Posted on 05/19/2007 3:20:33 PM PDT by Snickering Hound
WASHINGTON — One day after its hurricane forecasters complained of budget cuts, the head of the National Weather Service and his deputy announced they will retire next month.
David Johnson, the director, and John Jones, the deputy director, plan to bow out at the end of June, according to an internal memo they sent Friday to staff of the nation's weather agency.
On Thursday, the AP reported that the director of the Miami-based National Hurricane Center, which is part of the weather service, believes the government is wasting millions of dollars on advertising while shortchanging his hurricane forecasters' budget.
Bill Proenza, the center's director, said in an interview that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the parent of the weather service, is spending up to $4 million to publicize its 200th anniversary while cutting $700,000 for hurricane research. A NOAA spokesman said the agency plans to spend $1.5 million.
The day after that report, the weather service's top two officials, Johnson and Jones, announced their resignations to staff, but did not mention Proenza's criticisms.
Johnson has been head of the weather service since 2004 and formerly was a brigadier general in the Air Force. He told co-workers that the agency faces many challenges but his job has been "a superbly fulfilling opportunity."
Their departures were first reported by the Miami Herald.
NOAA Administrator Conrad Lautenbacher thanked Johnson and Jones for their service.
Lautenbacher said he is naming assistant administrator Mary Glackin as acting head of the weather service and Vickie Nadolski, director of the service's western region, as acting assistant administrator.
Who needs forecasters when we have globull warming alarmists playing Nostradamus.
Why the hell do we cut one of the few parts of the federal government that actually does something useful?
Will Pat Leahy hold hearings???
who will protect us from hurricanes now?
Because, as you said, it's useful.
Because it makes the rest of them look bad to have folks doing useful stuff.
Seriously.
As a kid growing up in New Orleans, we went through a lot of hurricanes without the political BS of today. People took care of themselves, and they’re still doing it today except for the usual suspects.
well said.
Cut and Run weathercasters. I guess they are just following the trend.
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