The Pinedale Bureau of Land Management (BLM) office has seen a lot of recent turnover, with another new BLM field manager just signing on.

Former Pinedale Field Office Manager Chuck Otto left in 2009 and Brian Davis, of Tulsa, Okla., has temporarily filled the position since January.

Before Otto there was Dennis Stenger, who retired in 2007.

The agency’s recent staff changes prompted the Examiner to explore the turnover rate for the BLM’s Pinedale field office.

However, it officially doesn’t track its rate of turnovers.

But officials said the quick turnover rates resulted mainly from retirements and promotions.

The BLM Pinedale Field Office oversees 912,000 acres of federal lands in and around Sublette County.

Randy Warren, with the state BLM office in Cheyenne, and Davis agreed Pinedale’s cost of living influences the BLM turnover rate.

“Pinedale is a very expensive community across the board,” Davis said, explaining former employees have said their primary reason for leaving was the cost of living.

He told the Examiner BLM employees’ spouses also have difficulties finding jobs in the small community.

Warren said BLM offices where oil and gas development is present tend to have a higher turnover rates, such as Pinedale, Kemmerer and Rock Springs.

However, Beverly Gorney, who has worked for the BLM for 22 years, said the turnover rate isn’t excessively high.

“We’re not seeing a trend in any one office,” she said, explaining during her employment with the BLM there have been five state directors. The BLM also recently filled mineral and land assistant positions and the new employees will start in August.

Temporary positions are common solution when filling government jobs.

Gorney, based in the Cheyenne BLM office, has worked about 20 temporary jobs at different BLM offices. She enjoys the new opportunities with exploring different positions and locations.

The BLM pays housing for its employees who fill temporary positions until a permanent employee is chosen.

Davis has lived in the Hampton Inn and Suites since January while serving as acting field manager.

He will return to his home on July 25 with the BLM’s hiring of permanent field manager Shane DeForest.

For Davis, the new experience has lasted long enough – he said he is ready to return home to his family.



For the complete article see the 07-20-2010 issue.

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