Senate Bill 1049 - Recreation on Endowment Land
On Monday, February 27, SB 1049, a stakeholder-sponsored bill designed to help address recreational impacts on endowment land, will be heard in the House Resources and Conservation Committee. Rep. Jerald Raymond (District 31 - Menan, ID) will carry the bill in the House.
Sen. Mark Harris previous carried the bill through the Senate.
This legislation, authored principally by David Claiborne of the Idaho State ATV Association, eliminates heavy-handed misdemeanor or felony charges for minor offenses which are the only charges currently available for law enforcement to bring. Instead, the bill allows POST-certified law enforcement officials to issue a warning ticket for minor first offenses, with second violations under the statute being punished with an infraction and $250 fine.
Citizens' due process rights are protected by requiring IDL to post visible signage in the area where recreation use restrictions may apply, publish the restrictions on the agency’s website and make the information available at the nearest IDL area office.
Digital Signage Now Live at Boise Staff Office
The February 10 edition of this newsletter profiled efforts underway to pilot a digital signage program.
The initiative has officially launched with signage rolling in the Boise Staff office.
After IT completes anticipated upgrades to the wireless networks in IDL offices the initiative will be expanded to supervisory area, field and staff offices that wish to participate.
The varieties of content that IDL will air via digital signage includes:
- Custom content for individual offices
- Facts about endowment land
- Permanent and temporary job listings
- Season-specific messaging for topics like burn permits
- News and content from IDL's social media channels
- Timely safety messages
- And more!
This effort represents a new communication channel for helping our external customers understand IDL's endowment, fire and regulatory missions and for sharing timely information to our own team members.
Seeking Historic IDL Photos
Many great men and women have built the Idaho Department of Lands that we know today. Director Dustin Miller wants to memorialize our history by sharing it online and in our offices via the agency's new digital signage initiative, and with printed photos displayed in the Boise Staff Office. We are looking for a combination of historic and current IDL land management photos to display
Do you have historic photos? Something in your area office that shows an image from 20-plus years ago? Do you know a former employee that can help? Even a picture of a picture can help us see what we have around the state. Current photos are welcome as well.
Please use your IDL Official Photos and Videos QR Code card, which was handed out during December's All Staff Meeting, to upload your submissions. Or use this Dropbox link to:
Make sure the images you share are the highest resolution possible.
Photos chosen for display will include credit to the photographer/person who provided the image. Content collected through this effort will also be made available to all area offices and may be used in other IDL print and online publicizations
Because an IDL Team Member Asked for It...
After learning of Director Miller's love of silly dad jokes at December's All Staff meeting, a yet-to-be-identified prankster sent the Director a joke book. He has been able to find out the gift giver's alias, "Doug Firr."
Although perhaps too early to call this a trend, since adding dad jokes to the lineup the open rate for this email newsletter has increased to 39% - up from the 2022 average open rate of 32.8%.
The numbers are in and it looks like corny dad jokes are here to stay!
Director Miller's Favorite Dad Joke This Week:
Q: What did the buffalo say to his son when he dropped him off at school?
A: Bison.
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Cybersecurity Training/Annual Certificate of Understanding
The following are important updates on the State’s required bi-annual Cyber security training and IDL’s Annual Certificate of Understanding form. Both of which are coming soon!
Important information and dates:
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February 22: Employees should have received an email with information regarding the Annual Cybersecurity Training (this is not a phishing email).
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February 26: Employees will be assigned IDL’s Annual Certification of Understanding in M-Files and receive an email notice from M-Files to complete this document (this is not a phishing email).
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March 1: Employees will have the KnowBe4 training assigned to them and will receive an email from Cybertraining@dhr.idaho.gov regarding this training (this is not a phishing email).
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March 31: Cybersecurity training must be completed in KnowBe4 AND the Annual Certificate of Understanding Form must be completed in M-Files.
Director Miller Joined Governor Little at Bruneau Capital for a Day
Director Miller and IDL's Southwest Area manager Dean Johnson participated in the Governor's Capital for a Day event in Bruneau on February 17. IDL manages 327,883 acres in Owyhee County.
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Approximately 30,000 acres of state endowment lands in Owyhee County have been treated for juniper encroachment since 2019 to improve sage grouse habitat.
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After more than a decade of work, the Owyhee Land Exchange was completed in the fall of 2022.
- IDL exchanged 23,878 acres of endowment land in the wilderness area for 31,030 acres of BLM land outside the wilderness boundaries.
- FY22 endowment distributions for the school districts in the county included:
- Marsing Joint School District, $157,282.56
- Bruneau-Grand View Joint School District, $106,874.55
- Homedale School District, $224,652.79
JFAC Supplemental Appropriation Hearings, IDL Budget
Director Miller presented IDL's budget to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on January 20. At that time, per normal protocol the committee did not vote on the request.
JFAC held a supplemental appropriation hearing for IDL regarding federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding on February 16, voting to approve a fund adjustment.
A supplemental appropriation opens the prior year's budget, generally adding to the total amount appropriated to an agency for that year with funding becoming available as soon as the bill becomes law.
A second supplemental request hearing for IDL was held February 17. JFAC approved FY 2023 supplemental requests for the Cottonwood Fire District and other fire equipment, resulting in the introduction of Senate Bill 1117. Sen. Van Burtenshaw, who sits on JFAC and chairs the Senate Resources and Environment Committee, is sponsoring IDL's supplemental request legislation.
Sen. Burtenshaw was a vocal supporter of IDL's hazard pay legislation last year.
IDL's overall budget request was split between the current fiscal year (FY 2023) and the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2024) to ensure the agency would receive the funding needed to set up the Cottonwood Fire District quickly.
JFAC will consider IDL's 2024 budget request on Tuesday, February 28. The agenda and a link for livestreaming this hearing will soon be posted on the Legislature's website.
Doubling Down on Dad Jokes
Here's a shout-out to our teammates who work with Nav Waters:
Q: What did the lake say to the beach?
A: Nothing, it just waved.
Employees Leaving IDL
We wish departing team members the very best in their new endeavors.
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Ty Groth, Cataldo Forest Protective District
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Kelsey McCaslin, Coeur d'Alene Staff Office
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David Crousser, Maggie Creek Supervisory Area
In Case You Missed It
Here's a recap of other recent IDL newsletters you may find interesting:
One Team One Voice Newsletter Archive
Did you miss some important news? Are you curious about knowing what's happening across IDL? Our One Team, One Voice webpage contains an archive of IDL's newsletters covering:
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