09-24-2004, 02:09 AM
[size 2]PIERRE, S.D. – A working group of individuals, brought together by the Game, Fish and Parks Commission, who have been working on issues involving GFP, will be moving eastward in the coming weeks to gather public input.[/size]
[size 2]The West River Issues Working Group has held a series of meetings in western South Dakota. Now the group wants to collect public input from citizens in the eastern part of the state by holding meetings in Aberdeen and Sioux Falls.[/size][font "Arial"][size 3]
[/size][/font][font "Arial"][size 2]The Aberdeen meeting will be at the Ramada Inn on Tuesday, Oct. 12. The group will have their regular meeting from 1-5 p.m. This meeting will be open to the public, but public input will not be taken at this time. Public testimony will be gathered from 6:30-8:30 that evening.[/size]
[size 2]The Sioux Falls meeting will be at the Sheraton on Wednesday, Oct. 13. This meeting will follow the same agenda as the Sioux Falls meeting, with the working group meeting from 1-5 p.m. and an evening public testimony session from 6:30-8:30.[/size]
[size 2]The working group has met monthly throughout the summer. Among the issues that have been considered are communication with GFP staff, conservation officer authority to enter private lands, big game license allocation, prairie dog control, aerial hunting and purchase of public lands.[/size]
[size 2]The current meetings are intended for information gathering and consideration of ideas. The working group plans to meet in November to consider possible solutions to problems that have been identified. Their findings will be forwarded to the GFP Commission. The commission will then present their report to the legislature early next year.[/size][/font]
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[size 2]The West River Issues Working Group has held a series of meetings in western South Dakota. Now the group wants to collect public input from citizens in the eastern part of the state by holding meetings in Aberdeen and Sioux Falls.[/size][font "Arial"][size 3]
[/size][/font][font "Arial"][size 2]The Aberdeen meeting will be at the Ramada Inn on Tuesday, Oct. 12. The group will have their regular meeting from 1-5 p.m. This meeting will be open to the public, but public input will not be taken at this time. Public testimony will be gathered from 6:30-8:30 that evening.[/size]
[size 2]The Sioux Falls meeting will be at the Sheraton on Wednesday, Oct. 13. This meeting will follow the same agenda as the Sioux Falls meeting, with the working group meeting from 1-5 p.m. and an evening public testimony session from 6:30-8:30.[/size]
[size 2]The working group has met monthly throughout the summer. Among the issues that have been considered are communication with GFP staff, conservation officer authority to enter private lands, big game license allocation, prairie dog control, aerial hunting and purchase of public lands.[/size]
[size 2]The current meetings are intended for information gathering and consideration of ideas. The working group plans to meet in November to consider possible solutions to problems that have been identified. Their findings will be forwarded to the GFP Commission. The commission will then present their report to the legislature early next year.[/size][/font]
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