SPRINGFIELD - Joel Brunsvold, who has overseen the Illinois Department of Natural Resources during a time of budget cuts and layoffs, will retire Saturday.

The Milan resident will leave state government with a taxpayer-paid pension worth an estimated $96,200 per year based on his 23-year tenure as a lawmaker and agency director.

"He's looking forward to spending more time with his family," said DNR spokesman Chris McCloud.

Prior to joining the Blagojevich administration, Brunsvold, a Democrat, represented the Quad Cities area in the Illinois House for two decades.

The governor has appointed Brunsvold aide Sam Flood as interim director until a replacement is found. Flood, who makes $96,000 a year, is not in the running to become the next director.

"I don't know who that's going to be or when that's going to be," McCloud said.

Brunsvold, who turns 64 in February, has been at the helm of the agency during tight budget times. Since he took over, there are 258 fewer full-time employees and nearly 70 fewer part-time workers.

But, McCloud said, Brunsvold has no regrets about his time as director because of gains in other areas, such as the construction of the $29 million World Shooting Complex in Sparta and the development of an online hunting and fishing license program, which is still in a pilot stage.

"We had to make tough choices," McCloud said. "We have moved forward despite some financial hardships."

The shooting complex in Southern Illinois is a sprawling development dedicated to hosting trap shooting competitions and other firearms-related exhibitions. State officials believe it will have a positive economic impact because of its potential to draw thousands of participants to the region.

"It's probably the biggest single undertaking the department has ever done," McCloud said.

Brunsvold's tenure was marred by his use of taxpayer-paid aircraft.

Last February, as his department was in the midst of cutting staff, he agreed to repay the state about $2,000 for flights between Springfield and his home in the Quad Cities and for out-of-state charity hunting trips.

In his role as a state lawmaker, Brunsvold was perhaps best known as the leader of the Illinois Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, which was dedicated to pushing for greater state support for outdoor programs.

Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@lee.net or 782-1249.