Tuesday, January 15, 2013

DMR fires Walker

You knew this was coming. The Sun-Herald reported:

"The Commission on Marine Resources has permanently removed Dr. Bill Walker from his position of executive director of the Department of Marine Resources.

The commission voted unanimously on the motion to remove, which was made by Commissioner Jimmy Taylor.

Chairman Vernon Asper said the commission had put its trust in Walker and was "heartbroken" about all that has happened. Asper said the commission had reached a point where there was sufficient evidence to remove Walker.

"In this case, we trusted (Walker) and so we gave (him) free rein with everything," Asper said. "We saw lots of good things happen and we never suspected some of the things that were being alleged were taking place. We're grieved about this."

Asper said the commissioners are going to discuss the search for a new director going forward, which may be national, international or even a search of people from Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. Asper plans to talk with Gov. Phil Bryant about he search later today.

He said the public will be very involved in the process to choose the DMR's next director
....Rest of the article

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

""In this case, we trusted (Walker) and so we gave (him) free rein with everything," Asper said."

Their first mistake. They are supposed to oversee the Dept. Executive Directors of all agencies should be accountable to their Board and/or Commissioners. Seems as if the commissioners didn't do their job, either.

Anonymous said...

Next stop for Walker, the federal magistrates office.

Shadowfax1 said...

Barbour got rid of most board and commissions supervising agency heads so they reported directly to his office staff. Wonder why he let this one slide. All state planes have logs showing who boarded and flew where. I wonder if the boats in Walker's stable have those sorts of records. Could be embarrassing.

Anonymous said...

The article about the refurbushing of the boats is what caught my attention. As I recall there was around $1.6 mm in a couple of rigs. $1.6 mm will buy a very nice new boat in the 45'-50' range or one a couple of years old in the 55' plus length. My take is someone in the marine repair business made a fortune for keeping a couple of old tubs floating and running.

Toilet Seat Height Engineer said...


Another in the long line of failed Musgrove appointees.

Anonymous said...

Let me recommend an oceanographer from Woods Hole or Scripps who likes our coastline.

Anonymous said...

4:32, I call BS on that unsupported comment.

Other than reorganizing the MESC, name one board or commission that was done away with during Barbour's term. The only other one I remember was when Musgrove did away with and replaced the MS Home Corp.

Anonymous said...

Yup, ol' Ronnie sure knew how to pick 'em.

Anonymous said...

This is just one agency head in many that has come to light. There is not nearly enough oversight on any of the state agencies; especially the smaller ones away from the Capitol Complex. There are a number of them far enough away and out of the sight of the general public that no one sees their entry and exit and there are days they do not come to the office at all. Their time is not documented properly and there is numerous unnecessary expense, ie travel, personal vehicle mileage, etc. The staff is usually very small and is afraid to report this for fear of it costing them their jobs. I realize that it would really take some time to run this down but it would save the taxpayers millions in the long term.

Anonymous said...

10:19, that's what we get for the "weak Governor" structure the 1890 Constitution gives us. Nobody is set to "oversee" these agencies other than the Legislative Oversight Committees, and of course, our auditor - who is too busy putting away deputy clerks rather than going after any real corruption (can't ruffle those feathers that might get in the way of future political campaigns.)

Easy to blame the Governor, but all that any Gov has direct control over is ten agencies (counting the National Guard.) Most of the others are governed by boards and commissions all that were set up so that no Gov could get control of them during a normal one term. Allowing Govs to succeed themselves changed this a little, but it still is a sorry system.

Anonymous said...

Ronnie - Haley: Check the real individual that is the middle of all this. Connect the dots, and remember, its Jackson County. They all learned at the foot of the "master" that rules don't apply to them.

Anonymous said...

Who is that individual? Some think it is Bill Walkers son.Some think it is Frank Palazzo who was part owner of property bought by DMR using CIAP funds for almost a $1,000,000. per acre. Being from the coast I can tell you it involes many people.

Anonymous said...

Speaker pro tem from the coast who made Speaker's salary?

Anonymous said...

6:27, of course son is in the middle now. He and his "partner" have sold themselves as the way into anything at DMR. But the question of the day - where did both of them get their start? And connect the other similarly situated dots.

Anonymous said...

And the answer is Dickie Scruggs brother-in-law as he is now known.But I do agree Sen. Tommy Guillotte carries a big stick at DMR an on the coast in general.Trent Lott taught both of the Walkers how to gladhand theirthrgypo way to success.He is no longer relevant in South Ms.

Anonymous said...

Wonder if Barber and Mann are nervous.If anyone spots them updating passports please let us know.

Shadowfax said...

Questions: Since he was terminated 'for cause', does he forfeit PERS retirement benefits? Does he receive a refund of contributions? Does he retire with benefits for life?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

11;34, Dickie's brother-in-law is no longer relevant, but nobody has convinced him of that! But his legacy lives on - he taught them all (Herberts, all of them, staffers Maxwell and Walker, and the Coastie cronies that have profited from these deals) in his ways: bully your way through, ethics, laws, and morals don't matter. Too bad they let him plead out years ago when he resigned - he belongs in jail with his BinL.

Anonymous said...

11;34, Dickie's brother-in-law is no longer relevant, but nobody has convinced him of that! But his legacy lives on - he taught them all (Herberts, all of them, staffers Maxwell and Walker, and the Coastie cronies that have profited from these deals) in his ways: bully your way through, ethics, laws, and morals don't matter. Too bad they let him plead out years ago when he resigned - he belongs in jail with his BinL.

Anonymous said...

What does anybody know about George Malvaney from the Jackson area? He is being mentioned on blogs as being the COO of U.S.Enviromental and a person close to Bill Walker,DMR and Trudy Fisher,DEQ.He has been a big money raiser in last election cycle for various candidates.Has a very colorful past as a member of the KKK and was even arrested for being part of an invasion plan. Seved prison time for that oneSee attached hhtp://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/06/16/96025/r... and htpp//photos.gulflive.com/mississippipress.Coast wants to know.

Anonymous said...

Great group picture of Walker,Fitch,Malvaney celebrating something at hhtp//photos.gulflive.com/mississippipress/2012/05jolly_fitch_1.html

Shadowfax said...

Answer: He retires with the same options available to him as to any other covered PERS member considering retirement.


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