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Kerry Kammer
Kerry Kammer served the
people of Michigan in several different capacities, as State of Michigan
Senator from Pontiac (1975-1983), Commissioner, Michigan Natural
Resources Commission, Lansing (1983-1987), and Lobbyist, Kammer/Michigan,
Consultants, Inc., Clarkston, MI (1983-2004). He was born in Detroit,
Michigan in 1948, attended St. Frederick High School in Pontiac and
graduated with a BA in English from Wayne State University. He served
the recreation and park profession in Michigan and persons living in
Michigan for a period of over 30 years.
He was born in Detroit,
Michigan in 1948, attended St. Frederick High School in Pontiac and
graduated with a BA degree in English from Wayne State University.
Kerry Kammer was
appointed City Clerk of the city of Pontiac, Michigan in 1973 and was
elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1974. His election at 26 years
of age made him the youngest serving State Senator. His background
included a strong fishing ethic, land ethic and a great love of hunting
and hunting dogs. It was this great passion that carried his concern
over the disappearance of recreation land around Metropolitan areas and
the lack of a land ethic by many of persons using the natural
environment for a variety of recreation purposes throughout Michigan
The first major
initiative of his career was sponsorship of a bill to commit seven
million dollars of the state budget to the Work Opportunity Resources
Corporation (WORC). The resulting act provided cities, townships and
counties with the ability to spend the money on a grant basis to hire
young people for summer employment to work on conservation and
environmental projects in parks and on public recreation lands.
While he was Senator,
Kerry was a member of numerous committees that relate to our profession
and it’s several needs including: Appropriations Committee; chairman of
the sub-committee on school and Department of Education; chairman of
sub-committee on DNR; member of the State Capital Outlay Committee;
chairman, special committee to investigate pollution and toxic
substances; member, special committee to study uses for hydrocarbon
royalties; and member, Special Joint Committee on Aging.
As Senator he was
honored as Michigan United Conservation Clubs Legislative
Conservationist of the Year; recipient of VFW Service Award; Pontiac
Bicentennial Honor Award; Pontiac Latino Community Service Award and the
National Wildlife Federation for outstanding contribution to the wise
use and management of the nation’s natural resources. He also was
instrumental in establishing the Michigan Dog Field Trial grounds which
has held many national championships. In addition, he was very active
in his community providing recreation services for many individuals and
groups through his memberships in Knights of Columbus, Pontiac Jaycees,
Pontiac March of Dimes Board, Oakland County Sportsman’s Club and
Oakland County Association of Retarded Citizens.
In December of 1975
after meeting with MUCC Executive Director Tom Washington, Kammer
announced he would introduce a bill to dedicate royalties paid to the
state from oil and gas to a natural resources trust fund to buy land and
or rights in lands for the public. Subsequently monies were also used
for the development of recreation lands. Advocated for the trust fund
concept, believed it fair and logical to use profit from public lands to
enhance public ownership, thus compensating the public for intrusion on
their lands with enhanced recreation opportunities.
Many other pieces of
legislation had the support and chief sponsorship of Kammer during his
eight year tenure on the state senate. His sponsorship of the Wetlands
Protection Act gave long-sought protection to Michigan. The omnibus
Hunting and licensing act of 1980, The Sand Dune Mining act are just a
few of the examples of Kammer led Conservation and environmental
campaigns.
Kerry Kammer also
served a term as commissioner of the Natural Resources Commission upon
leaving the Senate in 1983. While he has received many honors from many
different groups associated with Conservation and the Environment, it is
the creation of the Trust that bore his name and has appropriated so far
651 million dollars to acquire and develop and improve the public
recreation in this state, that he is the best known.
KERRY KAMMER IS WELL
REMEMBERED FOR HIS VISION AND EFFORT OF PASSING LEGISLATION,
ESTABLISHING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT RESULTED IN THE BROAD USE AND
PROTECTION OF THE MICHIGAN NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. |
