Call to Order and Roll Call
The 1st meeting of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Economic Development and Tourism, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue was held on Monday, November 17, 2014, at 10:30 AM, in Room 171 of the Capitol Annex. Representative Fitz Steele, Chair, called the meeting to order, and the secretary called the roll.
Present were:
Members: Senator Chris Girdler, Co-Chair; Representative Fitz Steele, Co-Chair; Senator Jerry P. Rhoads; Representatives Keith Hall and Terry Mills.
Guests: Rip Rippetoe, President and CEO, Kentucky State Fair Board; Anthony Leachman, CFO, Kentucky State Fair Board; Greg Johnson, Commissioner, Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; Dr. Karen Waldrop, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; Gabe Jenkins, Deer and Elk Program Coordinator, Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
LRC Staff: Mona Juett, Justin Perry, and Benjamin Thompson.
Kentucky State Fair Board
President and CEO Rip Rippetoe provided an update of the Kentucky State Fair Board’s financial status.
In response to a question from Chair Steele concerning payments from the Louisville Arena Authority, Mr. Rippetoe said that the Kentucky State Fair Board had received a total of $250,000 of the $1,400,000 bill for operations.
In response to a question from Senator Rhoads concerning Cardinal Stadium, Mr. Rippetoe said that the metal bleachers were sold off for $65,000. The rest of the stadium would remain as-is until funding becomes available.
Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Commissioner Greg Johnson testified about the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ Elk Program.
In response to a question from Chair Steele, Dr. Karen Waldrop said that the revenue from hunting tag sales goes back into the program.
In response to questions from Representative Hall, Mr. Gabe Jenkins stated that the elk hunt could be improved by increasing access to elk habitat areas and increasing elk numbers. Dr. Waldrop said that a maximum of ten percent of elk tags are sold to out-of-state hunters and that out-of-state tags are more expensive.
In response to a question from Chair Steele, Dr. Waldrop said that the most recent elk hunting season included hunters from every state except Hawaii.
In response to a question from Senator Rhoads concerning elk habitats, Dr. Waldrop said that the areas in eastern Kentucky where elk had already been reintroduced were optimal for elk populations. Dr. Waldrop said that western Kentucky could sustain elk but there would likely be a lot of damage to agriculture.
In response to questions from Senator Girdler concerning ease of access, Mr. Johnson said that one thing the legislature could do to increase ease of access would be to consider a tax break to coal companies for allowing reclaimed mines to be opened for public hunting. Dr. Waldrop said that the biggest concern the department has with coal companies is getting a signed agreement to allow hunting on their land. The department is providing vouchers for landowners. In the voucher system, when a landowner opens land for public hunting, a bull elk is worth two points and a cow elk is worth one point. A landowner who accumulates twenty points is given one elk tag.
In response to questions from Chair Steele, Dr. Waldrop said that aerial counts of elk populations are typically done by helicopter. She said that deer season and elk season run concurrently.
In response to a question from Senator Rhoads concerning quail populations, Commissioner Johnson said the department is in the fifth year of a ten year quail reintroduction program. There will be a report on the program in January.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:27 AM.