06-13-2010, 06:05 AM
By Rance Burger
lakenewsonline.com
Posted May 18, 2010 @ 06:30 AM
Camdenton, Mo. —
The Missouri State Water Patrol will merge with the Missouri State Highway Patrol by the start of 2011. A vote with only hours remaining in the 2010 session of the Missouri General Assembly put House Bill 1868 on Gov. Jay Nixon’s desk for approval.
“This will give us increased administrative efficiency while keeping the same number of uniformed officers on our roadways and on our waterways. This consolidation just makes sense,” Nixon said in praise of the merger shortly after the end of the session on Friday.
State Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst (R-St. Louis) sponsored the government consolidation bill that included the Water Patrol/Highway Patrol merger. Scharnhorst introduced the bill with a single provision to reform the makeup of the State Records Commission.
In the Missouri Senate, HB 1868 took on 10 amendments, including a provision to make the Water Patrol a division of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields introduced the amendment as part of his “rebooting government” initiative, and classified the merger bill in a group of measures that, “go a long way toward getting Missouri government “right-sized” where we need to be in the future, not just this year, but looking out (to) 2012-2013.”
When HB 1868 went up for vote in the Senate, it met almost unanimous approval. State Sen. Chuck Purgason (R-Caulfield) cast the lone vote of dissension.
A joint conference committee that included Shields, Scharnhorst, House Public Safety Committee Chairman Mark Bruns (R-Jefferson City), Sen. Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia), and Rep. Jeff Roorda (R-Barnhart). Roorda sponsored a House bill introduced as a Water Patrol merger that never gained full approval in the House of Representatives.
In April, the House Committee on Public Safety heard testimony on the proposed merger. Deputy Director Andrea Spillars of the Missouri Department of Public Safety testified that the merger could save the state as much as $3 million, but her testimony met opposition.
Rad Talburt, the retired director of the Missouri State Water Patrol testified that Spillars’ estimates were inaccurate. Talburt testified that the Water Patrol prospered and won awards because it’s 90-plus officers concentrated on marine law enforcement.
“Should this happen, the services will go down, and it will cost more,” Talburt said.
In the Senate Rebooting Government report, an uncited line offers an estimated savings to the state government of $500,000. To date, the state government has not conducted a formal study to estimate the amount of money that a Water Patrol merger with the Highway Patrol would save or cost the state.
Under the newly passed bill, the Water Patrol division of the Highway Patrol would continue to be funded through the state Water Patrol fund.
The Highway Patrol superintendent would appoint a director of the Water Patrol division. The Highway Patrol retirement fund is combined with that of the Missouri Department of Transportation, whereas the Water Patrol retirement fund is handled through the Department of Public Safety.
After the 2010 legislative session, Nixon cited the merger’s passage as one of several steps in state government he wants enacted.
“We need to make permanent changes in the way the state does business, whether by streamlining operations, cutting bureaucratic red tape, or moving services online. Some of these changes will require legislative action, and earlier this year I asked the General Assembly to do it’s part,” Nixon said.
The Water Patrol had 22 officers assigned to the lake in 2009. It patrols approximately 8,322 miles of shoreline around the state including lakes, streams and rivers.
lakenewsonline.com
Posted May 18, 2010 @ 06:30 AM
Camdenton, Mo. —
The Missouri State Water Patrol will merge with the Missouri State Highway Patrol by the start of 2011. A vote with only hours remaining in the 2010 session of the Missouri General Assembly put House Bill 1868 on Gov. Jay Nixon’s desk for approval.
“This will give us increased administrative efficiency while keeping the same number of uniformed officers on our roadways and on our waterways. This consolidation just makes sense,” Nixon said in praise of the merger shortly after the end of the session on Friday.
State Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst (R-St. Louis) sponsored the government consolidation bill that included the Water Patrol/Highway Patrol merger. Scharnhorst introduced the bill with a single provision to reform the makeup of the State Records Commission.
In the Missouri Senate, HB 1868 took on 10 amendments, including a provision to make the Water Patrol a division of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields introduced the amendment as part of his “rebooting government” initiative, and classified the merger bill in a group of measures that, “go a long way toward getting Missouri government “right-sized” where we need to be in the future, not just this year, but looking out (to) 2012-2013.”
When HB 1868 went up for vote in the Senate, it met almost unanimous approval. State Sen. Chuck Purgason (R-Caulfield) cast the lone vote of dissension.
A joint conference committee that included Shields, Scharnhorst, House Public Safety Committee Chairman Mark Bruns (R-Jefferson City), Sen. Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia), and Rep. Jeff Roorda (R-Barnhart). Roorda sponsored a House bill introduced as a Water Patrol merger that never gained full approval in the House of Representatives.
In April, the House Committee on Public Safety heard testimony on the proposed merger. Deputy Director Andrea Spillars of the Missouri Department of Public Safety testified that the merger could save the state as much as $3 million, but her testimony met opposition.
Rad Talburt, the retired director of the Missouri State Water Patrol testified that Spillars’ estimates were inaccurate. Talburt testified that the Water Patrol prospered and won awards because it’s 90-plus officers concentrated on marine law enforcement.
“Should this happen, the services will go down, and it will cost more,” Talburt said.
In the Senate Rebooting Government report, an uncited line offers an estimated savings to the state government of $500,000. To date, the state government has not conducted a formal study to estimate the amount of money that a Water Patrol merger with the Highway Patrol would save or cost the state.
Under the newly passed bill, the Water Patrol division of the Highway Patrol would continue to be funded through the state Water Patrol fund.
The Highway Patrol superintendent would appoint a director of the Water Patrol division. The Highway Patrol retirement fund is combined with that of the Missouri Department of Transportation, whereas the Water Patrol retirement fund is handled through the Department of Public Safety.
After the 2010 legislative session, Nixon cited the merger’s passage as one of several steps in state government he wants enacted.
“We need to make permanent changes in the way the state does business, whether by streamlining operations, cutting bureaucratic red tape, or moving services online. Some of these changes will require legislative action, and earlier this year I asked the General Assembly to do it’s part,” Nixon said.
The Water Patrol had 22 officers assigned to the lake in 2009. It patrols approximately 8,322 miles of shoreline around the state including lakes, streams and rivers.