[Editor's Note: This is part 1 of a series of articles on the Grant County Commission work session on July 18, 2023. It begins with public input.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
The one and only person giving public input at the Grant County Commission work session on July 18, 2023 was Glenn Griffin, a resident of Grant County District 1. In July, the beginning of the fiscal year, commissioners each year discuss, and approve, sometimes with amendments, or disapprove the annual agreement addressing the work and financial plan with the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services for the Integrated Wildlife Damage Management Program for the year. This agreement is for fiscal year 2023.
Griffin said that progress has been made over the past six years on slowing the "100-plus years-long war on our wildlife, notably that toxic explosive chemical M-44 weapons are no longer used on our public lands." He noted that in the 1990s Wildlife Services was fined for placing M-44s on trails in the Gila National Forest, and he listed the dangers. "I am grateful our county commissioners banned M-44s on our public lands. Now commissioners should ask Wildlife Services about their giving vague direction antennas, wolf collar frequency codes and M-44s to our local ranchers."
He thanked the state for banning trapping on public land through Roxy's Bill.
"Rethinking wildlife management and the politics of wildlife management will take all of us working together," he continued. "Wildlife Services benefits Grant County's 100 ranches, but there are many more of us that would like to participate in the way our tax dollars are used. Many of us do not want to dominate our wildlife just to turn them into commodities. I do not want my taxpayer dollars contributing to our wildlife's decline. I believe the secretive Wildlife Services is undemocratic, lacks compassion, threatens biodiversity and is in part responsible for wildlife populations declining by 59 percent during my lifetime."
He alleged the commissioners, by serving the cattle industry, are leaving the majority of Grant Countians out of the upcoming contract renewal discussions. He stated: "We pay for three quarters of the $86,000 in funding, and ranchers used to pay only one quarter of the funding." He alleged that Grant County's general funds are paying $9,500 of the ranchers' required $28,000 match in the contract. What other businesses do Grant County taxpayers directly subsidize with no representation?"
[Editor's Note: Federal appropriations, according to the budget in the agreement, pay for 69 percent of the costs, with 31 percent from the cooperator (the county) at $28,000. His arithmetic was not explained well.]
Griffin said he went over page after page of the Wildlife Service's reports and "it is clear the commission is allowing the agency to violate its signed contract for the past two years, with $168,000 spent and 362 lethal takings by firearms, and absolutely not one non-lethal relocation. It is a clear violation of the contract which said non-lethal methods would be prioritized. Range riders could trail the mountain lions. Squirrels could easily be trapped and relocated. … These non-lethal relocation and methods must be listed in the quarterly reports as proof that Wildlife Services is following the contract."
He said he was only asking for minor changes, not canceling the contract, but for Wildlife Services to honor the contract. "There is good news this year, with doubled funding for USDA's nonlethal initiative for Wildlife Services, from flagging, electric fencing to range riders to reduce coyote activity near livestock. A small grant for battery-powered metal speakers on poles broadcasting bird calls could eliminate shooting flickers (10) or pigeons (170) at a current cost of $464.08 per bird shot over the past two years. Just 10 flickers saved would pay for a better non-lethal way to save both wildlife and taxpayer dollars."
Discussion came later in the meeting when the agreement showed up in the agenda, when County Manager Charlene Webb said the amount for the match this year had increased by a little over $1,000.
District 5 Commissioners Harry Browne thanked her for sending the quarterly reports to the commission. "I'm glad to see they used no M-44s on public land, but we are missing any reports on the usage of non-lethal means."
Webb said, in her conversations, she has heard them say they are using a lot of non-lethal methods, "but they aren't reporting them."
Browne said they needed to describe what methods they are using, sound or whatever they are using that is non-lethal. The reports seem to only show the lethal methods. "Please check with Mr. Fajardo and ask him to do better reporting."
The agreement will be considered by commissioners at the Thursday regular meeting on July 20, 2023.
The next article will start with presentations.