Fish and Game officials resign over oral contracts

LEWISTON – Two employees with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game have resigned and another was suspended for 10 days without pay after an investigation by the attorney general’s office found $212,000 in oral contracts involving the department.

Oral contracts are against Fish and Game rules, which require contracts to be written and reviewed. The department did not name the employees, citing personnel policy, or say when they resigned or were suspended.

“We don’t believe there was any criminal intent and no conduct rising to the level of a criminal investigation, but we can’t rule that out,” said Terry Mansfield, the interim director of the department. Mansfield stepped aside Wednesday after Lewiston resident Cal Groen was appointed to the post by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission.

The attorney general’s office said it found no criminal activity regarding the contracts.

According to a news release from Fish and Game, administrators learned of possible policy violations on Nov. 8 involving oral contracts.

Steve Huffaker, Fish and Game director at that time, asked the attorney general to investigate.

“I looked into just a little bit and determined, yeah, there was something going on,” said Huffaker, who retired Jan. 1. “I didn’t want to be the one to investigate it or for it to be an internal investigation, and I called the AG’s office to look into it and they did.”

Huffaker announced his retirement on Nov. 3, five days before the oral contracts came to light.

The release said Fish and Game employees, former employees, and contract workers were questioned during the attorney general’s investigation, which found 15 oral contracts worth $212,000 that were made in four years involving software development for department projects.