Gov. Tony Evers appoints one woman from Milwaukee and one from Ashland to the Natural Resources Board

Paul A. Smith
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Gov. Tony Evers has appointed Sharon Adams of Milwaukee and Sandra Dee E. Nass of Ashland to fill upcoming vacancies on the Natural Resources Board.

Evers made the announcement Friday morning.

“Here in Wisconsin, our state and our economy – from our sporting heritage to fishing and boating to outdoor recreation – depend on preserving and protecting our natural resources," Evers said in a statement. “I'm excited to appoint Sandra and Sharon who understand the vast and valuable natural resources Wisconsin holds and are ready to advocate on behalf of our land and water, our sporting heritage, and the health and wellness of our people and our wildlife.”

The appointments were made to fill the seats of Julie Anderson of Sturtevant and Fred Prehn of Wausau whose terms expire Saturday.

Sharon Adams of Milwaukee has been appointed to the Natural Resources Board by Gov. Tony Evers.

The seven-member board sets policy for the Department of Natural Resources.

Adams is co-founder of the Walnut Way Conservation Corporation, a community development organization dedicated to economically diverse and environmentally sustainable neighborhoods.

While at Walnut Way she fostered initiatives to implement stormwater management, demonstrate healthy urban food production and introduce 4-H programming, according to a handout from Evers' staff.

She has also served as a board advisor for the UW-Madison College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and has advised the City of Milwaukee on policy issues impacting natural resources

Sandra Dee E. Naas of Ashland has been appointed to the Natural Resources Board by Gov. Tony Evers.

Naas has more than 30 years of experience related to conservation and serves as an Agriculture and Natural Resources Instructor and FFA advisor at Ashland High School.

She is also the owner and primary natural resources scientist at Stable Solutions, an environmental consulting firm in Ashland, as well as chair of the Bayfield County Conservation Congress and vice-chair of the Bayfield County Deer Advisory Council.

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Prior to these positions she also worked as a Soil and Water Scientist at JZ Environmental and held the position of county conservationist at the Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas and Iron, and Adams County Land and Water Conservation departments. Naas is an avid hunter and angler, and a certified trapper education instructor. 

Natural Resources Board members are appointed by the governor and serve six-year, staggered terms. Their service is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

Chapter 15 of the Wisconsin Statutes establishes the board and describes its duties. Under the law, three members are appointed from the territory north of a line running east and west through the south limits of Stevens Point, three members from the territory south of the line and one member from the state at large.

In addition, at least one board member must have an agricultural background and at least three must have held a hunting, fishing or trapping license in at least seven of the 10 years before the year of nomination.

Anderson bid the board goodbye at its April meeting, but Prehn said he was "considering his options" about whether to vacate his seat if not reappointed. Although is has been done very rarely, case law and state statute allow a board member to continue to serve even after their term has expired while the Senate considers the new appointee.

Prehn did not respond Thursday to a request from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about his board plans. 

The next NRB meeting is scheduled May 26. 

With Friday's announcement,  Evers has appointed four board members (Bill Smith of Shell Lake and Marcy West of La Farge in addition to Adams and Nass), and three (Bill Bruins of Waupun, Terry Hilgenberg of Shawano and Greg Kazmierski of Pewaukee) were appointed by former Gov. Scott Walker.