HomeMy WebLinkAbout030124 email - DNR Trust Land Transfer Advisory Committee application period opensALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Hi there,
My name is Kenny Ocker, and I am the new Trust Land Transfer Program Manager at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. I wanted to briefly introduce myself and give you
all an update on where we are in the process.
I have worked at DNR for more than five years now and previously served as the state uplands communications manager until transitioning into my new position on February 1. Since I started,
I have been working on completing the Best Interests of the Trust analysis for the nearly three dozen Trust Land Transfer applications we received for the 2025-27 biennium and nearly
have that wrapped up.
Our next step is to stand up the Trust Land Transfer Advisory Committee for the first time. I am reaching out to you as a stakeholder in this process, and I know that many of you participated
in the committee that evaluated the pilot projects and built the formal framework of this program. We are seeking 9 to 12 volunteers to participate in up to six meetings this year to
evaluate and rank the received TLT applications. That ranked list will be taken to the Board of Natural Resources in July and, if approved, will then be fashioned into a legislative
funding request for next session. The committee position is a four-year appointment, which means that members would be committing to participate in this process for two biennia. (We
are only holding the meetings in even-numbered years to match the rhythm of the biennial budget process and TLT application process.)
No special qualifications are necessary for members of the Trust Land Transfer Advisory Committee. Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz will make the appointments to the committee
based on the applicant pool we receive. The full scope of the advisory committee’s commitments and responsibilities is available on DNR’s website <https://www.dnr.wa.gov/managed-lands/land-transacti
ons/trust-land-transfer/advisory-committee> .
DNR has recently formalized a standardized application process for all of its boards and commissions, including the TLT Advisory Committee, and the link is available at surveymonkey.com/r/waDNRApplic
ationForm <https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/waDNRApplicationForm> . It will likely take about 10 minutes to complete the form.
Despite my appointment to this position late on in the process, calendar-wise, I do believe we will be able to stay on the timeline that the working group laid out, and I sincerely hope
that you consider applying to serve on the advisory committee.
For more information on the Trust Land Transfer process, please click here <https://www.dnr.wa.gov/managed-lands/land-transactions/trust-land-transfer> . If you have any further questions,
please reach out to me and I would be happy to help clarify anything for you – my contact information is below.
Thanks, and take care!
-- KO
Kenny Ocker
Trust Land Transfer Program Manager
Strategic Planning Office
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
Cell: 360-810-1217
kenny.ocker@dnr.wa.gov <mailto:kenny.ocker@dnr.wa.gov>