RI DEM director - Jan Reitsma resigned today

[JohnR]

From the Projo: http://www.projo.com/digitalbulletin....1a15bf38.html

DEM director resigns over e-mail exchange
12:17 PM EST on Tuesday, November 4, 2003

Staff and wire reports


PROVIDENCE -- The director of the state Department of Environmental Management, under fire for sending a profanity-laced e-mail, resigned during a meeting this morning with Governor Carcieri.

Carcieri accepted the resignation.

The meeting was called after the e-mail from Reitsma to the vice chairman of the state Marine Fisheries Council surfaced yesterday. Dated last Friday, the e-mail includes expletives and pointed attacks.

Carcieri said he was very concerned about the e-mail but indicated to reporters that there was more than the e-mail that troubled him.

Reitsma said he regretted writing the e-mail, saying that he had let down the public, who he had been appointed to serve.
Reitsma was appointed by former Gov. Lincoln Almond in 1999 and reappointed by Carcieri this year.

This may not be a good thing for several reasons. With this position as an appointment from the Governor, so many different groups might be lobbying to put their fella in that we could have all sorts of idiots at the helm. On the other hand, if we are lucky, we just might get an upgrade... Anyone have any clue on who might be a suitable replacement?