MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) – Budget cuts in Alabama are affecting many departments. As state legislators battle it out in Montgomery, state departments are warning employees of major cuts if the money doesn’t come.

The latest potential victim is Alabama State Parks. WHNT News 19 spoke with Kim Nix, spokesperson for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, on Tuesday. Nix confirmed if legislators take funding away, there will be an emergency plan implemented to close a number of parks in the next year.

“What they proposed is going to be devastating,” said Nix.

WHNT News 19 contacted Alabama State Parks Director Greg Lein for further information. He issued this statement:

“Recently we were notified of the legislatures’ intent to transfer $11.4 million of funds from the 2016 Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) budget. The majority of these funds are to be transferred from ADCNR ($10.4 million) would come from the State Parks system. In anticipation of this loss in revenue, on May 1, 2015, we will implement an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that closes several of our parks and park operations across the state. On June 1, 2015 we will implement a second EOP that will reduce the staffing and operational hours of several other parks. These dramatic changes will no doubt have a direct impact to their local communities and ultimately hurt our state’s economy.

The Governor has been working to address this chronic funding crisis of state government through a proposal to raise necessary funds. We encourage each of you to think about the two options being considered; the cuts and transfers proposed by the legislature that would close more than half our parks, or the plan proposed by the Governor. Please discuss this among your peers, family and local elected officials.”

A source provided an email listing these park closings to WHNT News 19. The email lists 15 parks that would close, including three in north Alabama. The email was purported to be from Director Lein to several high-ranking members of his department. In it, he asks park supervisors to notify employees of the possible cuts.

Lein confirms the 15 parks that would close by FY2016 are:

Bladon Springs
Chickasaw
Buck’s Pocket
Paul Grist
Florala
Blue Springs
Roland Cooper
Rickwood Caverns
Cheaha Park
Lake Lurleen
DeSoto
Lakepoint
Guntersville
Joe Wheeler
Frank Jackson

Lein said the seven parks that would remain open are Meaher, Wind Creek, Chewacla, Monte Sano, Cathedral Caverns, Oak Mountain and Gulf State Park.

“Those 15 parks have not consistently made a profit over the last three years,” said Lein. “The remaining 7 parks have. This is a very dynamic financial situation.”

Meanwhile, supporters of Alabama State Parks have created a Facebook page, Alabama State Parks Partners, urging people to join the effort to protect state parks. Supporters also plan to post updates about the parks and time-sensitive issues involving the legislature.

Alabama State Parks do have a user pay system. Fees collected from parking, camping, gift shops and other activities help fund the parks. However, the parks have had significant expenses in the last several years, including major rebuilding efforts at Lake Guntersville due to tornado damage.

Nix, the spokesperson, added the proposed state budget would take $2.8 million out of the parks’ guest revenue to be used for other state expenses.

WHNT News 19 contacted State Senator Arthur Orr about these potential cuts. He said there is no budget agreement yet. In the state’s current financial state, without any additional revenue, he said there would be about a 15 percent cut to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which is over Alabama State Parks. He said how the Department chose to manage that loss is up to Department’s discretion.

We will continue to update WHNT.com throughout the day as this develops. We’ll also have the latest on WHNT News 19.

There's never enough money for those not spending their own.

Just leave the parks open and let people in free. The way it should be anyway with each community organizing maintenance.

However, the parks have had significant expenses in the last several years, including major rebuilding efforts at Lake Guntersville due to tornado damage.

Typical threat scare tactics.... Close em..... It'll send people to spend money in other states...and in turn lose even more potential revenue....



The state doesn't carry insurance on their own buildings to cover costs in case of these things....

Close them. Let's turn them into hunting leases.

Let's just get rid of the government.

Close them. Let's turn them into hunting leases.