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State Parks to Close?
#1327964
04/15/15 08:37 AM
04/15/15 08:37 AM
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,077 Guntersville, AL
BirminghamBuck
OP
10 point
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OP
10 point
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,077
Guntersville, AL
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Bentley needs to go. 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. Link to Article
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Re: State Parks to Close?
[Re: BirminghamBuck]
#1327973
04/15/15 08:48 AM
04/15/15 08:48 AM
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 10,628 Central, Al
Bustinbeards
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 10,628
Central, Al
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sounds just like Obama with the sequestration, trying to make it as noticeable and painful to the constituents as possible
Originally Posted By: Wiley Coyote Well, the way I see it is there's just too many assholes On a good day there's a bunch of assholes in here. On a bad day there's too many assholes in here.
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Re: State Parks to Close?
[Re: R_H_Clark]
#1327978
04/15/15 08:53 AM
04/15/15 08:53 AM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 6,617 Lake View, AL
Joe4majors
14 point
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14 point
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 6,617
Lake View, AL
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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. I was going to say. We went up there for the first time in years and they went all out with the remodeling.
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Re: State Parks to Close?
[Re: BirminghamBuck]
#1327980
04/15/15 08:56 AM
04/15/15 08:56 AM
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 14,831 If you only knew.....
Tru-Talker
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 14,831
If you only knew.....
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Typical threat scare tactics.... Close em..... It'll send people to spend money in other states...and in turn lose even more potential revenue.... However, the parks have had significant expenses in the last several years, including major rebuilding efforts at Lake Guntersville due to tornado damage. The state doesn't carry insurance on their own buildings to cover costs in case of these things....
Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves...
Confucius
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Re: State Parks to Close?
[Re: BirminghamBuck]
#1327988
04/15/15 09:00 AM
04/15/15 09:00 AM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,034 Northport, AL
Phil_Army
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,034
Northport, AL
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Actually the state parks receive 90-95% of their funds from park fees. So I'm not sure how this would fix anything other than just being a scare tactic
Broker/Owner and Area Representative for 1st Class Real Estate 2018's #1 Real Estate Agent according to the Tuscaloosa News
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Re: State Parks to Close?
[Re: BirminghamBuck]
#1328009
04/15/15 09:17 AM
04/15/15 09:17 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,583 Moss Creek
Gotcha1
Bright Eyes
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Bright Eyes
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,583
Moss Creek
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Get rid of the CAB, too.
Last edited by Gotcha1; 04/15/15 09:17 AM.
Matt Brock wears knock-off Crocs.
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Re: State Parks to Close?
[Re: Tru-Talker]
#1328012
04/15/15 09:25 AM
04/15/15 09:25 AM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 24,849 Buc-ee’s Beach Express
leroycnbucks
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 24,849
Buc-ee’s Beach Express
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Typical threat scare tactics.... Close em..... It'll send people to spend money in other states...and in turn lose even more potential revenue.... However, the parks have had significant expenses in the last several years, including major rebuilding efforts at Lake Guntersville due to tornado damage. The state doesn't carry insurance on their own buildings to cover costs in case of these things.... Yes they do. That's one of the many things I do.
Proud Army and ALNG veteran God Bless America!
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Re: State Parks to Close?
[Re: BirminghamBuck]
#1328016
04/15/15 09:28 AM
04/15/15 09:28 AM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,559 Hoover
mrfuzz
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,559
Hoover
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I think we should close the legislature untill they come up with the money to run all of their pet projects out of their own pockett. Hell, jets get rid of all of them and find a bunch of folks who know how to run a home on what they make every week without going into the negative by a trillion dollars. Government is full of corrupt career politicians. It's not supposed to be this way. The people elected to office are supposed to do their best to take care of business during their term and then GO HOME! Not with a lifetime of collecting money for doing what you were intrunsed to do for four years. I need a job like that... work part time for four years with someone else paying for my vacations, then retire with a salary and free healthcare for life. sorry... (soapbox)
my 2nd amendment guarantees your 1st amendment!
cixelsyd ton m'i tub (but i'm not dyslexic)
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Re: State Parks to Close?
[Re: BirminghamBuck]
#1328019
04/15/15 09:30 AM
04/15/15 09:30 AM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 38,489 N. Bama
257wbymag
Boo Boo Head
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Boo Boo Head
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 38,489
N. Bama
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I still can't believe that cock roach looking SOB Dr from Tuscaloosa got elected.
Quietly killing turkeys where youre not!!! My tank full of give a fraks been runnin on empty I'm the paterfamilias
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Re: State Parks to Close?
[Re: burbank]
#1328038
04/15/15 09:48 AM
04/15/15 09:48 AM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,700 Pisgah, AL
bowtarist
THE Octopus
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THE Octopus
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,700
Pisgah, AL
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Close them. Let's turn them into hunting leases. I like it.
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Re: State Parks to Close?
[Re: BirminghamBuck]
#1328053
04/15/15 09:58 AM
04/15/15 09:58 AM
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 32,451 North Alabama
YEKRUT
Turkey Nut
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Turkey Nut
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 32,451
North Alabama
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I'm leasing joe wheeler and subleasing the deer rights out.
Some men are mere hunters; others are turkey hunters. —Archibald Rutledge—
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