DNR worker talks of note on budget

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Keenen Patterson was attending his first upper-level staff meeting at the Department of Natural Resources, filling in for his supervisor and taking notes to share with her.

He wrote what he thought was most important first, emphasizing it in all capital letters: "Warning: If a senator or representative asks you for ideas about how to reduce the department's budget, Do not do it. This is a firing offense."

Patterson's notes from the Feb. 20 meeting reached a House member last week and sparked a political firestorm.

Republicans say Patterson's notes appear to confirm that Gov. Bob Holden's administration has been stonewalling GOP efforts to cut operations.

Patterson defended his notes as an accurate representation -- but not a direct quotation or official rendition -- of what was discussed at the Feb. 20 meeting. The note stemmed from comments by Gary Heimericks, director of DNR's Division of Administrative Support.

Patterson said it was his impression that upper- and mid-level managers could face firing for suggesting budget cuts, but could freely respond to legislative questions about the effects of possible cuts that lawmakers would initiate.

"My impression was pretty much what I wrote in my notes," Patterson said in an interview. "But then again, (Heimericks) was talking to an audience of program directors and regional directors, not an audience of (lower level) staff. So we're maybe in a different situation of what those folks are."

Heimericks said Tuesday he had been trying to stress that additional budget cuts could result in layoffs -- not that employees could be fired for suggesting cuts to legislators.

"I did not say this is a firing offense," Heimericks said in an interview. "What I advised the staff was, because of the potential core reductions that might take place, we are in a position where jobs are on the line."