Parks out again: 7 Mat-Su parks back on chopping block

JUNEAU -- In the pandemonium of a twice-extended legislative session, the funding for seven Mat-Su-area parks has been rescinded once again.

The session, which Rep. Scott Ogan, R-Palmer, said is unlike anything he's seen in his eight years in Juneau, was still underway Thursday evening, with several key issues remaining unresolved.

Sen. Lyda Green, R-Mat-Su, said despite an "awesome offer" the majority had on the table after 10 p.m. that evening, a school bonding bill was yet to be worked out. Agreement is still pending on a bill that would reinstate the authority of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, as well as legislation regarding veterans' issues and rural power provisions. Friday, Green was preparing to go into caucus after the Senate had called itself into a special session.

She said she was aware that the Department of Natural Resources had been cut, but she was still trying to pin down the details.

"The Senate had it in there. We had special legislation to do funding for it … I've got staff kind of checking it out now," Green said. "[Cutting the parks] was not the Senate's heart's desire."

Jim Stratton, the Division of Parks' director, expressed his frustration at the $266,100 cut, but more so with the legislature's unwillingness to allow the Department of Natural Resources to use park fees, commonly called receipts, to fund park operations.

"We could keep these parks open without any general fund money," Stratton said. "I have no idea why they are doing this -- it's illogical, it's insane, it's ludicrous, it's idiotic -- pick an adjective."

Legislators were sequestered most of the day Friday in caucus meetings and did not respond to requests for more information about the decision made by the conference committee. However, staff in the offices of both Sen. Rick Halford, R-Chugiak, and the Legislative Majority referred to the park closures as Washington Monument-type cuts.

Stratton said that's not so.

"If I wanted to close a Washington Monument in the Mat-Su Valley, I'd close Nancy Lake or Willow Creek," Stratton said. "I'm closing all the little tiny parks that don't bring in much revenue."

The nine parks Stratton said will be closed -- or simply not opened -- are in

addition to two in Fairbanks and three in the Southeast. As of Friday, Lake Louise, Mat-Su Glacier, Long Lake, King Mountain, Kepler Bradley, Rocky Lake, Big Lake North, Big Lake South and Little Nelchina are set to remain closed this summer. The nine parks, Stratton said, cost approximately $150,000 to operate and generate about $50,000 in revenue.

In addition to the parks closures, Stratton said several Mat-Su positions will be affected by the $266,100 cut. One Mat-Su District Ranger position will be eliminated, as will one Mat-Su Ranger position and three summer seasonal staff positions.

People will still be able to access the parks, Stratton said, but park gates will be closed to vehicle access and the services at each of the parks will be unusable.

"What closing means is, we're going to restrict vehicle access," Stratton said. "People can still walk in."

Stratton added that park outhouses will be boarded up, wells will be unusable, picnic tables will be removed, board signs will be taken down and other services will be removed to prevent vandalism or other damage.

"We're going to remove the services that we provide … to protect our investment," Stratton said. "I have to assume this madness is going to end at some point. We're very concerned about vandalism, hooliganism and the rowdy, destructive nature that goes along with it. We're not going to have the bodies to do [maintenance] work, and so we feel it's necessary that areas be closed to vehicle access."

Stratton said the boarding up will likely begin as early as this week, and should be finished before the end of the fiscal year on June 30.