Gov Evaluates His First 100 Days [AUDIO]

Gov. Matt Mead held a press conference in Casper Tuesday. The governor took the time to evaluate his first 100 days in office. Gov. Mead characterized the opening stint of his administration as busy but productive.

Agencies combined for efficiency:

"One of the, in my mind, positive things that came out of this legislative session is we combined Workforce Services with the Department of Employment. That I think is going pretty well. You had great people in both agencies, and I think the ability to combine those and the ability for those people in both agencies to work as one agency is going to bear good results."

And as another way to make government more efficient, Gov. Mead is working on cleaning up some bureaucratic clutter by ferreting out executive orders from previous governors.

Past executive orders:

"As an example, I think one of the orders says no state employee can drive over 65 miles per hour on the freeways. That's just a minor example but we wanted to clean those up because in order for executive orders to be meaningful, it seems to me, it's necessary they be current and be accurate. So by executive order, I am going to get rid of a lot of those executive orders. We're going to clean some of those up, and that's been quite an interesting process."

When it comes to wolves, Gov. Mead said he had an idea for the proposal Wyoming would make to the Fish and Wildlife Service on how to manage wolves.

Flex area to control wolves:

"The numbers would be down to 10-100 outside of Yellowstone rather than the 15-150 total for the state, including Yellowstone. Because they want to extend that southern border for winter migration, what I have said, if that is true, let's create what I have called a flex area, and have that flex area during those winter months when there is not livestock in the mountains. That would be considered trophy game area."

The governor also cited a visit by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announcing the sale of coal leases as a positive development for Wyoming.

Coal leases in Powder River Basin:

"But I asked him if he was going to release some of these leases, if he would come to Wyoming to do it. I thought that day was important, not just because we need to have that coal leased, but also because, to the extent that I have been perceptive watching this administration, the Obama administration, it seems like, at the very least, there's been mixed messages whether they want coal to move forward or not. By releasing those coal leases, I thought it was a good message they're going to continue on with coal, which I think is very appropriate."

Gov. Mead did say there was one thing he regretted about his first 100 days in office.

Some travel was deferred:

"One of the things I wanted to do during the first 100 days that I didn't get done is I wanted to try and hit every county at least one time to meet with local officials."