Representative, parks director face off …

A Letter, by Jim Stratton

The following letter was sent to Rep. Scott Ogan:

Dear Representative Ogan:

I was dismayed last Friday that Alaskans across this state witnessed you on television tearing down and removing a park closure sign during your press conference at Big Lake South State Recreation Site. The legislature was repeatedly told, since early in the legislative session, that proposed budget cuts would require this and other specifically listed parks to be shut down. While we can continue to disagree about which parks should be closed due to reductions in our budget, I am disturbed that you -- elected to make laws, not break them -- would intentionally create more work for us by ripping down a park sign. We try very hard to discourage vandalism in our state park system, and your conduct sets a bad example for the public, and particularly for Alaska's youth. These sorts of pranks usually land wayward teen-agers in youth court.

After your press conference, you contacted the state park director's office and indicated you had torn down the sign in order to bring it to the legislative special session next week. Yet a simple photograph of the sign would have been equally useful, much easier to show to your colleagues and would not have required any additional work by us. Instead, our limited staff resources will be used to install another sign at the same location.

It has been suggested that you be prosecuted for this publicity stunt like any other vandal. However, we are not planning to take any formal action in this matter. When you are done sharing the sign with your fellow legislators, we assume you will return it in useable condition to the state park director's office. Ironically, if you had asked for a copy of the sign for show and tell during the special session, we would have gladly loaned one to you.

Sincerely,

Jim Stratton, Director

Alaska State Division of Parks