Cribbs Refuses to Quit Wildlife Commission

Hal Cribbs has refused the California Fish and Game Commission’s informal request to resign as executive secretary, apparently forcing a public review of his performance.

Cribbs, as head of the commission’s full-time staff since 1979, is one of the most influential wildlife management figures in the state. Friday, after a commission meeting at San Luis Obispo, he was approached by commission President Bob Bryant of Yuba City and commission member Everett McCracken of Carmichael, who asked him to resign.

Cribbs said Tuesday: “Mr. Bryant called me, and I informed him that I was not planning on resigning. . . . I’ll probably receive a notice, and we’ll see where it goes from there.”

McCracken said the commissioners have relied heavily on the guidance of Cribbs. “We have to,” McCracken said. “We’re just a part-time operation.”

“Harold has many attributes, but his relationships with many people in the Legislature and the Department (of Fish and Game) are not good.”

Only two of the five commissioners approached Cribbs, thus avoiding a conflict with the Brown Act, which requires the majority of a state agency to conduct its business in public.

McCracken said: “With an executive officer for an appointed commission, any questions we have regarding his performance have to be in a public meeting.”