State Parks

[Tortoise_Hiker]

"Say it aint so Joe" Is it true that the State budget cuts include closing FIVE State Parks?

[chumley]

UPDATE: Just three will be closed (for now).

The State Parks Board on Friday voted to shut down three of the 11 state parks up for closure due to state budget cuts - Jerome State Historic Park, Tonto Natural Bridge and McFarland State Historic Park in Florence.

The board also plans to cut grants, lay off about 20 employees and furlough about 10 more.

The state Parks Department is grappling with nearly $35 million that was cut from the agency's budget in fiscal 2009, including $27 million in cuts approved by legislators and Gov. Jan Brewer late last month.

The funding was taken as part of a budget deal that closed a $1.6 billion state shortfall for fiscal 2009. Now, potentially even larger cuts loom for 2010.

The department has already laid off about 60 seasonal and other workers.

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, near Payson, and Jerome State Historic Park in Jerome have lodges and other buildings in dire disrepair, and are awaiting capital renovations.

The Parks Department manages 27 state parks that account for 2.3 million annual visitors.

[Jeffshadows]

Presumably those lodges *would* have been a source of revenue...

[PaleoRob]

Hmm, could have been a lot worse. Where'd the info come from? I can't find it on the AzSP website.

[chumley]

AZcentral

[PaleoRob]

Mmm, thanks!

[Dschur]

From Payson Roundup

Gloom turned to joy for Rim Country advocates for Tonto Natural Bridge State Park on Tuesday, as the State Parks Board voted to close the park only temporarily to fix the roof of an historic lodge near collapse as a result of recent heavy snowfall.

Media report had indicated the soaring travertine arch between Pine and Payson had been added to a list of 11 state parks facing the threat of long term closure after the state legislature drastically cut the state parks budget in the middle of the fiscal year to narrow the groaning state budget deficit.

However, once the board took up the question, Tonto Natural Bridge quickly moved off the death list – and actually came up with additional money to fix the roof of the lodge – which the parks master plan envisions turning into a guest lodge.

“Good news. Basically we win,” said Rim Country Chamber of Commerce Manager John Stanton, in a phone call at noon as soon as the board decided the fate of Tonto Natural Bridge.

“They will be closing on a temporary basis, four to six weeks, to fix the roof,” said Stanton, since the construction equipment will block the access road.

The Payson Roundup and other media reported that the bridge had been added to a list of 11 parks facing closure – but at the meeting it turned out some of those closures were just temporary to allow for long overdue repairs.

Stanton said the board decided to spend some of the already earmarked maintenance money to avoid much more expensive structural failures, before the state legislature could take even that saved up repair money.

Stanton said Tonto Bridge’s near-death experience alerted Rim Country officials to the peril and would hopefully help rally the volunteers the park needs to keep operating, since the parks board also approved a statewide layoff of temporary and seasonal workers that will cost the bridge half its work force during the busy summer season.

Tonto Natural Bridge was among three state parks added to a list of parks that could close as a result of Arizona’s budget crisis or dangerously overdue maintenance. Others include Red Rock and Jerome Historic State Park.

The Parks Board meeting in Peoria on Friday had not discussed the Tonto Natural Bridge prior to Friday’s press time for the Roundup. The board had not concluded its debate on which parks to close prior to the posting date of this article.

[PaleoRob]

Heard on NPR this morning that any other park closures won't go into effect until June at the earliest, so that's good news for those of you wanting to get in before the hammer drops. Plus it is a good way to see what your tax dollars are going towards (or away from, as the case may be).

[Davis2001r6]

I still don't understand what happens to the park when it's closed. Does it revert back to BLM land or State trust land? Do they close off access for good or just quite having services available there?

[Al_HikesAZ]

I still don't understand what happens to the park when it's closed. Does it revert back to BLM land or State trust land? Do they close off access for good or just quite having services available there?

It doesn't "revert" anywhere - it's titled to the State Park System. It just gets closed off with bare minimum maintenance. Often there is a resident Ranger. I remember a few years ago (back in the '80's?) that Picacho State Park was closed when we pulled up. The Ranger was at the entry and explained that it was closed because of budget issues and he had no idea when it would re-open.

[azdesertfather]

There doesn't seem to be clear communication from AZ State Parks about these closures. The Payson Roundup article above says Tonto wouldn't be closed for budget reasons, only repairs...but the AP reports today that it IS being closed for budget reasons...

2 Arizona state parks to close Thursday

Feb. 24, 2009 03:13 PM
Associated Press

The state Department says two parks chosen for temporary closing because of budget cuts will be shuttered at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Those parks at Tonto Natural Bridge near Payson and Jerome Historic in Jerome. Building at both of those parks need urgent repairs.

The Parks Board on Friday also authorized closing a third park, McFarland Historic in Florence, but McFarland already is closed because of structural problems.

Parks officials have said more park closings are almost certain because of budget cuts.

So what's the DEAL?!

[azbackpackr]

I am watching to see what will happen with Lyman Lake. It is off the beaten path a bit, is not a scenic wonder and doesn't get many visitors. But it has thousands of interesting petroglyphs, and is a good place to practice my kayaking skills as well. It's only about 13 miles from my house in Eagar. The lake itself was built to store irrigation water for the farms in St. Johns, and is still used for that.

[Dschur]

New from the Roundup.... Sounds like they didn't tell Payson all the story....

Travertine arch will close gates Thursday for lodge repairs, but re-opening depends on state park budget turnaround
By Pete Aleshire

February 24, 2009


Tom Brossart/Roundup

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park went from not being considered for closure to being closed with just a few days’ notice. The park will be indefinitely closed on Thursday.
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park will shut down indefinitely on Friday to shift staff to other struggling parks, say park officials.

When the park will re-open is a question bothering Rim Country officials as state parks representatives will provide no assurance when or if the park will open again. The park and 10 other state parks earmarked to be closed may become a pawn in the state parks board effort to get HB 2088 approved by the legislature. The bill would restore some money to the parks budget.

State park officials said they will take advantage of the closure to make about $600,000 in repairs to the historic lodge, which could provide jobs for local contractors.

Park officials hope the park can eventually reopen — perhaps even before the six months it will take to make the repairs. However, the fate of Tonto bridge and the other state parks marked for closure will depend on the 2010 budget and whether the state legislature rejects a plan for parks to borrow from a separate state fund.

The ultimate fate of the park that showcases a 188-foot-high travertine arch and a historic lodge and homestead remained shrouded in unanswered questions on Tuesday morning.

“We’ll be closing at the end of the day on Thursday. Don’t know how long for, it’s kind of an indefinite thing,” said Park Manager John Boeck. “We were surprised at the decision.”

The park draws more than 94,000 visitors annually, two-thirds of them state residents. A recent report said the park generates about 38 jobs and a $3.6 million annual economic impact in Rim Country.

The potentially indefinite closure of Tonto and the other state parks appears all but certain, unless local groups ride to the rescue or the legislature approves a loan from the $76-million, voter-mandated “Growing Smarter” fund.

Ellen Bilbrey, spokesperson for the state parks said she did not know how long Tonto bridge will remain closed. “I have no idea. It depends. Even if we get the roof fixed, will we have money to keep it open? The 2010 budget hasn’t passed yet — so I don’t know.”

Bilbrey said the immediate closure of Tonto and two other parks with serious maintenance problems will allow the transfer of staff to other parks facing manpower shortages as a result of an earlier decision to cut staffing systemwide by 21 percent.

“We’re trying to figure out ways to move staff around,” said Bilbrey.

The State Parks Board has already reduced manpower from 336 to 271. That means parks still open face a critical manpower shortage at the start of the busy visitation season.

The plight of Tonto Natural Bridge, one of the biggest tourist draws in the Rim Country, was muddled by the need to make repairs on the roof of the lodge.

State parks officials, during a Friday meeting in the Valley, said the construction equipment needed to repair the lodge would block the road and force the temporary closure of the park.

Boeck said the park has been planning the repairs for several years and never previously anticipated closing during construction.

“Last Wednesday was the first I heard of it,” said Boeck.

He estimated it would take two or three months to get bids on the project and another two or three months to make the repairs.

Bilbrey said on Monday the park could remain open during construction or reopen even if construction crews had not finished.

The long-deferred repairs at Tonto bridge became critical after the last heavy snow, when the deteriorating roof began to leak copiously.

“This option will allow us to get in there and fix the roof, which is leaking like a sieve,” said Bilbrey.

State Parks will use maintenance money that has accumulated in past years in a special fund financed by the Arizona Lottery. The state legislature took more than $10 million from that fund this year to balance its budget, but hasn’t so far swept maintenance money accumulated from pervious years.

As a result, the state parks can make repairs at Tonto Natural Bridge, Jerome State Park and MacFarland State Park with left-over maintenance money this year — providing the legislature doesn’t come back and take that as well.

All told, the legislature this year took nearly $35 million from various state park funds. As a result, state parks will not only get virtually no general fund money, but money from the fees paid by park visitors and dedicated funds will actually subsidize other state departments.

“Bear in mind, we’ve had essentially no maintenance budget since 2002,” said Bilbrey.

In addition to the three parks closed for maintenance this week, eight other parks face probable closure soon.

Those additional parks include Lyman Lake near Springerville, a destination for many summer visitors passing through Rim Country. Other parks include the Quartermaster Depot in Yuma, Homolovi near Winslow, the Tubac Presidio, Fort Verde, Riordan Mansion in Flagstaff and Red Rock State Park in Sedona.

Tonto bridge’s last-minute addition to the closure list last week took park officials and Rim Country leaders by surprise.

Payson Recreation and Tourism Director Cameron Davis and Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce Manager John Stanton both attended the overflowing meeting in the Valley on Friday and came away reassured that the closure would prove temporary.

However, that possibility darkened considerably this week as details of the shift in staff and budget picture trickled out.

On the face of it, Tonto Natural Bridge seemed in a strong position to forestall any thoughts of closure.

The state subsidy amounts to just 56 cents per visitor, even though the fees pay for the mortgage on the property. Other state parks run at a much higher deficit.

Moreover, the park had just raised entrance fees and Boeck predicted the increase would have made the park entirely self-supporting this season.

“With the Jan. 1 increase, we should be making money at this time,” said Boeck.

A last-minute financial move could save Tonto and the other parks on the closure list.

State parks officials are pushing the legislature to allow parks to borrow from the $76-million “Growing Smarter” fund, which taxpayers approved several years ago. That voter initiative set aside $20 million annually to buy additional state land for parks and open space.

State Parks advocates want to borrow enough money from that fund to get through the next two years without major closures in the 27-park state system.

The legislature would have to approve any such loan by a three-quarters vote, said Bilbrey.

The other slim hope for Tonto Natural Bridge lies in a rescue by local advocates and towns that benefit from the tourism money the park interjects into local economies.

[azdesertfather]

that's SO ridiculous. if tonto was self-supporting with a fee increase, WHAT'S the point of closing it down??

it's all just a power struggle

[Jeffshadows]

I suspect that a lot of our legislature are of the mindset: "Here's the excuse we've been waiting for to do <insert depraved, selfish, greed-monger act here>."

[JimmyLyding]

This budget crisis is a gift from God in the minds of many in our legislature.

[Dschur]

Today a meeting held in Payson.... March 4 this is from the Payson Roundup

Rim legislators and citizens rally around Tonto Bridge
By Pete Aleshire

March 4, 2009

The three state lawmakers representing Rim Country have all vowed to reopen Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, after an overflow public meeting and a lobbying session in Phoenix.

Lawmakers vowed to press the State Parks Board to reopen the natural bridge, which last year drew more than 90,000 visitors, using volunteer workers or through an intergovernmental agreement if necessary.

“We have to get this park opened back up,” said Rep. Bill Konopnicki at the Wednesday town meeting held at the Best Western Inn. “I just can’t understand what the parks board was thinking...It’s politically motivated to make people yell at the legislature,” he said.

The State Parks Board last week closed down the 160-acre showcase for the world’s largest travertine arch to make repairs on the historic lodge and to shift rangers to other parks. The bridge gets more than 90,000 visitors annually and contributes an estimated $3.5 million annually to the Rim Country economy.

The State Park Board’s decision to cut Tonto came in response to the legislature’s decision to make a mid-year sweep of $34 million from various state park accounts.

The sweeps mean that the state parks will actually contribute more to the general fund than the parks receive. The cuts forced a 21 percent staff reduction. All told, the legislature swept about three times the actual operations budget of the 27 existing parks.

The parks board plans to close 14 of the 27 parks, starting with the three parks with serious maintenance problems.

About 150 people crowded into the meeting at the Best Western Hotel conference room in Payson on Tuesday to urge Konopnicki and Rep. Jack Brown to force state parks to reopen the park for the summer tourist season.

On Wednesday, Payson Mayor Kenny Evans and Rim Country Chamber of Commerce Manager John Stanton journeyed to the state senate offices in Phoenix to urge Sen. Sylvia Allen to pressure the parks to reopen the park quickly.

All three lawmakers vowed to push hard to reopen the park, while noting that the state budget crisis will make that tough.

Allen acknowledged that the state parks suffered a disproportionate cut in the scramble to deal with this year’s projected $1.8 billion state deficit.

“When the state is facing bankruptcy, what are you going to do?” asked Allen.

Advocates for schools, the mentally ill, the disabled and a host of other groups facing drastic cuts also flooded the legislature, she said.

“Those who weren’t politically sexy, really got cut,” including state parks, she said.

Still, she vowed to press the state parks board to reconsider.

“I’d be surprised if they won’t listen to us,” she said of the Parks Board and “shocked if we can’t get this done.”

The explanation for the sudden closure of Tonto Natural Bridge got seriously tangled in the need to make roof and structural repairs on the historic lodge. The building once had guest rooms and a busy restaurant. However, the legislature took almost all the systems maintenance money during a budget crunch five years ago. Since then, worsening leaks in the roof have caused potentially serious structural problems, assistant state parks director Jay Ziemann told Allen during the Wednesday meeting in her office.

The parks board decided to close the park and transfer staff to other critically shorthanded parks at the same time the board approved an estimated $600,000 repair of the lodge. The closure will make it easier and safer to make the building repairs, Ziemann said.

However, Allen said she would press the parks board to either postpone the repairs or fence off the building so visitors could still get into the park and hike down to the arch this summer.

[azdesertfather]

What I would love to see, rather than which parks have the most visitors, is how much of a net profit (or loss) each park has. I'm just wondering where all the money is going??

[azdesertfather]

Looks like Brewer's doing something about these park closure threats!! yey

Brewer revives panel on saving parks

by Daniel Newhauser - Mar. 19, 2009 12:00 AM
Cronkite News Service

With three state parks shuttered due to budget cuts and more closures possible, Gov. Jan Brewer issued an executive order Wednesday reviving a task force that will recommend ways to preserve parks.

The order asks the Sustainable State Parks Task Force to discuss creative options that would allow the parks system to achieve financial self-sufficiency, including leasing, selling or cooperatively managing parks.

The governor appointed Rich Dozer, former Arizona Diamondbacks' president, to chair the group. Dozer said everything is on the table, including privatization, because park closures would have considerable economic ramifications for small towns.

"We're just trying to keep these great jewels operating and help the areas that they're in," he said. "A lot of the towns rely on the money from tourism from people that come to visit these parks."

Dozer said the task force will convene this month or early April.

Facing $35 million in legislative budget cuts for fiscal 2009, the Arizona State Parks Board already has temporarily closed Tonto National Bridge State Park near Payson, Florence's McFarland State Historic Park and Jerome State Historic Park.

Park officials said they will consider closing several more at an April 3 board meeting.

[dysfunction]

Wow, privatization.. I'm really not so sure I like that possibility.

[azdesertfather]

Whatever it takes to keep them open...if privatizing them can do the job, fine! that's my 2 cents. i'd love to hear what others think though...maybe some good reasons why I or someone else should reconsider that stand?