Former Aide Gets Forest Job Contractor Will Try To Persuade Congress To Let State Manage Federal Lands

Idaho’s bid to take over management of some federal lands will be led by a former aide for Gov. Dirk Kempthorne.

John McGee, 26, who worked for Kempthorne in the U.S. Senate, will be paid up to $75,000 under a one-year contract. He’ll try to turn a packet of recommendations from a state task force into successful legislation in Congress.

McGee was selected over three other bidders, including a law firm - all of whom wanted much more money.

“I think it’s a unique opportunity to really create some change in the way forests in Idaho are managed,” McGee said Tuesday. “The ultimate goal is going to be to try to give these small timber communities some relief. And to try to improve the health of the forests.”

After persistent complaints from the timber industry about limited logging on the millions of acres of federal lands in Idaho, the state Legislature three years ago called for the state to get more involved. The Land Board then appointed a Federal Lands Task Force, which developed a proposal for one or more “pilot projects,” where the state would manage federal lands.

Task force members noted that Idaho’s state trust lands, which are managed for the financial benefit of the state’s school endowment, turn a profit because of timber harvests.

McGee said he hopes to hear from environmentalists as well as the timber industry. “Ultimately, if anything’s going to get done, it’s going to have to be through some cooperative effort between the two groups,” he said.

The state has the option to extend McGee’s contract for two more years. With a work group from the task force, he will identify potential projects and seek congressional authorization.

McGee scored the most points of the four bidders for the contract based on a review by a five-member team, state Lands Director Stan Hamilton said.

While Kempthorne chief of staff Phil Reberger endorsed McGee, Purchasing Division administrator Jan Cox said cost was the deciding factor.

McGee, who resigned as Republican Rep. Mike Simpson’s district director March 25, proposed an hourly rate of $27.

In contrast, WRB Consulting of Boise, Advanced Forest Systems of Coeur d’Alene and the Perkins Coie law firm of Boise and Washington, D.C., submitted rates of $36, $60 and $175, respectively.

Kempthorne’s former legislative director in the Senate, W.H. “Buzz” Fawcett, and former U.S. Forest Service attorney Robert Maynard submitted the bid for the Perkins Coie law firm.

WRB Consulting is a new firm formed by Federal Lands Task Force member William Bachman, a resource forester for Croman Inc.

Advanced Forest Systems is a 5-year-old company created by Charlie Johnson Jr., federal timber program manager for the Intermountain Forest Industry Association.

In a letter accompanying McGee’s bid proposal, Reberger enthusiastically recommended his selection.

“In his capacity with Senator Kempthorne, John was instrumental in getting several important pieces of legislation passed,” he wrote in a June 15 letter. “John McGee knows what it takes to forge coalitions and get federal legislation passed.”

Reberger cited McGee’s work for Kempthorne to preserve the agricultural Market Access Program, obtain $6.1 million for the city of McCall’s new wastewater treatment project and negotiate $500,000 for the Agricultural Education Competitive Grants program.

McGee was the only bidder who asked Reberger to write a letter of recommendation on his behalf, Kempthorne spokesman Brian Whitlock said.

The evaluation team included Kempthorne agriculture adviser Darrel McRoberts, Deputy Attorney General Clive Strong, Chief Deputy Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, Deputy Controller Gino White and Don Robertson of state schools Superintendent Marilyn Howard’s office.

McGee said being coordinator would be his only job.

“I am not employed by any other organization, nor will I be pursuing any other professional endeavors,” he wrote in his bid proposal. “I believe that a proposal such as this requires a full and complete degree of commitment from an individual.”

An Albertson College graduate who majored in history, McGee worked three years as a legislative assistant for Kempthorne, and then worked briefly for Simpson before seeking the new post.

Staff writer Betsy Z. Russell contributed to this report.