News Release 463

MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
CELEBRATES ONE YEAR WITH OMBUDSMEN
Ombudsmen visit more than 430 citizens and leaders in southwest Missouri

Volume 34-463

Contact: Connie Patterson

(For immediate release)

573-751-1010

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, OCT. 18, 2006 -- In just the first year since the inception of the Ombudsman Program, Missouri Department of Natural Resources' ombudsmen have made nearly 1,700 contacts with citizens, community leaders and business owners. Dave Woolery and Carrie Smith serve as ombudsmen in the Springfield office, each working half-time. As of Oct. 4, Smith had made 208 site visits, and Woolery had made 230.

Through visits to area cities and counties, Woolery became aware of a growing concern for disposing of sludge from wastewater treatment plants. Woolery met with staff at the department's regional office and learned of federal funding opportunities to address this problem. Woolery helped established the Tri-Lakes Class A Biosolid Partnership and is facilitating their efforts to build a processing plant that would convert this sludge into potting soil or compost.

Hollister City Administrator Rick Ziegenfuss credits Woolery with seeing the opportunity for regional teamwork. "On a regional issue like this, it's important to have some leadership from someone not influenced by local politics," Ziegenfuss said. "The ombudsman can cut across those local political lines and bring a bigger picture and new dimension to the discussion."

Smith worked with a local business that was having trouble with its well. Because of the lack of water samples being submitted, the local business was required to sign a Bilateral Compliance Agreement, a document that outlines what must be done to correct a problem and what penalties will be incurred if the problem is not corrected. Representatives of the business shared concerns with Smith about the document. After discussing these concerns with the Southwest Regional Office, Smith learned that because of changes made since the agreement was written, it could be revised. The business was comfortable with the revisions and agreed to sign the document. Smith credits the regional office staff for finding a solution, and was happy to be able to help the communication process.

Through the Ombudsmen Program, an ombudsman is located at each regional office, Table Rock Lake State Park and in Rolla at the department's Division of Geology and Land Survey offices. The ombudsmen operate independently from the regional offices and the department's Division of Environmental Quality and inform the regional directors and the department director of issues, concerns and problems they learn of while meeting with clients of the department.

"When I established this program in August 2005, I envisioned it as an opportunity to help to strengthen Missouri's communities while also addressing head on many of the negative myths and rumors that existed about the department," said Doyle Childers, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. "In its first year, this program has far exceeded my expectations."

Through their contacts, department ombudsmen have provided support to communities looking to make improvements to ailing infrastructure systems, business owners seeking assistance in meeting environmental standards, citizens working to address problems in their communities and a range of other issues.

"Some people initially criticized the ombudsman program, thinking it was just a job for former politicians," said Childers. "Actually, I was looking for people who were good communicators who could provide good constituent service." Only two of the department's seven ombudsmen are former elected officials.

When the department wanted to evaluate one of its new programs, the ombudsmen stepped in to help. Through initial assistance visits, the department walks permittees through their unique permit requirements and provides compliance assistance rather than conducting formal inspections. When the department conducted surveys of permittees regarding its new process, ombudsmen followed up with those surveyed to ensure the department reached everyone. Nearly 99 percent of respondents reported that they felt well served by Department of Natural Resources' staff who visited their operations as part of the initial assistance visits.

The ombudsmen, along with Childers, also have conducted town meetings across Missouri to answer questions and gain input from citizens, business leaders and city officials. Ombudsmen have held nearly 45 town meetings and met with more than 600 citizens.

Woolery joined the Ombudsman Program Sept. 1, 2005. Woolery, who owns an auction company in Branson, worked for 30 years for Southwestern Bell. He has also held several paid and appointed positions in Taney County, currently serving as chairman of the Taney County Airport Board. Smith joined the Ombudsman Program Sept. 1, 2005. Smith served for four years as the director of the Secretary of State's southwest region office in Springfield. Woolery can be reached at 573-619-1408, and Smith at 573-619-1409.

"Our work is about helping people address their needs and to meet the dreams they have for their businesses and communities," said Scott Totten, chief of the Ombudsman Program. "In the process, we hope to build lasting relationships with citizens."

More information on the ombudsman program is available at www.dnr.mo.gov/magazine/2006-fall.pdf.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Photos of Woolery and Smith, and a map of the region they serve, are available at www.dnr.mo.gov/ombudsman.htm.