Kurt Granberg, who assumed his duties today as director of the IDNR, will meet the public Saturday at the Chicagoland Outdoors Show at Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.
The former Downstate legislator, who resigned just before the vote to impeach Gov. Blagojevich, was named IDNR director days later by Blagojevich.
Granberg will be in the IDNR booth at Rosemont and will have explaining to do on why he should have the role.
In a message today, Granberg said he was looking for input for a ``blueprint for the DNR.''
And added, ``My role working for the speaker for years and years, I was a negotiator I would take groups with adverse interests and reach a consensus. That is why I am out here.''
As much as I think negotiations are a wonderful political trait, I'm sorry, but that doesn't fly with me. I think it is a pension grab, pure and simple.
There's more to come.
Dale,
If I wasn't sicker than I've been in a long time, I head up there and give him the "blueprint for a better DNR." It starts with a professional promoted from within the ranks to run the department and is followed by restoring proper funding to the department to accomplish it's mission. Those two things would go a long way to restoring the IDNR to it's former prominence. There is no reason why Illinois should not be one of the premier outdoor destinations in the country with a parks system that should be a model for the nation. If the state has the foresight to make the investment in the IDNR to make that possible, the state would make that investment back many times over.