Dear Editor,
I was very upset approximately one year ago when our local National Forest Service (NFS) Director was involuntarily transferred a thousand miles from her home and employment in Saratoga. She had no warning nor explanation and placed under a professional directive to stay silent. The decision was made by the NFS Regional Forester supervisor of Denver, Colo., an unusual decision that employees spanning 25 years of experience had never seen before. This forced transfer surprised everyone as all her evaluations had been very good. As a result, I asked myself three questions and began researching them: who did our director anger, who could gain from this transfer and who had the connection and influence with the NFS Regional Forester in Denver to influence such a decision? My research led me to Senator Larry Hicks for all three answers.
Senator Hicks requested money for support of the reservoir he’s promoted in southern Carbon County from Saratoga’s NFS Director. The reservoir would support the needs of about 100 irrigators as well as Senator Hicks’ ranch and is controversial as it greatly benefits Colorado ranchers at a cost to Wyoming residents. The Saratoga Director was unable to honor his request due to budgetary constraints. Was her support needed for his funding bid to the Wyoming Legislature this past spring?
Regardless, his push for this reservoir did not have legislators’ support. Was he angry about her decision? Could her removal from her position create another opportunity to generate reservoir funding by a different NFS Director in Carbon County?
Could Senator Hicks have gained by legislative support to get re-elected in this election cycle? His voter support has been declining as noted in the tallies from his last election cycle as compared to his first election. I believe these questions highlight plausible explanations and motives for Senator Larry Hicks extorting influence in the decision of an involuntary transfer out of state of our local NFS Director.
The last question clarified itself as I learned two other NFS employees were also handed involuntary transfers, all under the supervision of the same Regional Forester out of Denver, all transferred approximately the same time as Saratoga’s Director. Both the senator from that county and Senator Larry Hicks serve together in the Wyoming Select Natural Resource Management Committee, a sub-committee of the Wyoming Legislature. This links both Carbon and Campbell County Senators to the same NFS Regional Forester who made the unusual transfer decision for three NFS employees. Could the collaboration of these two Wyoming Senators have enough power to influence the Regional Forester to transfer all three when this action had never before been heard of by other employees spanning 25 years of experience?
The readers can put these puzzle pieces together and come to their own conclusions. Saratoga’s NFS Director was deeply involved with the communities, active in volunteer organizations and very competent in her job with good to great evaluations. As community members, we have all lost a beneficial, contributing member by this transfer decision. I, for one, truly regret it.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Lewis, Resident of Carbon County for 30-plus years
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