azheritage2

Our View: Don’t Kill Arizona’s State Parks Board Now

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Picacho Peak State Park

 Source:  Excerpt from Arizona Republic, March 8, 2017 Editorial

If you’ve pondered the depths of Kartchner Caverns, dipped a toe in Lake Havasu or stalked wildflowers at Catalina State Park, you know the value of Arizona’s Parks system.  In this 60th anniversary year of our parks, there’s more to do than just celebrate the 31 natural, historical, cultural and geological sites that give people a chance to fall in love – or stay in love – with our fabulous state.

A bill in the Legislature, House Bill 2369, would eliminate the State Parks Board – which means eliminating the citizen oversight the board was designed to provide . . .  The bill passed the House and is now in the Senate.  Under the bill, the duties of the Parks Board, which include managing, developing and operating state parks, would go to the Parks director. Streamlining state government is a Republican priority.  But the Parks Board serves another popular Republican goal: keeping power with the people and assuring oversight of government bureaucrats.

Assuring a public voice in Parks decisions

The board was the result of a compromise made at the time the State Parks system was created in 1957.  The intent was to assure a public voice in decisions.  Members are the State Land Commissioner and six people appointed by the governor. Under current law, the six citizen members are required to have a knowledge of outdoor activities, Arizona history and conservation. To assure that stakeholders get representation, the livestock, recreation and tourism industries each get at least one spot on the board.  This board is configured to provide valuable oversight from people who have an interest in Arizona’s outdoors.

The questions about Black’s management style, coupled with the increasing popularity of the Parks, are reasons for the board to continue doing the job it was created to do six decades ago. The Legislature should not eliminate the State Parks Board.  Arizonans have a deep love of their State Parks, and the Parks Board gives them the opportunity to be part of the decision-making process and to exercise needed oversight.

Arizona Forward: Open Letter to Their Members

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Source:  Email blast from Arizona Forward, February 8, 2017

The Arizona Legislature is considering a bill that includes a repeal the Arizona State Parks Board (HB2369), which we strongly oppose.  As part of Arizona Forward’s historic advocacy of parks and open space, as well as our work in creating a primer on the economic benefits of Arizona’s natural assets, we have registered our opposition to this measure and encourage you to do the same!

The State Parks Board provides citizens’ oversight to State Parks and is composed of people with various backgrounds, including recreation, tourism, and livestock, as well as the general public. Its purpose is to “select, acquire, preserve, establish, and maintain areas of natural features, scenic beauty, historical and scientific interest, and zoos and botanical gardens for the education, pleasure, recreation, and health of the people….”

On February 2, 2017, the House Government Committee voted 5-3-0 to repeal the Arizona States Park Board. I testified against the measure and will keep you updated as it moves the legislative process. Elimination of this important board will result in less transparency, fewer opportunities for public engagement on a broad level, and one less entity to advocate for a parks system badly in need of more advocates.

Please take action by sending a message to your state representatives today! If you are not sure who your legislators are, go to Find My Legislator and click on the link where you enter your address. You can then select legislators to find their contact information. Be sure to leave a message with an assistant or on voicemail.

We must be good stewards of these amazing resources, and need your help to ensure that happens!

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DIANE BROSSART
President & CEO
 Arizona Forward

Since the publication of this letter, HB2369 is scheduled to be heard by the House Rules Committee on Monday, February 13, 2017 at 12:45 p.m. in HHR4.  Here is a link to the agenda. 

60th Anniversary of Arizona State Parks- Please Help Protect Our Park System

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Source:  Sierra Club – Grand Canyon Chapter, February, 2017

Oppose Repeal of State Parks Board! Vote NO on HB2369. 

Please vote NO on.  HB2369 repeal; state boards and committees 

This bill includes a provision to repeal the Arizona State Parks Board.  Although there are certainly boards and commissions that are no longer necessary and that do not meet, the Arizona State Parks Board is not one of them.  This is a political move to concentrate more power in the Governor’s office and to eliminate the public from engagement and from having a say relative to our state parks.  It is an especially offensive move in this 60th anniversary year of our State Parks system.

The State Parks Board is made up of people with diverse backgrounds, including recreation, tourism, and livestock, as well as the general public.

The State Parks Board’s purpose is to “select, acquire, preserve, establish, and maintain areas of natural img8019682features, scenic beauty, historical, and scientific interest, and zoos and botanical gardens, for the education, pleasure, recreation, and health of the people. . . .” Elimination of the State Parks Board will mean less transparency, fewer opportunities for public engagement on a broad level, and one less entity to advocate for a parks system badly in need of more advocates.

Arizona State Parks’ system consists of 27 parks and three natural areas and includes places such as Homolovi Ruins, Tubac Presidio, Lost Dutchman, Kartchner Caverns, and many others.  These 30 exceptional places have been conserved over the past half century for the recreational, environmental, and cultural enjoyment of all Arizonans. They represent our history and our future. We must be good stewards of these amazing resources. The Arizona State Parks Board helps us do that.

Please do not eliminate this important board.

Editoral by William Thornton: Keep Public Involved in Managing Arizona State Parks

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Source:  Special to Arizona Daily Sun, February 4, 2017

When Gov. Earnest McFarland signed HB72 in 1957, our state took a bold and long overdue step toward meeting the outdoor recreational needs of a rapidly growing urban population.  The law provided for a system of state parks overseen by an independent seven-member board to:  “Select, acquire, preserve, establish, and maintain areas of natural features, scenic beauty, historical and scientific interest, and zoos and botanical gardens, for the education, pleasure, recreation, and health of the people and for such other purposes as may be prescribed by law.”

The system has worked well for 60 years with quarterly parks board meetings held at locations throughout the state providing opportunities for citizen input into parks planning and operation.  How well has it worked?  If we measure success in terms of visitation, our 32 state parks recorded a record 2.8 million visitations in 2016. Numbers aren’t categorized as new or repeat visitors but, based on our experience, I believe a substantial number are repeaters.  We return to our favorite state parks because we’ve come to expect fastidiously clean campgrounds with friendly and helpful staffs of park professionals and volunteers. We have never been disappointed.

All that could change if HB 2369 becomes law.  Under the guise of “streamlining” state government, the bill would abolish the State Parks Board and vest all power in the state parks director, who serves at the pleasure of the governor. It’s a classic example of “fixing” something that’s not broken.  Parks board members serve without compensation and receive only an allowance for travel expenses.  Cost savings from abolition of the State Parks Board would be minuscule.  If “streamlining” state park management eliminates the opportunity for public input and oversight, the cost is too high.

The governor, Legislature and parks director don’t own state parks — we do. If you believe, as I do, that voters, taxpayers, and park visitors should have a voice in how our parks are managed, now is the time to contact your state legislators.

William Thornton is a second-generation native Arizonan, conservationist and outdoor enthusiast. He serves on the boards of the Arizona Heritage Alliance and Friends of Ironwood Forest. Contact him at [email protected]