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Budget cuts impact park maintenance

blake

Life Member
NEWS!

STATE BUDGET CUTS IMPACT LOCAL STATE PARK MAINTENANCE




State budget cuts are impacting the upkeep of local state parks.

In reaction to the state's budget deficit, Iowa Department of Natural Resources officials reduced the amount of money allocated for maintenance in each state park. Lake of Three Fires State Park near Bedford is among the parks affected by the cutbacks. Doug Sleep is park ranger at Lake of Three Fires. Sleep tells KMA News the cutbacks affected maintenance, equipment and summer help.

Sleep says the number of additional summer employees available was reduced from four to one. That forced Sleep to prioritize maintenance areas at the park. Some of the decisions didn't sit well with the public. As a result, Sleep says his park received help. Sleep says Barker Implement donated a lawn mower, while a local resident contributed money for gas expenses. In addition, the state park system received a grant from Americorps to obtain additional help.

Under the Americorp grant, area youth receive tuition assistance for working at state parks and trails. Sleep says the grant allowed his park to add two part-time workers this summer. Sleep says the additional manpower has helped his park pick up the pace on mowing, weed trimming and other necessities. Sleep, however, says he could still use some volunteer help in cleaning the cabins once or twice a week.

Ironically, the budget reductions come at a time when attendance is booming at state parks--with more people vacationing at home due to a rough economy.
 
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