[Source: KPHO Television, Phoenix] — The Arizona State Parks board meeting on Friday, April 3, resulted in operational changes for some parks in the Arizona State Parks system. At this meeting, the seven-member volunteer Parks Board passed a motion to allow the agency to reduce the days and hours of operation for the parks. This will ease the stress of trying to keep parks open seven days a week while dealing with a 26% reduction in ranger staff. Some of the consequences to a $34.5 million sweep in funds from various conservation-funded accounts and agency gate fees, include: suspending community grants, reduced park hours/days of operation, reduced supply purchasing, less vehicles, layoffs, and canceling special projects and programs statewide.
“In order to keep the parks as accessible to the public as possible with this reduction in force, we will begin shortening weeks starting April 14-15 in Yuma,” said Jay Ream, Assistant Director. “Both Yuma Territorial Prison and Yuma Quartermaster Depot will be open Thursday through Monday and closed Tuesday and Wednesdays with daily hours of 9am-5pm.”
“Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park will have the same Thursday-Monday schedule with April 21-22 being the first days closed,” Ream said. “Fort Verde State Historic Park will switch to this schedule starting on May 5-6. Oracle State Park will begin its Thursday-Monday schedule starting on May 9-10. All of the daily park hours will be 9am-5pm.”
“We have already lost much of the workforce and I need to move the experienced rangers to the parks that need the help right away,” said Ream. “The danger we are facing is losing some of our experienced and highly trained rangers who would be almost impossible to replace. Unlike one skill other organizations would hire for, the State Parks are required to be run by people with a multitude of high level skills. These hybrid job descriptions include trained and certified as law enforcement officers, emergency medical training, wildland firefighters, crowd control, search and rescue, interpretation, natural resources, water and wastewater treatment certification, all of the skills in construction and maintenance, trail construction, research, and artifact management. These rangers must also have specific training for dangerous situations in wild country. These are not easy people to replace. They are the best of the best in these fields and highly recruited because of their multiple talents.
“Some of our “super rangers” are actually trained and skilled in every category I’ve mentioned,” said Ream. “They are committed to State Parks despite demanding training requirements and relatively low pay.” [Note: To read the full article, click here.]
For more information about Arizona State Parks, call 602-542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free 800-285-3703 or visit their website.
