The Great Outdoors
PGC commissioners remove President Tom Boop Just when you thought our glorious PGC Board of Commissioners (BOC) could not possibly embarrass themselves any further; they do. This caper will be recorded as the second greatest debacle in the history of the PGC, just a click behind the firing of PGC Commissioner George Venesky by Governor Ridge.
To set up this story properly, we must take it back to the mid-April PGC season and bag limit meeting.
State Rep. Sam Rohrer addressed the BOC and delineated the flaws in the current deer management program. SR Sam Rohrer suggested it is time for an independent audit of the program.
Commissioner President Tom Boop publicly agreed calling the current deer program “fatally flawed”. Immediately after the meeting it became common knowledge that Commissioners Russ Schleiden and Roxanne Palone were furious with Tom Boop.
An emergency Commissioner meeting was held on May 1 with the purpose of removing Tom Boop as President of the BOC.
By all accounts this emergency meeting was nothing more than kangaroo court. Tom Boop asserted his rights and forced the meeting to be conducted in the public’s eye.
One legislator said that it reminded him of court proceedings in the former communist Soviet Union. PGC Commissioner Dan Hill, an attorney, did the heavy lifting for Commissioners Schleiden and Palone.
PGC Counsel was present and informed the Commissioners that what they were doing wasn’t legal.
PGC Executive Director Carl Roe was in shock.
Tom Boop argued that due process required the allegations be submitted in writing so he could respond. None of the arguments mattered. Commissioner Dan Hill made it clear that Commissioner Tom Boop was being removed as President.
Actually, as I write this, Commissioner Roxane Palone has already been sworn in as the new President. (Roxane Palone is not Presidential material.)
The final outcome of this debacle is even more bizarre than one can imagine.
Formal charges will be written and Commissioner Tom Boop will basically go on trial at the June BOC meeting.
In theory his removal is temporary pending his trial. There is little doubt in my mind Tom Boop will endure another kangaroo court.
When we step back and analyze this madness even superficially, Tom Boop was removed as President for doing his job as a Commissioner.
He has every right to speak up at meetings and express his concern and even criticize PGC programs.
Apparently, Commissioners Russ Schleiden and Roxane Palone don’t want any dissent amongst the BOC.
Commissioners Schleiden, Palone, Isabella and now Commissioner Dan Hill have turned the BOC into a farce.
Dissent is now punished. It is a sad day in the history of the PGC.
Of special note is Commissioner Dave Schreffler. He voted with Commissioner Tom Boop against the 865,000 doe permit program and he abstained from participating in the kangaroo court proceedings.
At this point one has to wonder if these Commissioners acted autonomously or were they encouraged by someone to cause this major disruption in the BOC.
I find it hard to believe they didn’t seek the Governor’s permission to proceed with Tom Boop’s removal. We now know that PGC Commissioners serve at the pleasure of the Governor. (A core issue that must be addressed with curative legislation.) At the very least, did they discuss this matter with Mr. DiBernardinis? There is a strong odor of a skunk in the woodpile.
Some have suggested our sporting class petition the Governor to remove Commissioners Schleiden, Palone, Isabella and Hill. Is that exactly what we are supposed to do and set the stage for a hostile takeover of the PGC by DCNR and Executive Order of the Governor?
I suspect the solution to this matter lies within our legislature.
Our Senators must get off the dime and address these critical issues.
As a final note, SR Sam Rohrer wrote a powerful piece condemning the nonsense.
Visit his website at www.samrohrer.com. SR Sam Rohrer is quickly becoming an eloquent champion of our hunting rights and gun rights.
Jim Slinsky is the host and producer of the “Outdoor Talk Network”, a nationally syndicated, outdoor-talk radio program. For a station near you or to contact Jim, visit his website at www.outdoortalknetwork.com