Senate Committee Rejects Gov. Polis’ CPW Commission Appointees

DENVER—The Colorado Senate Agriculture Committee on April 22 rejected two of the three appointments made by Governor Polis to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission.By state law, the CPW commission contains 13 members, 11 of which are appointed by the governor and approved by the Senate. The remaining two members include the executive director of the Department of Natural Resources, and the Colorado Agriculture Commissioner.Frances Blayney, co-owner of a fly-fishing business in Colorado Springs, was approved by the committee unanimously to represent outfitters on the commission, but two others were denied.Thumbs downChris Sichko, a Boulder resident and research economist who has worked with the Department of Agriculture, was shot down by the committee on a 3-4 vote.Tapped to represent sportsman on the commission, Sichko claims he actively participates in small game bow hunting and fishing, but had no support from any Colorado sportsman groups, and has no experience with big game hunting,“I just don’t think we should have somebody filling the sportsman’s seat that has not garnered any support from the sportsman community and doesn’t have the experience to recognize CPW’s funding source from the sportsman community,” Committee Chair Sen. Dylan Roberts said at the meeting.Hunting and fishing licenses make up 58% of CPW funding, and with 12 other applicants with big game hunting experience, the commission turned Sichko away.John Emerick received the most criticism from the committee, voted down 2-5. A retired environmental biology professor, Emerick has a background in environmental and anti-hunting activism and was appointed to the at-large seat in July 2025.Emerick was the Treasurer for Colorado Wild a wolf advocacy group who heavily supported the forced reintroduction measure. He also voted for Proposition 127, the mountain lion hunting ban, that ultimately failed at the ballot box.Emerick defended his positions, saying he was appointed to this seat based on his experience and passion. “I’m not an agriculturalist, I’m not a hunter, but I certainly use our parks. ”Colorado Wildlife Conservation Project wrote a letter the committee, which included 15 sportsman organizations and former CPW staff, urging the senators to “advance appointments that fully meet statutory requirements, avoid conflicts of interest, and rebuild trust with the diverse constituencies that depend on CPW.”“You have a history of very specific activism, which is absolutely your right, and you seem to have done a good job in that space,” Sen Roberts added. “But given the responsibility that the commission has, I do not think you are qualified or prepared or suited to serve in the at-large position.”Former commissioner weighs inRick Enstrom, a former CPW commissioner, says the wildlife agency has become more politicized as of late, due to outside influences.“Much like lobbyists in the legislature, there are NGOs that are feeding direct lines to these commissioners, and it’s muddied up the system.”Enstrom also notes the influence of First Gentleman Marlon Reis, an outspoken animal rights activist, over the decisions of his husband, Governor Polis.“The sportsmen were outraged, nobody could believe it, but once again this isn’t the Governor, these are Marlon Ries’ picks,” Enstrom told Complete Colorado. “Government agencies are not there to be politicized.”