The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle, Omak WA 98841 On-line Edition
State officials to decide Conconully park's fate
By BILL STEVENSON
Conconully State Park could be closed next year under a proposal to trim the state Parks and Recreation Commission's budget.
The commission has drawn up a list of 42 state parks that could face closure under Gov. Gary Locke's request for the agency to trim $3 million from the 1999 budget, and because of a revenue shortfall of $2 million.
A final decision on what parks are in danger of closure is expected during the parks and recreation commission's meeting tomorrow, Sept. 17, in Vancouver, according to parks commission eastern regional manager Jim Harris.
The commission will take public comments on possible closures at the Sept. 17 meeting before finalizing the list of parks to be cut pending final budget decisions for 1999.
Comments may be mailed to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, P.O. Box 42650, Olympia 98504-2650.
The commission will decide which 25 parks, out of the 42 recommended, would be permanently closed if there isn't enough money in 1999. Depending on budget cuts, even more could be closed as well.
Once the commission adopts the list of suggested closures, the list will be submitted to Locke and the Legislature Sept. 22.
"We are considering them permanent closures since we don't see any funding sources to reopen them in the future," said Harris.
Four years ago a parks resource stewardship account was created to hold all park revenues for continued operation and maintenance. Then the state decreased the parks budget by the amount expected to be generated and placed into the account.
The state parks system in the last four years "has felt a kind of a shock," said Conconully State Park ranger Douglas Hinton. "They went from a non-revenue entity to needing (revenue) to support the parks."
The state Legislature overestimated parks' ability to generate revenue and the cost of park maintenance by about $2 million last year, which caused the deficit.
Parks generate revenue by charging fees for camping, group picnics in reserved areas, commercial recreation permits, special activities, boat launch fees and trailer dump fees.
Aging park systems, such as electrical and sewer systems, became harder and harder to repair and maintain on a schedule to keep the parks operating, Harris explained.
The lack of funding has turned each repair into a matter of "crisis management," he said.
Washington has a maintenance backlog of $35 million needed to keep up with currently staffed parks across the state.
If the agency chooses to remedy only the deficit of $2 million, only 18 parks would be closed, said Harris.
If the parks system sees a further reduction of funding up to $3 million, as Locke requests, Conconully State Park would be one of 26 parks closed.
If the commission is unable to cover the entire $5 million, then all 42 parks would be closed, according to Harris.
"State parks have been struggling with budgets over the last few years," said Hinton. "They have worked in the past to avoid this."
There are 127 staffed state parks open to the public.
Conconully State Park offers 80 primitive camping sites, a boat launch facility, trailer sewage dump facility and a 350-person capacity for day use.
The park was established in 1945.
Fishing, boating, swimming, hiking and camping make the park popular during the summer months and during limited winter hours.
"Given past cuts, when asked to consider more, the commission felt it has no choice but to look at closing parks so staff could at least maintain what was left," said parks and recreation director Cleve Pinnix in a prepared statement.
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