By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – Scott Mason of Stratford is the new executive director of the state’s Fish and Game Department.
The vote was 3-1 with Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky, D-Concord, abstaining.
Only Executive Councilor Debora Pignatelli, D-Nashua, said she could not support the nomination for what she called Mason’s lack of qualifications.
Executive Councilor Michael Cryans, D-Hanover, and Russell Prescott, R-Kingston, said they made the decision hours before the meeting and both thanked all for the voluminous input on both sides. Republican Ted Gatsas of Manchester also voted in favor of Mason.
Cryans said he made the decision because of the conflicts between ATV owners and homeowners in Coos County who live near trailheads. He said he received Mason’s promise to work out problems “as best he can” with the trails bureau and the neighbors.
“It was a very tough decision to come to. I woke up at 3 a.m. and I was mulling it,” Cryans said.
His district is Coos County where Mason comes from and many of Mason’s opponents are residents of his district.
“Scott promised me he will work with the trails bureau and others to see if there is some resolution. It is not getting any better. I think it is unfair to have them see no light at the proverbial end of the tunnel,” he said. “The fact he is from Coos County, some say they don’t think it is a big deal. I still think it is a pretty big deal.”
Mason is a dairy farmer from the town of Stratford and he worked for the developers of a controversial hydro-power project Northern Pass that failed to win approval.
Cryans noted that as Grafton County Commissioner he was in opposition to the Northern Pass project.
“The good news when it was all over, our viewpoint prevailed,” Cryans said.
“I put that out there because Scott was an advocate for the Northern Pass,” Cryans said. “I don’t hold that against him.”
Volinsky, who is running for governor as a Democrat, recused himself from the vote because he was an attorney for intervenors in the Northern Pass project.
He complimented and thanked Glenn Normandeau for this prior work as executive director of the department for the last 12 years.
Pignatelli said she would not be able to support Mason’s nomination today after reading the job description. She said he may have some knowledge and preliminary experience “but he does not meet the qualifications in the job posting.”
She said her vote might be different if he was being considered for the position of Agriculture Commissioner.
“We need to look for a better fit for this very important role,” Pignatelli said.
Prescott thanked Councilor Ted Gatsas and others for helping him come to the decision to support Mason.
“I envy Councilor Gatsas who has more history and time getting to know Mr. Mason,” he said.
Prescott is not running for re-election. Prescott listed a number of concerns that were brought up in a public hearing last week attended by more than 80 people.
Of most concern to him was the personal event which took place at his farm in which he insulted a Fish and Game biologist.
The biologist called it after the fact “an unfortunate conversation. “It gave me a reason to pursue the underlying conflict.
“The second thing I took away from the public hearing is whether or not Mr. Mason believes in conservation,” Prescott said.
Some people at the public hearing said Mason opposed the creation of a conservation commission in his town.
“The third was a personal appearance Mr. Mason had before the NH House on House Bill 1571 and his testimony turned into a problem, a little bit of a ruckus and caused the committee hearing to be recessed,” he said.
Testimony indicated that Mason called some people “wackadoodle” though he said it was a rhetorical comment and not directed at anyone. Prescott said he had to weigh those with the positive input he received on the nominee.
“I have to weigh that with the amount of positive testimony that was received last week concerning his professionalism, how…he tries to bring people together in his professional capacity,” Prescott said.
