11-12. One of the three hearings — to be held in Oklahoma City — will have an agenda that includes a slate of proposed rule changes to Oklahoma’s hunting and fishing laws, while two others held in Miami and Pryor will have agendas limited to fisheries topics.

Unlike town hall meetings, public hearings discussion is limited to a pre-established meeting agenda that includes a slate of proposed hunting or fishing rule changes. Examples include increasing opportunities for hunters and anglers and adding new laws to better conserve wildlife. The meeting agendas will be posted online at wildlifedepartment.com Dec. 1, and the public can comment at the meetings or online.

“If you are not able to make one of the public hearings, we encourage you to provide your comments through wildlifedepartment.com anytime before 4:30 p.m. Jan. 15, 2010,” Holmes said.

Additionally, those interested can submit written comments by mail to our main office in Oklahoma City (P.O. Box 53465, OKC, OK 73152).

Meetings will be held at 7 p.m. at the following locations:

January 11, 2010, 7 p.m.
Oklahoma City – Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Auditorium, 1801 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Miami – Miami Civic Center, 129 5th Ave NW, Banquet Room (Fisheries topics only)

January 12, 2010, 7 p.m.
Pryor – OSU Extension Office, 2200 NE 1st Street (Mayes County Fairgrounds) (Fisheries topics only)