Two controversial governor-appointed commissioners to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife board were confirmed by the Senate Tuesday despite fierce opposition from Western Slope lawmakers, hunters and recreation groups.
Jessica Beaulieu, an attorney with a wildlife ecology degree who manages the University of Denver’s Animal Law Program, was confirmed with a 19-15 vote despite a chorus of complaints from hunting and recreation organizations. Jack Murphy, who leads the Urban Wildlife Rescue outfit that helps city residents get rid of troublesome wildlife without killing the animals, also was confirmed with a 23-11 vote.
Both were appointed to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife commission by Gov. Jared Polis in July and have served on the board for more than seven months, representing outdoor recreation and parks.
A third appointee, Durango wildlife biologist Gary Skiba, resigned from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife commission last week after the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee declined to support his appointment to represent hunters and anglers on the Western Slope. The committee also declined to support the appointment of Beaulieu.
Hunting and recreation groups flooded senators with emails and phone calls in the last week, urging a “no” vote on the three appointees, arguing the commissioners lacked outdoor recreation experience and their work as animal advocates meant they could not adequately represent the interests of hunters and anglers.
Beaulieu in 2022 testified before the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources in support of legislation — Senate Bill 31 — that would have banned mountain lion hunting. The committee did not advance the hunting ban. The supporters of that legislation are gathering signatures hoping to get the mountain lion hunting ban on the November ballot.
State Sen. Janice Marchman, a Democrat from Loveland, read the top outdoor recreation activities listed in the 2019 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, noting that hiking, camping, fishing, wildlife viewing, picnicking and running all ranked above the state’s 18th most popular pursuit: hunting.
State Sen. Kevin Priola, a Democrat from Henderson, said lawmakers “need to be cognizant of other uses of wild spaces in our state” beyond hunting.
“There is a huge concern among the hunting interest groups that hunting is going to go away,” Priola said. “I can assure you that hunting is not going to go away in Colorado.”
Sen. Perry Will, a Republican from New Castle who spent more than 40 years with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, spent almost an hour urging his colleagues to oppose the appointees.
Will said the appointees had stirred “social turmoil” that was hindering the agency’s mission.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis last week told the Senate committee that he did not know how many people applied for the seats Polis filled in July. Davis joined the agency only a few months before.
Will said there were hundreds of applicants for the three open commissioner seats, which were filtered through the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions.
☀️ READ MORE
“It’s not hard to find good candidates to fill these slots. There are thousands of qualified people,” said Will, describing an anti-hunting sentiment stirred by a “few … extremists that are trying to destroy the traditional values that have been a vital part of our state’s heritage since its inception. We need to keep Colorado Colorado by keeping our time-honored traditions.”
Senators on Tuesday also approved legislation that would require appointees to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife commission to hold at least two public meetings “to directly engage the constituency of the industry or the activity the member was appointed to represent.”
Senate Bill 26 — sponsored by Will and Sen. Dylan Roberts, a Democrat from Avon who has been critical of the agency’s handling of wolf reintroduction in his district —renewed public engagement requirements that were demanded of members of the Colorado Division of Wildlife before the division merged with state parks in 2011. The legislation also requires appointees to the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the state agricultural commission to hold public meetings.
Will said the meetings for wildlife commissioners 13 years ago were “very well attended.
“It’s about accountability to the constituents they represent,” Will said before the senators voted to send the legislation to the governor’s desk.