Gov. Stitt proposes 'getting rid' of Forestry Department

Gov. Stitt said he wants to get rid of the Forestry Department after accusing the organization of mishandling the March Wildfire response in his weekly press conference on Wednesday.

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Responding to a question posed regarding the firing of the department's director, Gov. Stitt said that the state did not know the whereabouts of some of the assets meant for wildfire response.

"The fact that we can't get answers about where their assets were around the state, is further proof that this is a deep-seated bureaucracy that is trying to protect their actions," Stitt said. "If all the resources are spent, we get it. There were just a lot of fires going on, but that wasn't the case."

The move by the Governor to oust the Oklahoma Department of Forestry Director has garnered responses from across the state, from volunteers and state officials alike.

RELATED: Oklahoma Forestry Director's firing sparks negative reactions among firefighters and state officials

However, Stitt has stood firm in his critique of the wildfire response and the department as a whole to the point where now he is questioning the department's existence in the first place.

"Here's the deal. Why do I even have a Department of Forestry?" Stitt said. "Let's just get rid of the whole thing. That would save $75 million for the taxpayers, or let's take $50 million of that and let's give it to our local firefighters, let's give it to our volunteer fire departments."

The former Director Mark Goeller posted a response over the allegations and ousting, which has had many officials and volunteers in the community rally around his decades-long service to the state.

READ MORE: 'I have been falsely accused' Former Oklahoma Forestry Department head responds to firing