DNR explains Ogan's hire

March 4, 2004

KATE GOLDEN/Frontiersman reporter

Former legislator Scott Ogan's lack of relevant professional experience or educational background raised questions about his hire at the Department of Natural Resources, but the department defended its hiring process and backed up its new employee's qualifications.

The Division of Mining Lands and Water director was quick to point out ex-state Sen. Scott Ogan's qualifications for his new managerial position there, but not quick enough to make it to the Frontiersman's Tuesday press deadline Feb. 28.

Bob Loeffler, director of the Department of Natural Resources' Division of Mining Lands and Water, clarified the circumstances of the hire.

Loeffler said the Natural Resources Manager II position was not created for Ogan, who resigned from his position as a state senator last year after a judge declined to kill a recall effort launched by a group concerned about what they perceived as a conflict between Ogan's position as a legislator and his job as a $40,000-a-year consultant for Evergreen Resources, a Colorado-based company that had leased extensive areas of Mat-Su for coal-bed methane drilling.

The department, Loeffler said, created the classified job in a reorganization that began in May 2003. Loeffler did not know Ogan was going to apply before he did so.

"He was not envisioned when we created the position. Nor was he envisioned when we created the notice," he said.

Of the half-dozen who applied for the position, three or four were interviewed. The hiring team created the questions for the interview before it knew who the applicants were.

"The interview team told me [Ogan] turned out to be very knowledgeable," he said. He added that Ogan performed well on a writing exercise given to applicants.

Loeffler said that when the department received Ogan's application, it asked Commissioner Tom Irwin for advice.

The commissioner's response, he said, was "'This is a classified position: Do your normal recruiting process, and hire the best person.'"

Kate Golden can be reached at 352-2284 or kate.golden@frontiersman.com.