General schedule
DNR usually hosts a kickoff meeting in December. The Fisheries Oversight Committee and Wildlife Oversight Committee set their own schedules and meet once or twice a month during January to May. The Budgetary Oversight Committee meets once a month during January to May and sometimes an additional meeting in the summer. Meetings are usually held after regular business hours at the DNR Central Office in St. Paul with conferencing options available. Some reading and writing is needed outside of meetings.
Statutory authority
As of July 2011, under Minnesota Statutes, sec. 97A.055, subd. 4b,
The Fisheries Oversight Committee and Wildlife Oversight Committee are charged to:
- Review the DNR annual report on revenues and expenditures for the Game & Fish Fund; review the proposed work plans and budgets for the coming year; propose changes in policies, activities, and revenue enhancements or reductions; review other relevant information; and make recommendations to the legislature and the commissioner for improvements in the management and use of money in the game and fish fund.
The Budgetary Oversight Committee (BOC) is charged to:
- Coordinate the integration of the fisheries and wildlife oversight committee reports into an annual report to the legislature; recommend changes on a broad level in policies, activities, and revenue enhancements or reductions; and provide a forum to address issues that transcend the fisheries and wildlife oversight committees;
- By August 15 of each even-numbered year, develop recommendations for a biennial budget plan and report for expenditures on game and fish activities and submit the budget plan recommendations to the commissioner and to the senate and house of representatives committees with jurisdiction over natural resources finance; and
- Make recommendations for outcome goals from expenditures to the commissioner and to the senate and house of representatives committees with jurisdiction over natural resources finance.