Arizona State Parks Board

Flagstaff-area family relieved as Riordan Mansion park gets reprieve

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[Source: Michelle Price, Cronkite News Service] — Rita Gannon, a descendant of a Flagstaff pioneer, can breathe a sigh of relief — for now. The Arizona State Parks Board decided Friday to keep her ancestors’ property, Riordan Mansion State Historic Park, operating.  But its fate — along with seven other parks — depends on the Legislature, which is considering a bill that would restore money cut from the Arizona State Parks budget.  The board voted to close Jerome State Historic Park in Jerome, McFarland State Historic Park in Florence and Tonto Natural Bridge State Park near Payson until at least June 30.  Depending on what the Legislature does, more parks could close in early March, members said.

Mike Davis, Riordan Mansion State Historic Park manager, speaks at ASP Board meeting. (CNS/Daniel Newhauser)

If Riordan Mansion were to close, the property would revert to Gannon’s family as part of an agreement that transferred it to the state. Rita Gannon, granddaughter of Timothy Riordan, a logging business owner who played a key role in the early growth of Flagstaff, said her family can’t manage that.  “If they close it and we take it back, we cannot afford it, and it will fall to pieces,” said Gannon, who attended the hearing with her daughter Eileen. “It would be a shame.”  Mike Davis, park manager at Riordan Mansion, which saw 26,209 visitors last year, said repercussions from closing the parks would be felt for years. “To walk away is an egregious example of throwing out the baby with the bath water,” he told the board.

Three other northern Arizona parks were on the list for closure: Fort Verde State Historic Park in Camp Verde, Homolovi Ruins State Park in Winslow, and Red Rock State Park in Sedona.  Shifra Leah Boehlje, a volunteer at Fort Verde, told the board that closing the park would jeopardize its preservation of the past.  Fort Verde is considered the best-preserved example of Indian Wars-era military architecture in Arizona.  “I know we are concerned about money, but at what sacrifice to our history, which would be lost forever,” she said.  “The risk of losing our history is just too great.”  Fort Verde drew 15,992 visitors in 2008.

Susan Secakuku spoke of the importance of Homolovi State Park near Winslow to the Hopi culture. (CNS, Daniel Newhauser)

Susan Secakuku, a project manager with the Homolovi Park Project, said the Homolovi ruins, which include four pueblo sites, are an important part of the Hopi Tribe’s heritage.  “Homolovi is a place that the Hopi Tribe considers part of our ancestral homelands,” she said.  “The historic and cultural heritage of the Hopi Tribe is the foundation of our life ways, including our connection with our historic villages.”  The board rejected a motion to add Homolovi to the closures approved Friday because representatives said the Hopi Tribe could help staff the park.  “We feel wonderful that they took a measured decision regarding Homolovi,” Secakuku said later.  Dale Sinquah, a member of the Hopi Tribal Council, urged the board to find other ways to address the budget cuts.  “These are trying times, and during trying times we need to think of innovative ways to keep things going,” he said.  Homolovi had 15,200 visitors last year.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

2 more Arizona state parks closed; 8 in jeopardy

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Tonto Natural Bridge State Park: This geological formation near Payson attracted 87,930 visitors in 2008. It is one of two additional state parks that will close immediately to allow for repairs necessary for visitors' safety, officials said.
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park (Photo: David Wallace, Arizona Republic)

[Source: Casey Newton, Arizona Republic] — Two state parks will close indefinitely and eight more will remain on the chopping block as part of budget cuts approved Friday by the Arizona State Parks Board.  Tonto Natural Bridge State Park and Jerome State Historic Park will close immediately to allow for repairs necessary for visitors’ safety, officials said.  McFarland State Park closed earlier this month for the same reason. Combined with layoffs, the suspension of grants for capital projects and other measures, the park closures will help the parks board pay a $27 million bill to the state due next Saturday.  That figure represents the funds taken by the Legislature last month as part of a $1.6 billion budget fix for fiscal 2009.

Even after the Friday cuts, which were approved on a 3-1 vote, the parks board still must find an additional $3 million in savings by June 30.  That leaves the fate of eight more state parks up in the air: Homolovi Ruins, Oracle, Yuma Quartermaster Depot, Tubac Presidio, Fort Verde, Lyman Lake, Riordan Mansion, and Red Rock.  Whether those parks remain open depends largely on whether the Legislature makes further cuts to state parks as part of the fiscal 2010 budget.  Arizona faces an estimated $3 billion budget shortfall.

Board members were pessimistic about the prospect of keeping all or even most of the eight parks open.  “Don’t leave here today thinking we’re not going to close more parks,” board member Bill Scalzo said after more than five hours of meetings. “We probably will.”  [Note: To read the full article, click here.  Additional news coverage at Arizona Daily Sun, Cronkite News Service, KNXV Phoenix, KSWT Yuma, KTAR Radio Phoenix, Payson Roundup, Sierra Vista Herald, Tucson Citizen.]

3 Arizona state parks to be closed & more staff cuts made due to budget cuts

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Jerome State Historic Park

[Source: Casey Newton, Arizona Republic] — The State Parks Board on Friday voted to shut down three of the 11 state parks up for closure due to state budget cuts — Jerome State Historic Park, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, and McFarland State Historic Park in Florence.  The board also plans to cut grants, lay off about 20 employees, and furlough about 10 more.

The state Parks Department is grappling with nearly $35 million that was cut from the agency’s budget in fiscal 2009, including $27 million in cuts approved by legislators and Gov. Jan Brewer late last month.  The funding was taken as part of a budget deal that closed a $1.6 billion state shortfall for fiscal 2009.  Now, potentially even larger cuts loom for 2010.  The department has already laid off about 60 seasonal and other workers.

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, near Payson, and Jerome State Historic Park in Jerome have lodges and other buildings in dire disrepair, and are awaiting capital renovations.  The Parks Department manages 27 state parks that account for 2.3 million annual visitors.

Viewpoint: Good ideas, responsible cuts needed at Arizona State Parks

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Red Rock State Park Sedona Arizona
Red Rock State Park, Sedona

[Source: Camp Verde Bugle] — The Arizona State Parks Board meets again today to discuss shutting down or providing limited use of several parks.  With Parks Director Ken Travous’ latest suggestions for the closure list, there is a sense of machination or at least gamesmanship.  There has been enough waving of red flags.

The formula for shifting Red Rock State Park into the top five parks listed for closure (by considering only the percentage of visitors who are Arizona residents) is highly questionable.  The Sedona area is what it is — a very popular tourist destination for people all over the world.  It naturally follows that RRSP will be pulling in a majority of out-of-state visitors.  To wave the threat of closure at Red Rock is a great way to get Sedonans riled up and protesting the stinginess of the state Legislature.  It is certainly not responsible.  There are eight other state parks on the list that are harder on the State Parks budget than Red Rock is.

The suggested closure of Jerome State Historic Park and Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is only a good idea if it is temporary during repair work.  If “repair” closure is just a step toward permanent closure, that will only start a firestorm.

At its previous meeting, the State Parks Board had asked Travous to come up with more ideas other than shutting down parks.  If simply adding three more to the possible-closures list is all the director’s office came up with, the board needs to look in another direction.

Most residents of Arizona understand the current constraints on the state budget and the likelihood of more deficits and more cutting in the future.  State Parks will not avoid this.  Completely closing down some parks — especially those that are expensive to run and receive few visitors — is an understandable option if it is done responsibly.  Today, we hope the State Parks administration can look through the politicking and red flags and provide ideas of its own.