“The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is made up of the strongest team of folks any organization could ever work with.”

I recently spent a day with our outgoing AGFC Commissioner Chairman Ford Overton. I wanted his take on the future challenges the AGFC face and what the past seven years as a commissioner has meant to him.

Ford is an avid outdoors man with deep love for Arkansas. He had been a strong supporter of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation prior to his appointment as AGFC Commissioner in 2012. Ford’s vibrant personality has brought new life to the AGFC. His ability to get the right people together for a common cause has resulted in new joint efforts to get things done.

“We have the Super Bowl winning team working for Arkansas! I give all the credit to the staff of the AGFC, the staff runs our agency. The staff keeps in tune with the state and we as Commissioners, use their knowledge as a guide in making our decisions. I have such deep respect in everything the agency does. In the beginning of my term I had no idea how deep the AGFC penetrated in to all the various needs of the state. My mind was thinking the normal hunting and fishing, but the AGFC is so much more than that. We serve the public but all the while we are responsible for conserving our resources. Making sure we leave it better than we found it each and every day.”

Ford Overton owns and operates West Tree Service in Little Rock, he and his wife Stephanie have three beautiful girls, twins Molly and Meredith and Susan their youngest.

“The girls have a good mix of mine and Stephanie’s personalities that seem to have made them very strong-minded young women and I’m super proud to say each of them love the outdoors.” says Ford.

Dave Donaldson and Bayou Meto WMA

It seemed only fitting when Ford was first appointed as a commissioner to be handed the Dave Donaldson WMA case known as the Takings Clause and now, he’s going out with guns blazing on the Bayou Meto Project both major flood water issues affecting our WMAs.

“My first vote was to take the Dave Donaldson WMA case before the U.S. Supreme Court.” says Ford.

Later, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the AGFC. Millions in compensation were awarded to the AGFC, finding that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ actions destroyed and degraded the timber, left habitat unable to regenerate and prevented the use and enjoyment of the area.

“This Bayou Meto is a huge project with the Corps of Engineers, the AGFC is just one of many partners. It’s going to take the entire team: Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC), Ducks Unlimited and all the other sponsors, government, and the private sector to allocate the necessary funding for completion and operation.” Says Ford.

The Bayou Meto Water Management Project was authorized in 1996 by Congress through the Water Resources Development Act. The Corps of Engineers and ANRC as a non-federal sponsor developed a plan that would serve to protect and conserve the groundwater resources of the Bayou Meto Basin with three components:

Agricultural Water Supply

Flood Control

Waterfowl Management

In short it provides irrigation water for the farmers and drain floodwaters within the Bayou Meto WMA as well as the private lands.

“But here we are in 2019, still the area has no way of relieving or controlling the water. There’s been approximately $270 million both federal and state poured into this project already, and it’s still not finished for one reason and another; from the cost of hooking up and operating the pumping stations for drainage, to canals obstructed by beaver dams and old log jams, not to mention the canals that haven’t even been built!” Exclaimed Ford.

“Come to Jesus” Meeting

In March, the Game and Fish Commission had what we call in the South a “Come to Jesus” meeting. Ford along with Ryan Benefield, deputy director for the Natural Resources Commission, said it would cost about $10 million to complete the work. But it was an open question as to who would pay for it. At the May 1st meeting, the Corps of Engineers said it might be able to allocate $7-8 million.

Meanwhile, continued flooding is killing off the timber such as red oaks, hardwoods that are crucial to waterfowl habitat and other wildlife.

“We must do whatever it takes to get a fire lite and complete this project if we want to save and preserve our wetlands. I’m all about getting the job it done, take out the politics and lets work together in order to get this Bayou Meto thing finished.” Says Ford.

Ford was instrumental in getting town hall meetings in Little Rock and Springdale initiated. The commissioners were all present and answered many questions from the public. Chairman Overton felt like these meetings were both beneficial and successful and brought positive input to the commission.. Folks shared their concerns and ideas on a whole range of things that we needed to hear and investigate throughout the state.

“I’m fortunate in that I served on the commission and made friends that I would have never met. In leaving the commission, I’m taking away the pride of being a part of something bigger than I could have ever imagined. My passion and love for Arkansas has grown to a level I never thought possible. I’ve been truly blessed and will continue to keep things fun, alive and going, for the youth are the future of Arkansas!”