RHINELANDER - The Department of Natural Resources will be closing 24 Service Centers. That means you won't be able to walk into a Service Center in one of these towns and talk to a DNR employee or buy a license.

In our viewing area, this will affect Service Centers in Antigo, Park Falls, Woodruff, Wausau, and Wisconsin Rapids.


Adam Collins, a DNR spokesperson, says, "The public had to get in their car and drive down to a Service Center. They have the ability and opportunity to get their question answered either over the phone through our call center or through our website."

Collins says 51 jobs will be cut due to this change. He says the Governor wants to avoid layoffs and will try to re-assign those employees.

He adds they are beefing up the call center and expect to put 15 of those employees to work there.

As for the other 36 people, Collins says the DNR has not been filling vacant positions over the past year and has 300 vacancies right now. He's hoping some of those openings can be filled with the people who are losing their jobs at the Service Centers.

These changes must be done by March of next year.

The changes at Service Centers, will not affect the seven Regional Headquarters, including Rhinelander.

The DNR Call Center number is 888-WDNR-INFO.
You can also log onto the DNR's website by clicking on the link below.

Related Weblinks: Department of Natural Resources