Pennsylvania State Parks (including Moraine) to close due to budget impasse?

[Jeff_LaG]

From: http://www.citizensvoice.com/site/ne...d=455154&rfi=6

07/06/2007
Campers hold their breath
BY MICHAEL P. BUFFER
STAFF WRITER

KINGSTON TOWNSHIP — Linda Brooke says she’s glad her camping reservation at Frances Slocum State Park ends Sunday.


“It was a fluke,” the Benton resident said Thursday afternoon at the park. “I was not watching the news.”

The news came Tuesday. The park and all other state parks could be closed this Monday if Gov. Ed Rendell and the state Legislature don’t agree on a budget.

Brooke and her husband, John Brooke, arrived at the campsite Wednesday.

“I wish Eddie Rendell would do something,” John Brooke said.

Flo Rieder may not be as lucky as Linda and John Brooke. Her family’s two-week camping reservation ends July 14.

So if there’s no budget Monday, their camping plans will be up in smoke. Reservations made by thousands of campers would be canceled, and 5,550 campsites at state parks would be emptied.

The reason is Rendell plans to furlough more than 25,000 state employees — classified as non-essential workers — if there’s no budget by Monday.

“I think they’ll take care of it,” said Rieder, a Taylor resident who was reading a book in a lawn chair under a trailer awning. “If we have to leave, we have to leave. We’ll take it one day at a time. It won’t spoil a vacation because we’re retired.”

Any money deposited to reserve a campsite at a state park would be completely refunded if state parks close Monday, state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources spokeswoman Chris Novak said. Prices for campsites at state parks range from $10 a night to $263 for a week.


“We are notifying anyone checking into parks now this is a pending issue,” Novak said. “We’re hoping that we can at least make people aware.”

Campers at Frances Slocum State Park said Thursday they had not discussed the situation with state employees. A group of campers didn’t even know about the situation, and they were relieved to learn the park would not close until Monday, the day after they were leaving.

State park workers would notify campers Monday morning if the parks are closing, and they would tell campers to leave by midnight Tuesday, Novak said. Gates at state parks would be closed, and temporary barriers would be erected in some areas, Novak said.

Park managers and salaried rangers — who are full-time, year-round employees — would continue to work to protect state property and enforce the closure, Novak said.

If state parks close Monday, state employees would begin notifying by telephone anyone who has reserved a camp site in a state park, and people who made reservations online will get e-mail notices, Novak said. There are currently about 12,000 reservations for camping in state parks, Novak said.

The state government has been operating without a budget since Sunday.

“I could trim a lot of fat from the budget,” Linda Brooke said. “There is not a valid reason not to come up with a budget.”

mbuffer@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2073

[KayakFisher]

Thanks to our wonderful crooked politicians! Forget about heading up to Erie to Presque Isle when the PFDO gets cancelled, cause that will be closed also! They already are lacking funding for sand, so the beaches are no where near the usual size. Not to mention the new Casino will also be closing and the racetrack will be closed before it ever opens! This is the same guy that tried getting the Pens sent to KC (he's from Philly you know). So don't forget to send Eddy a big thanks for nothing letter. Oh... soon enough just going up to Moraine will cost you some Toll money on 79!

[trbn8r]

This came out of left field! I got a call from the mgr at Pymatuning today with this news. We had scheduled pad installation with Reese to guide this week, alas. Not nearly as much inconvenience as the PFDO, though!

What exactly happens if the park is closed for the event??

[Jeff_LaG]

This came out of left field! I got a call from the mgr at Pymatuning today with this news. We had scheduled pad installation with Reese to guide this week, alas. Not nearly as much inconvenience as the PFDO, though!

What exactly happens if the park is closed for the event??

While PFDO organizers should certainly start making contingency plans (Deer Lakes?) they shouldn't cross that bridge until they get to it. The furloughs will supposedly only last one day. Now that drivers license centers and state parks are actually closed, there is a going to be a HUGE amount of pressure to get things passed as soon as possible.

[seamusk]

i hope you are right. I'm helping organize a conference for Laurel Hill State Park this coming weekend.

[gotcha]

I just spoke with co-tournament director, J Gary Dropcho. He is putting together a contingency plan in the event Moraine State Park is closed come tournament time. One option would be to use our newest par-66 course, Deer Lakes Park, in place of Moraine. Unfortunately, due to the course being new and still under construction/development, a few of the natural tees have not been leveled and a couple of the holes still need clearing in certain areas. The other option would be to hold the event exclusively at Knob Hill as in previous years.

J Gary will publish our contingency plans soon. We'll keep you posted...

[garydropcho]

I assume that everyone has heard about the budget stalemate between the PA governor and the state legislature that has shut down the state parks, including Moraine State Park (one of the courses to be used in this weekend's tournament).

We expect the budget to pass this week, and Moraine to be open for the tournament, but in case it doesn't, our plan is to run the event -- both pro and am players -- at Knob Hill on Saturday and Sunday. We have run 12o player fields at Knob Hill in the past, most recently in 2004, and everyone had plenty of challenging championship golf during the weekend.

If this becomes necessary, we will publish a revised schedule that would either have all players (max 90 players) in one flite playing 2 rounds on Saturday, one round on Sunday morning and then a cut to the top players for a final round; or have alternating rounds played by separate pro and am flites (pro/am/pro/am on Sat. then pro/am rounds on Sunday morning with a cut to the top players for a final round Sunday afternoon.

We will keep the PFDS website (www.pfds.org) updated and send out emails to keep everyone current.

It is going to be a great weekend regardless -- $3000 cash added to pro purse, am player packages and prizes worth way more than entry fees, a catered picnic for all players at the end of the tournament, a sweet bike and CTP prizes to be won.

The Comfort Inn Cranberry is the place to stay--ask for the disc golf tournament rate of $65/night.
Use Paypal to register if you haven't already or do it in person at Knob Hill before Friday 7 p.m where we will be checking tournament players in.

See you in the Burgh!

J. Gary Dropcho
Co-Tournament Director
Scholl's Bicycle Center Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open

[gotcha]

Scrap that contingency plan! Last night, an agreement was reached on the Pennsylvania budget and the state parks are now open! We will be using both Knob Hill and Moraine State Park for this weekend's tournament in Pittsburgh!

Very cool, indeed....