Syracuse.com - DEC Commissioner Martens to meet behind closed doors with Central NY sportsmen

[HuntingNY-News]

"I'll try and keep it as polite and civil as possible. But when you're discussing the SAFE Act, things don't always go in that direction," said David Simmons, president of the Onondaga Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs.

Joe Martens, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, is scheduled to meet with a select group of outdoors sportsmen behind closed doors Friday afternoon at the DEC Region 7 office in Cortland.

The meeting is closed to the press, a DEC spokesman said.

The reason for the meeting, scheduled from noon to 2 p.m., is to get feedback on a range of outdoor-related issues put out by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, including changes to the hunting, fishing and trapping licenses; the adventure license proposal and items in Cuomo's executive budget for the coming year, including making crossbows legal for hunting.

A representative from the State Police is expected to accompany Martens to address any SAFE Act-related questions.

"It's always a hot button issue when we're talking to folks," said Christian Ballantyne, a special assistant at the DEC who helped contacted sportsmen about attending Friday's get-together.

"Mr. Martens is traveling, making a good effort to hit every region. We've done 5 of 6 of these already and have a few more scheduled," he said.

Ballantyne said he expects about a half dozen sportsmen representatives to attend Friday. He many of those invited were from a list of names recommended by the DEC's fish and wildlife staff at the Cortland office.

Chuck Parker, of Mexico, who is president of the New York State Conservation Council, was among those invited but had to decline because he is attending a meeting of the state Fish and Wildlife Advisory Board today and Friday up at the DEC training facility in Pulaski.

Parker said Friday's gathering and the others like it that have been held so far were the result of a meeting held in the governor's office in Albany earlier this month.

At that meeting, he said, were a half dozen representatives from the Conservation Council the state Conservation Fund Advisory Board, New York State Fish and Wildlife Management Advisory Board. They met with representatives from the governor's office and the DEC.

"It was very nice, formal. They basically said this is where we're at and what we're trying to do for sportsmen," Parker said.

He said when it came to the SAFE Act, Parker said that Martens said he didn't feel it had a significant impact on sportsmen.

"We countered that yes it does," Parker said.

Following that Albany meeting, Parker said he knows of meetings Martens has held with sportsmen at DEC regional offices in Region 9 (near Buffalo); Region 8 (near Rochester) and Region 3 in New Paltz. All were put together with little advance notice, he said, and to his knowledge there were no problems.

"They were informational meetings, with those attending sharing their perspectives," he said.

Parker said he didn't have a list of those attending Friday's meeting in Cortland. He did mention David Simmons, president of the Onondaga Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs; George Gibbs, of Cleveland, who is a board member for the state Conservation Council and Mike Mastrogiovanni, vice president of SCOPE (Shooters Committee on Political Education).

Simmons, who lives in West Monroe, said this morning he no idea what to expect. He said he was contacted to attend on "very short notice" by a phone call at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

"I'll try and keep it as polite and civil as possible. But when you're discussing the SAFE Act, things don't always go in that direction. It was a pretty awful piece of legislation. It's onerous when it comes it legal firearms owners trying to deal with it," he said.

Mastrogiovanni, of Liverpool, said he planned to attend Friday's meeting. He said he was initially on the list to attend the meeting in the governor's office earlier this month, but at the last minute was "dis-invited because of my relationship with SCOPE."

On April 1, SCOPE is sponsoring the "Stand Up For Your Rights Rally" in Albany to protest the SAFE Act.

Mastrogiovanni said he was first contacted about Friday's meeting by phone Tuesday evening.

"I thought it was a little short notice myself," he said.

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View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

[mike rossi]

All I gather from this wandering ramble of an article is that the DEC held an informational meeting (read - remedial tutoring) for the same bunch of loud mouths that run the show or think they do. Plus a state copper was present to lolly-gab about the safe act... Big effin deal. Closed doors, off course, as if it was something worth opening the doors for, lol... Mid day on a Friday, prolly looked and sounded like a nursing home with a security guard....

[Doc]

Ok, It's real nice that the DEC Commissioner wants to hear from sportsmen, but the fact is that the Commissioner is a tool of the Governor. He is an appointee that serves at the pleasure of Cuomo, so asking for sportsmen's input on dictates of the Governor seems kind of like window-dressing only for the benefit of P.R. What exactly does anyone think might come of this that would be beneficial to the outdoor men and women. It is show-time!

[mike rossi]

Doc,

I doubt the purpose of this was to "hear from sportsmen" - it was an "informational meeting" and it was only two hours long, lol...

I also want to dissect out what you said here: "hear from sportsmen". Do you believe that click (who are also politically appointed like the commissioner) represents the concerns and values of 800,000 NY hunters? They don't represent me, do you feel they represent you?

Also, rather than rip at the governor again, what do you think of this journalism. I think it sucks and is a waste of time to read. It is pointless drivel and serves no purpose and provides no information. Try ripping at the author, Dave what's his face. And maybe ripping the the attendees of this senior citizen get together...

Edited March 21, 2014 by mike rossi

[Trial153]

I can't believe I just read that entire article.

[NFA-ADK]

So basically they are saying they had a closed meeting with closed minded individuals who do not represent true sportsman.  Sounds typical.  Wow a whole 6 people invited, great representations of the state.  Typical BS advertising for re-election. 

 

Ha look what I am doing!  I am having a meeting and telling people crossbows are OK! 

 

PS: I brought a law enforcement officer to justify the safe act and explain how it does not affect you until we come to your house!

[ants]

Window dressing is right…..Just a bunch of pandering B.S.

[HectorBuckBuster]

Just a setup by Cuomo saying he supports Sportsman and Guns. Yea, just wait and see what happens in 2015 in he is reelected. 

[Arrow Flinger]

Just a setup by Cuomo saying he supports Sportsman and Guns. Yea, just wait and see what happens in 2015 in he is reelected. 

 

Yep...I cant wait to see the commercials for re-election. "The governor is a true friend of the outdoor sportsman" LOL!!!!

[Doc]

Doc,

I doubt the purpose of this was to "hear from sportsmen" - it was an "informational meeting" and it was only two hours long, lol...

I also want to dissect out what you said here: "hear from sportsmen". Do you believe that click (who are also politically appointed like the commissioner) represents the concerns and values of 800,000 NY hunters? They don't represent me, do you feel they represent you?

Also, rather than rip at the governor again, what do you think of this journalism. I think it sucks and is a waste of time to read. It is pointless drivel and serves no purpose and provides no information. Try ripping at the author, Dave what's his face. And maybe ripping the the attendees of this senior citizen get together...

Hell, I've got enough "ripping" to go around, and there is never a situation where I will not take the opportunity to "rip" at the NYS sportsman's number one enemy..... Cuomo. He never gets a free pass from me regardless of what other issues may be present about this article. Is it first class journalism? ..... probably not. But,I suppose it may be a lot more info than the Governor and his lackey intended for public consumption since the press was barred from the meeting. I would like to know the purpose of that decision by the way.

 

My feeling is that the Governor is out fishing for allies that he considers to be the movers and shakers of hunting politics. And of course why have a bought-and-paid-for DEC Commissioner if you don't use him for your political activities. No matter what was going on, you can rest assured that the Governor was looking for some political leverage out of it. My comment was just to point out that Martens is merely a Cuomo mouthpiece and that in all likelihood there was political motivation behind this meeting that was orchestrated by Martens' boss ..... Andy. Don't be looking to make anything more of it than that. This is election year, and Cuomo is a master politician. His every waking move is based on re-election at any cost.

 

Oh and by the way, those that may be getting tired of me ripping on that piece of filth, Cuomo, should probably get used to it. I will not be letting up until he is replaced. And actually, I do not understand any gun owner who wishes to or even suggests that we should tread lightly on Andy's contempt for the 2nd Amendment. In my mind, the campaign against Cuomo is in full swing ..... right now!