Viewpoint: Closing Riordan Mansion State Historic Park would hurt Flagstaff

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[Source: Gwen Groth, Arizona Daily Sun “Letter to the Editor”] — Riordan Mansion State Historic Park remains at risk of closing due to Arizona’s grave budget crisis.  Funds have already been swept from Arizona State Parks and more will be requested.  Shuttering Riordan Mansion State Historic Park goes much further than closing a nice picnic area with a pretty house as a backdrop.  Three part-time employees have already lost their jobs at Riordan Mansion and if the park closes, four full-time employees will lose their jobs as well.  Flagstaff stands to lose nearly 30,000 visitors annually who pause to have lunch, stay in a hotel and visit other attractions.

The “mansion” does not tell the story of a wealthy family.  Instead, the energy-efficient home tells the story of Flagstaff’s beginning and one family who worked hard to build a business and a community.  The Riordans were instrumental in the development of Flagstaff’s infrastructure, education and environmental preservation.  The family donated their home to Arizona so that the legacy of giving could continue through the education of visitors for decades to come.

The state park offers more than a guided tour, museum and beautiful grounds.  Area schools use Riordan Mansion as a hands-on (and affordable) means to teach students about our history.  The park also holds lectures twice monthly that are free, informative and open to the public.  Budget cuts are painful, especially where education is concerned.  Though closing Riordan is not a direct hit to our education system, it is an indirect strike that will hurt Flagstaff in many ways.

Arizona Archives building: dedicated in January, closed in March

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[Source: Bill Coates, Dolan Media Newswires] — As principal investigator for Arizona Historical Research, Vince Murray’s livelihood depends on access to Arizona state archives.  That access was severely curtailed March 4, when the new Polly Rosenbaum Arizona Archives and History Building was closed to the public, except by appointment.  And then for only two half-days a week.  

Blame budget cuts.  For Murray, it means a project that used to take two weeks now could take more than two months.  “On any typical project, there’s going to be 40 to 80 hours of research,” Murray said.  “Well, here, you’ve got — what? — eight hours that you’re allowed to do it in a week.”  Clients for his historical consulting firm include state agencies, he said.

The archives closure was perhaps the most notable cost-cutting move by the Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records department.  Other divisions are operating on reduced hours, said GladysAnn Wells, the agency’s director.  Until the cuts, the library department had $2 million in operating funds, expected to carry it until June 30, the fiscal year’s end.  In January, however, the Legislature reduced that by nearly $1.5 million, she said.  There was one place to cut, Wells said. “All we had left, really, was salaries,” she said.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Arizona State Parks board considers extra budget meeting

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The lodge at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park.

[Source: Pete Aleshire, Payson Roundup] — The state parks board may call a special meeting in March to sort through the smoking smolders of its budget, including the recently imposed closure of .  In addition, House Republicans this week will continue to push for an emergency law to let state parks and other agencies borrow $20 million from a voter-approved open space fund.

That leaves at least two approaches open for Rim Country officials, pushing hard to convince the parks board to reopen Tonto Natural Bridge, which draws more than 90,000 visitors annually to the region.

State parks officials said the main problem for Tonto Natural Bridge remains the need to limit access during critical repairs on a leaky roof that has caused structural problems.  “The access issue with the roof is still the primary question,” said Assistant Director Jay Ziemann. “ The principal question is the necessity to fix the lodge in a timely fashion, before we’re really looking at more rain that could end up desecrating the building.

The secondary issue is how soon could we get the public back in there based upon the need to get that lodge stabilized.”  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Arizona: State Park Schließungen erwogen

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Arizona's park woes covered in Germany.

{Frank Hennemann, Abgelegt unter Newsticker des Südwestens] — Wegen Kürzungen beim Budget des Bundesstaates Arizona werden Schließungen von mehreren State Parks in Betracht gezogen.  Die Arizona State Park Direktion hielt darüber ein öffentliches Meeting am Freitag, den 20.  Februar 2009 im Ratssaal des Peoria Stadtrates ab. Bei diesem Meeting versuchte die Park Direktion, bestehend aus sieben Freiwilligen, Optionen zur Begrenzung des per 30.  Juni 2009 zu erwartenden Defizites zu finden.

Einige Möglichkeiten, um die Verluste einzelner State Parks zu begrenzen, sind Kürzungen von Zuschüssen, Schließungen ausgewählter Parks, saisonale Schließungen, begrenzte Öffnungszeiten, Kürzungen bei den Versorgungsausgaben, Kündigungen oder der Transfer von Ausgaben auf andere Budgetpositionen. [Note: To read the full post, yes in German, click here.]