Former natural resources deputy director takes the fall after E. coli investigation
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Former natural resources deputy director takes the fall after E. coli investigation

Date: October 16, 2009
By: Max Reiss
State Capitol Bureau

Intro:  In announcing the findings of a natural resources internal investigation, Governor Jay Nixon gave one person his job and took one away from another.
RunTime:  0:42
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Governor Jay Nixon reinstated natural resources director Mark Templeton Friday after a two week suspension.

Templeton's time off stemmed from giving the governor false information about beach closings at the Lake of the Ozarks.

That information came from former Natural Resources Deputy Director Joe Bindbeutel and Nixon says he takes the blame for poor communication.

Actuality:  BIND1.WAV
Run Time:  00:09
Description: "Because of that error and the jeopardy in which it placed the public's trust, it is proper for me to withdraw his appointment to the Administrative Hearing Commission effective immediately."

The governor's office investigation of high E. coli levels revealed 14 occasions where bacteria levels exceeded the maximum limit.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Max Reiss, Newsradio 1120, KMOX.

Intro:  Governor Jay Nixon reveals multiple times when the Department of Natural Resources didn't report high bacteria levels.
RunTime:  0:42
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: 14 times in four years the natural resources department found dangerously unsafe levels of bacteria at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Governor Jay Nixon even revealed one case two years ago where the E. coli level was almost 10,000 times the acceptable limit.

The governor admitted his office was at fault for not getting the word out to the public sooner.

Actuality:  NIXRESP1.WAV
Run Time:  00:07
Description: "Regardless of whether any of that is my fault or not, it's m fault. I'm the governor of the state of Missouri."

Nixon also reinstated natural resources director Mark Templeton after a two week suspension for giving the governor false information about beach closings at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Max Reiss, Newsradio 1120, KMOX.

Intro:  Govenor Nixon said one person won't get a job because of withholding vital E. coli information, but that's not enough for one Missouri senator.
RunTime:  0:39
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Governor Jay Nixon says the Department of Natural Resources has cooperated with Senate investigators, but the top Senator looking into the department says that's not true.

Senator Brad Lager chairs the committee investigating DNR and says the governor is wrong.

Lager contends Nixon's people keep feeding him wrong information.

Actuality:  LAGER2.WAV
Run Time:  00:09
Description: "If he believes that DNR has been working with our committee, he has been misinformed. If believes they have been cordial in this process, he has been misinformed."

Lager also said the governor hasn't repsonded to any of his requests to discuss the Department of Natural Resources.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Max Reiss, Newsradio 1120, KMOX.

Intro:  Despite the governor's office investigation into the natural resources department, the senator heading up a separate investigation remains unimpressed.
RunTime:  0:40
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Senator Brad Lager of Maryville leads the Senate's investigation into DNR and says the governor didn't answer many of his questions regarding E. coli at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Actuality:  LAGER1.WAV
Run Time:  00:14
Description: "We still need to determine what happened? Who knew what when? what process was it that was used? Did that process break down as we try to work through the challenge of determining whether public policy needs to be changed."

Earlier this week Lager said natural resources director Mark Templeton should stay on unpaid leave until his committee completes it's investigation.

Governor Jay Nixon reinstated Templeton Friday.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Max Reiss, Newsradio 1120, KMOX.

Intro:  Governor Jay Nixon offers details on his office's investigation into the Department of Natural Resources.
RunTime:  0:03
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Governor Jay Nixon stripped an appointment to the