Governor names two to GF&P commission seats

Talk about it

PIERRE — Gov. Dennis Daugaard hasn’t picked a successor to Bill Cerny yet, but he did make appointments Friday to two other seats on the state Game, Fish and Parks Commission.

He reappointed Watertown businessman Jim Spies, who was originally placed on the commission in 2010 by then-Gov. Mike Rounds.

The other selection announced Friday was Gary D. Jensen, a Rapid City lawyer. Jensen succeeds Jeff Olson, of Rapid City, on Jan. 10.

Olson is finishing his second four-year term on the commission and is the current chairman. There is a two-term limit to commission membership.

Olson has been a leader in the South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger organization. He helped forge a bond between the group and the state Wildlife Division.

The Outdoor Campus-West facilities at Rapid City were built with local support and dedicated during his time on the commission.

Cerny’s seat was empty at the commission’s meeting this week after his decision last month that he should resign because he no longer fulfilled the qualifications.

State law sets specific criteria. The commission must have five members from east of the Missouri River and three from west of the river. No more than four members can be from the same political party.

At least four members at the time of their appointment must be farmers residing on a farm and engaged in agriculture, with at least two-thirds of their income derived from farming or ranching.

Cerny, a former state legislator, was placed on the commission in February by Daugaard as a West River producer. Cerny recently finished the sale of his farm near Burke and moved to Yankton.

Tags: game fish and parks, outdoors, updates, commission, state