© 2024 University of Missouri - KBIA
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Director of Missouri State Parks Removed From Job

The director of the Missouri State Parks division says he's been removed from the job without explanation.

Bill Bryan told The Springfield News-Leader he was told Jan. 23 that his services were no longer needed. He says no explanation was given and he didn't ask for one.

Bryan was appointed by former Gov. Jay Nixon in 2009 to head the state parks department. During his tenure, the park system added seven new parks.

The News-Leader said spokesmen for Gov. Eric Greitens and the Department of Natural Resources declined to discuss Bryan's ouster.

State Parks and the DNR have been criticized recently for using money intended to clean up lead mines to buy new parks. Bryan says he's not sure if that factored into his termination.

Update: A prior version of this article suggested that former director Bill Bryan was "femoved" from his position.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.