While I am sending this Email, it is coming to you from all three Deputy Supervisors.
As you know, the department remains under severe budget pressure. Several things – including additional layoffs announced this week – must occur in light of that.
Budget impacts are affecting all portions of DNR, including Executive Management. In recent months Executive Management has undertaken several actions regarding positions and salaries to pare, while still completing essential functions. However, our actions have to be taken further.
First, we deputy supervisors have decided that we must change our support functions and go from each having an individual Executive Assistant to having two that support the three of us and our programs. The duties of the current positions will change significantly, and we will be adjusting the salary level of the positions downward.
Because of the significant changes to the current positions, and because opportunities to apply for positions at this level occur so infrequently, we have decided to abolish the three current positions and establish two new positions that will be effective November 1st and will be filled thru an internal recruitment that will be posted Monday. It is our intent that the announcement will be open until October 2nd, applications will be screened the week of October 5th, and interviews held Oct. 13/14.
One of the other things we are doing is reconsidering all travel and attendance at functions including trainings, professional meetings, and conferences and ensuring that our interests are represented while our expenses are minimized. Effective immediately, in most circumstances DNR employees will be approved for attendance at such events only under one of the following conditions:
1. Attendance/participation is required as part of a grant or other agreement we are a part of.
2. Expenses are fully covered by an entity other than DNR.
3. Attendance/participation is required by law or to hold or gain a skill/qualification/certification/license/etc. required as part of an employee’s job or emergency response related duties.
Additionally, no DNR employee should submit a paper or poster for presentation at such an event assuming that DNR will cover any expenses related with that presentation unless the travel/attendance is pre-approved. Such pre-approval requests will normally only be considered if the presentation would accom0plish critical work of the department.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in these difficult times.
