new warden camp

[***WaterWolf***]

Thought this was interesting

http://news.tradingcharts.com/futures/3/5/134670053.html

[C.Tripp]

Thought this was interesting

http://news.tradingcharts.com/futures/3/5/134670053.html

http://news.tradingcharts.com/futures/3/5/134670053.html (ftp://http://news.tradingcharts.com/futures/3/5/134670053.html)

[Mainehazmt]

Jan 29, 2010 (Bangor Daily News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- TOWNSHIP 7 RANGE 17, Maine -- A brand-new two-story camp constructed by wardens for their enforcement work at Baker Lake deep in the forest in northern Somerset County has come under fire from some legislators.

Since March 2009, wardens were assigned to construct a timber-framed camp to replace a rotting one-room cabin that floods during high water in this remote location about 96 miles north of Greenville.

When the exterior siding is installed and some further electrical work is done in the spring, an official said the state will have invested about $130,000 in the insulated 16-by-28-foot camp with its 8-foot partial wrap-around porch.

Constructed farther back from the waterway than the old cabin, the new camp has a metal roof, a knotty pine finish, snap-in wood flooring, manufactured cupboards, a propane stove and refrigerator, and two bedrooms that can hold eight people.

"We now have a facility that our staff can take pride in and will meet their needs of having privacy, adequate space and facilities that are necessary for our expectations of them while on assignment in the region," Col. Joel Wilkinson of the Maine Warden Service said recently.

Many state buildings

in 'rough' condition

In addition to the 34 camps and houses the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife owns on state-owned and leased lands, the state also owns 56 structures within the Department of Conservation that include staff housing and camps.

Click to read this story

But there are those who question the logic of spending the funds at a wilderness camp when the department is seeking fee increases from sportsmen.

"I'm very upset about it, to be honest with you," said Rep. Dale Crafts, R-Lisbon. "We worked very hard through the budget to really try to keep down fees for the sportsmen." Each time the department raises fees, there are fewer hunters, he said.

Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Roland "Danny" Martin staunchly defended the project, saying the camps in the state's remote areas are critical to the department's mission.

He said the license fee increases that started this month are unrelated to the new camp construction. The construction was funded through the general budget and was not a special appropriation.

The annual total budgets for the DIF&W were $35,905,812 in 2008, $37,618,407 in 2009 and $39,322,626 in the current fiscal year, 2010, which ends June 30. Of those amounts, the warden service expended $13,256,457 in 2008 and $14,954,982 in 2009. A total of $14,581,235 in expenditures was budgeted for 2010.

The new construction at Baker Lake was funded through the general operations maintenance building budget, Wilkinson said.

The warden service and DIF&W's engineering department budgeted a total of $320,141 in fiscal year 2008 for the repair and maintenance of the warden camps and houses. In 2009, a total of $318,927 was budgeted, and in 2010 the figure is $278,210. The figures do not include labor costs.

"We try to budget out what it annually costs us for maintenance, upkeep and repairing facilities, and that's the numbers we budget for," Wilkinson said.

Used for enforcement

The Baker Lake camp, located on state land, is one of 34 "rustic" camps or houses owned by DIF&W and used for enforcement work by wardens, biologists and a variety of law enforcement officers, Wilkinson said.

He said he plans in the future to provide the Legislature's Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee an overview of all of the department's camps, where they are located and whether they are on state-owned or leased land. He said he has no idea what the camps are valued at and wasn't sure who had that information.

The buildings, in various stages of neglect, are located in areas that otherwise have no or limited residency options available, Wilkinson said. Staff members are temporarily assigned to these areas for high seasonal activities such as bird, moose and deer hunting, as well as fishing and extended search-and-rescue missions.

The new camp, which has a pit toilet and a gray water system, will allow the department to do more work in the region and provide a decent place to stay for wardens and those engaged in border patrol activities under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which provided the funds for a generator, Wilkinson explained.

When the camps are not in use for enforcement details, DIF&W policy allows employees free use of them for rest and relaxation, according to Wilkinson. Those who use the camps are asked to sign in on logbooks provided at each camp. If the camp visit is for relaxation, users are asked to do some general maintenance, such as mowing the lawn, he said.

Wilkinson, who was appointed in 2008 to lead the warden service, said he looked at the condition of the buildings owned by the department. "What we'd done in the past, pretty much, is put Band-Aids on a lot of the camps that were in less than, I would say, stellar condition," he said.

Since an employee complained about the squalid living conditions of the Lily Bay camp in a grievance filed in 2005 that later turned into a lawsuit, Wilkinson said it seemed wise to improve one or two camps a year to bring them up to standards.

The warden who filed the lawsuit said the camp was infested by rodents and had no running water or indoor plumbing, and was unsanitary because of rodent droppings. That lawsuit was settled but the details were not released as part of the settlement.

Sympathetic to the employee's concerns, Wilkinson said, "I'm not going to ask people to go stay in something that I don't think is suitable."

Because considerable planning had been done for the Baker Lake project before his advancement, Wilkinson chose to continue with that project, considering its condition.

The Baker Lake camp is "a stinky, old, nasty camp," Wilkinson said.

A visit by the Bangor Daily News in late December found a cobbled-together rustic building not much larger than an ice-fishing shack. Inside, the decaying ceiling appears to be home to rodents even though mousetraps dotted the sagging floor.

Despite its condition, the camp, which will be removed in the spring, had much use. The weathered logbook inside the cabin recorded a mixture of work details and of getaways by former and current employees and other law enforcement officials.

Rep. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville, who stayed at the old camp for a fishing trip several years ago while in law enforcement, also inspected the old camp and the new camp last month.

Although the old camp is in less than stellar condition, Davis questioned spending more than $100,000 on a new camp at a time the department is seeking license fee increases. He said he doesn't dispute the need for the camps, but spending that much money in this troubled economy bothers him.

"It's disappointing, and I don't care for it much," he said.

Davis and Crafts, both members of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, said they should have been told about the new construction at Baker Lake by the department and not have learned about it from others.

Both said hunters who either saw wardens working on the camp or who learned about the new camp had complained to them.

Cost of camp disputed

When the BDN was told by a caller late last year that the new camp cost $300,000, inquiries were made of the department and Davis.

Upset over the rumored cost, Martin fired off a memo to Senate and House leaders in early December stating that the cost was less than $40,000.

Martin said recently the figure in his memo was based on what had been expended up to Dec. 10 and the expenditures have since been updated.

Ron Taylor, the DIF&W's engineer, who devised a spreadsheet for the project, said that as of earlier this month, $71,192 had been spent by the warden service and the department's engineering department for supplies.

In addition, 2,155 hours were spent over an eight-month period by department personnel on the camp at a cost of $43,230. That amount does not include benefits.

Other costs include $9,400 spent in 2007 to saw and size the timber frame, an estimated $2,500 for electrical work to be done in the spring and staff time to complete the exterior finish.

When completed, Taylor estimated, the total cost of the project -- which includes the pit toilet, the permitting process, the construction of the camp and a small shed, and the demolition of the old camp --will be about $130,000.

Bids were solicited for the roof and the blown insulation in accordance with the state's rules and policies, Taylor noted. Competitive costing was done on the project, he said.

Crafts said he believes the true cost of the Baker Lake camp, if the benefits are included, is in the $175,000 range.

Whatever the cost, Davis said, "It isn't where I would have spent the money, that's for darn sure." He said he would have used the funds to address the department's ongoing budget issues, such as the lack of funds for the printing of some lawbooks and the mileage restrictions wardens are under.

He also was critical of the hours wardens spent constructing the building. "They should have been out in the field doing what they were hired to do," he said.

The wardens who worked on the camp during the slow seasons were available if needed in the field, Wilkinson said.

"If they needed to be in the field working on an active criminal investigation case, we never would take somebody off from that," he said.

Between March 26 and Nov. 20 of last year, Wilkinson said game wardens worked 25 separate enforcement details in the Baker Lake region.

Having his wardens build the camp was an effort to save money, Wilkinson said, and he guessed it would have cost a lot more if the work had been farmed out.

"I am extremely proud of our staff's efforts to improve this department facility by utilizing their talents to provide an excellent work location," he added.

Those efforts also were applauded by other state officials. "I think Col. Wilkinson was innovative in the way he approached the repairs and bringing that up to an appropriate standard," said David Farmer, Gov. John Baldacci's deputy chief of staff. "We are always cognizant of the resources that we're spending, how that money is being spent and the governor has taken a keen interest in finding as many efficiencies as possible."

At the same time, the state has an obligation to provide proper facilities to employees who work to manage and protect the state's multibillion-dollar natural resources industry, Farmer said.

[Snopro]

If you could find some info on the new forest rangers camp it would make the wardens camp look like a one room shanty!

[ferrari175]

Ahhh that was fun watching them build that while I shot the first pair of ducks for the season up there on opening day  made some great dinner that night

[EmeraldShiner]

 "Crafts, believes that the true costs of the Baker Lake Camp, if benefits are included is in the $175,000.00 range."

 For a 16' X 28' camp? That is $390.63 per square foot, who did the competitive cost analysis on this job? Holy schnikees, I'd love to bid on a job like that, how do I get in on this? Seriously, a competitive bid to build a new home is $100.00 - $120.00 per square foot if your lucky enough to find a prospective client who can afford that in this economy. 

[TinyTim]

That "camp" is most likely better then most the houses we all live in...lmao

[Jofisher]

Did they ever think of using State Prison work release inmates to save $$$, I bet they have some crafty Knowledgeable people who would love to help.

[rude the dude]

What a joke. If the wardens have so much time on there hands at certain times of the year, they should be part time. Work when there's work. Not make up work for them to keep them busy. Sounds like the city of Augusta employees, how good the roads look during a storm depend on where there at with hours for the week. 

[ayuhfish]

these camps r not just used by our civil servants,its also a great place for our senators and reps and other state legs to get away with their families on our buck Sure wish i could get a weekend

[ICEMAN-73]

Sound's like a nice camp wish it was mine.

[northernmaine]

As a contractor I can say it could have been built a lot less expensively, (not to mention probably built better) by someone who does it for a living. All building projects done by the state should be put out to bid, saving the taxpayer money and employing workers in this state. Win/Win 

[billditrite]

"A visit by the Bangor Daily News in late December found a cobbled-together rustic building not much larger than an ice-fishing shack. Inside, the decaying ceiling appears to be home to rodents even though mousetraps dotted the sagging floor"


I have been to baker...the old camp was MUCH bigger than a shanty Thank you very much . it is hard to feel bad when the dept. cries they are so underfunded  and short staffed and then read something like this...im with emerald i wish i had been in on this job...i could go fishing the rest of the winter  

[Double-L]

      All this wasteful spending. ......When is it gonna stop?......No time soon; as long as the polititions keep reaping the bennies of vacation gettaways......They just keep dreaming up more ways to Tax us. (SPORTMAN) .....Keep voting the same people in office & expect different results.. .....LL

[Givasum]

HERE HERE Double L! It is our job as sportsmen to ask each and every one of our legislators where they stand on issues we care about as they pertain to fishing and hunting, and then hold them accountable for their actions.

[landlockedsalmon]

All incubants "down the road".Lets start fresh with new blood.LLS

[Mainehazmt]

Ok Im gonna be the bad guy  While I worked I expected my employer to provide a decent place for me to stay the night  and never once complained about the place I picked or where we ate (on the company nickel)  I have never been to that place  and Ive only heard of rumors of places up here  but when they are doing thier job   ya gotta have a place to unwind   and I cant imagine how uncomfortable it is laying in the bushes spying on me all day  

[TinyTim]

I don't think anyone will argue they may have needed better accommodations, but 130k low end to 175k high end, is little extreme if ya ask me.

[northernmaine]

Ok Im gonna be the bad guy  While I worked I expected my employer to provide a decent place for me to stay the night  and never once complained about the place I picked or where we ate (on the company nickel)  I have never been to that place  and Ive only heard of rumors of places up here  but when they are doing thier job   ya gotta have a place to unwind   and I cant imagine how uncomfortable it is laying in the bushes spying on me all day  

I don't disagree with you one bit but a more modest, less expensive place, built to specifications by the low bidder would still provide an adequate place to unwind and be as comfy.

This is but one example of taxpayer dollars wasted, and there are a lot of instances I can point out. Add them all up and it comes out to real money.

[Mainehazmt]

whats a hotel cost to build  that you stay in? 

[northernmaine]

whats a hotel cost to build  that you stay in? 

Whatever it costs, it's put out to bid and the hotel owners don't pay the long dollar to have it done.

Thats the difference between running a business and running a tax and spend state.

[EmeraldShiner]

Whatever it costs, it's put out to bid and the hotel owners don't pay the long dollar to have it done.

That's the difference between running a business and running a tax and spend state.

Interesting point, and by the way this job by state law was supposed to be put out to public bid by a private contractor! Now that this has been made public information I suspect some heads are gonna roll! Why, because I know a thing or two about how things operate in state government, point #1 is that I highly suspect state employees were working on this camp while claiming the hours on the state secured payroll system and at the same time submitting an invoice for services rendered in the form of labor to build this Shangri La, otherwise known as double dipping. Somebody please explain to me how this camp at Baker Lake is any different then the highway and bridge projects that Maine DOT has to put out to competitive bid by contractors as required by federal and state law and the State of Maine must accept the lowest bid providing the contractor has the required insurances and bonds and has the neccesary experience and equipment. At $390.63 per square foot for a 16'  X 28' camp, Maine citizens were robbed at the hands of thieves and this is unconsciounable!

[billditrite]

Whatever it costs, it's put out to bid and the hotel owners don't pay the long dollar to have it done.

nor do they have the chambermaids build it . i wonder if everything is up to code? i dont imagine there is much code enforcement going on at baker lake   wish i could walk trhrough and hand out tickets for everything i find in violation  

[ayuhfish]

IF&W is broke cant afford crap  cut backs everywhere at the point of bankrupcy.Got a new cabin. wonder who'll get to enjoy that

[Double-L]

HERE HERE Double L! It is our job as sportsmen to ask each and every one of our legislators where they stand on issues we care about as they pertain to fishing and hunting, and then hold them accountable for their actions.

    Problem is: They all tell you, what you want to hear to get elected; Then they do as they d^^m please, after they are in office......I agree w/ a previous post/ The thing to do is send a STRONG MESSAGE, that they will ALL understand: VOTE: ALL INCUMBANTS OUT!!!!!!!!. ......NO EXCEPTIONS !......LL

[wardens worry]

I dont disagree that they needed new quarters. It is also extreemly expensive to do business in that area. We are talking about an area that is about 3 hours from us pavment. I am surprised that someone hasnt asked this question. Why does IF&W have a ****censored word****ing engineer?

[Mainehazmt]

nor do they have the chambermaids build it . i wonder if everything is up to code? i dont imagine there is much code enforcement going on at baker lake   wish i could walk trhrough and hand out tickets for everything i find in violation  

some places in Maine dont haveto follow code  lol  or in others what code do they follow pick one of the 3/4 or 5 out there   boca?  mmbc?  remember Maine Adopted a Voluntary Statewide Building Code

[Mainehazmt]

Why does IF&W have a ****censored word****ing engineer?

to run the train

[Out4Trout]

I guess I'll chime in on what I know about the project. It's a post and beam building, there were sub contactors hired to complete the framing which was cut out a couple of years ago, and erected last fall. The roofing was hired out also. Like someone said, the remoteness of the building pushes the cost way up also. I believe that there was something like 800 yds of gravel hauled (by the state) but purchased at premium dollars. The state does use work release inmates on projects but couldn't here because of the location. I believe that the original building was rodent infested and in very bad shape. I believe the money for the project was appropriated a few years ago also. I'm sure that money could have been saved on the project like any state project, but maybe this post will answer a few questions.  

[Mainehazmt]

and if they    are working on the camp  they are leaving us alone