Yesterday’s Daily Progress had a David Hendrick story on Lee and Paulette Albright of Montebello. They’re the couple whose dogged determination to get answers and information from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries resulted in the exposure of questionable management practices and questionable expenditures, not to mention the resignation of several high (and high-flying)officials.

I didn’t think the DGIF story got enough play in the media. With a Governor at 70% plus approval and Virginia being named the “Best Managed” state, there wasn’t much of a market for a contrarian story. It’s a shame, if my instincts are correct, that when things are going well for an administration, “small” problems get swept under the rug, but when things are unraveling, everything is breathlessly covered. The problems at DGIF did not begin overnight–they spanned Republican and Democratic administrations. “Problems” and “scandals” ought to be covered and assessed fairly, regardless of who is in office at the time. The objective is good, responsive government, not assigning partisan blame absent cover-up or failure to acknowledge and correct mistakes.

Anyway, I’m glad the Albrights never gave up, despite the expenses and frustrations they encountered, so I nominate them for “Virginia Citizens of the Year.” Although the Warner Administration never much responded to the DGIF situation publicly, Gov. Warner eventually took the strong action that was needed, installing Col. Massengill to clean the place up. It was one of his finer moments.

We all should oversee state government, not to harass or impede, but to demonstrate that we expect good management and accountability. Little things, spread across the wide swath of state agencies, add up to real money. My New Year’s wish for Governor-elect Kaine is that he will imbue the leaders he chooses for state agencies with a public service commitment, extracting a pledge from them to provide efficient and effective government services on behalf of the taxpayers.