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FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE

Matt Dunlap picked to lead Sportsman's Alliance

Democrat lost post in November GOP sweep

By Rebekah Metzler rmetzler@mainetoday.com
MaineToday Media State House Writer

AUGUSTA -- Matt Dunlap, Maine's former Secretary of State, was selected Monday by the Augusta-based Sportsman's Alliance of Maine to serve as its interim executive director.

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Matt Dunlap

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Dunlap, a Democrat from Old Town, served as the House chairman of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee for six years during his legislative career. He also served on SAM's 11-member board for directors for about 18 months before stepping down in recent weeks, he said.

"When it looked like (the board) really wanted to go in a different direction and they were starting to talk to me, I said, 'Look, I can't be a part of this decision,' so I resigned from the board," Dunlap said.

Dunlap replaces Tim Bell, who served as SAM's executive director for less than six months.

The organization's board of directors felt a change in leadership was necessary to achieve its goals, Dunlap said.

"The board had made some affirmative decisions to go in a certain direction and they just really wanted to make sure they got there," Dunlap said. "Basically, as tenderly as I can put it, it was just making sure that (SAM) fulfills the obligations of our strategic plan, and (the board) felt I could do that."

Bell, of Florida, become SAM's executive director last October, replacing George Smith of Mount Vernon, who had guided the advocacy and lobbying organization for 18 years.

At that time, Dunlap was a member of SAM's board and anticipated serving another two-year term as Secretary of State; but Republicans won control of the Legislature and nominated and confirmed Charles Summers, a Republican, instead -- which freed Dunlap for other work.

Jim Gorman, president of SAM's board of directors, said he believed Dunlap was the right choice to lead the group.

"With all the changes and challenges that face sportsmen right now, we felt we needed someone who would have instant credibility with the powers that be in Augusta and with the rest of the outdoor community," Gorman said in prepared statement.

Rep. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville, is the current House chairman on the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, as well as SAM's treasurer and a member of its board. He praised Dunlap's past work and said he would be a good leader.

"He's well known over at the State House and is well accepted by both sides," Davis said. "These types of issues I've always found, it was always, 'Well, what is the best way?' and I think that's always the way Matt approached it. He's a strong advocate for SAM."

About 10 years ago, Dunlap helped start the Maine Youth Fish and Game Association. He's also written a monthly column for The Northwoods Sporting Journal since 1997 and he has represented SAM on a variety of committees.

Dunlap said he hopes to refocus the state's largest sporting group on it's core mission and help expand its membership, which is about 12,000.

"The new plan is the (original) plan -- getting back to the grassroots, reaching out to members and being a resource for our members," he said. "We're a member organization first, and that's really something that we need to focus on. We just want to get back to the day-to-day maintenance of the information sharing network that SAM has provided sportsmen now for really 35 years."

Legislative goals for the group would include better use of wildlife resources, stabilizing the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and ensuring Maine has enough game wardens with the right training and equipment to do their jobs, said Dunlap.

And despite tight economic times, Dunlap said increasing conservation resources is also a top priority.

"You talk about 80 percent of the state budget being education and human services -- 20 percent is everything else, and 'everything else' is pretty darn big," he said. "So when you don't have money for conservation -- I mean, that's what people come here for. They come here to enjoy the outdoors. So it's important that we take care of that stuff."

Rebekah Metzler -- 620-7016

rmetzler@mainetoday.com