December 9, 2011 in City

Parks staffing in flux as shortfall forces cuts

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Riverside and Mount Spokane state parks likely will be combined and full-time employees reduced by about 40 percent as Washington State Parks officials scramble to slash the agency’s spending.

A shortfall from lagging Discover Pass sales has left state parks strapped for cash after being cut off from most taxpayer funding by the Washington Legislature.

Decisions are still being made and changed daily after the Parks and Recreation Commission voted Tuesday to eliminate 161 of the agency’s 516 full-time positions.

“At this point, it looks like a done deal that Riverside and Mount Spokane will be combined,” Chris Guidotti, Riverside State Park manager, said Thursday. He was at his computer making recommendations to the headquarters staff on how the changes might be worked out.

Six of the 15 full-time positions at the two parks probably will be eliminated, he said.

Riverside has nine full-time rangers plus one other staffer, and Mount Spokane has five full-time positions, including three rangers and two staffers who focus on road maintenance and equipment repair for the mountain roads.

Steven Christensen, Mount Spokane Park manager, was not available for comment.

“In some cases, full-time employees are being offered five-month positions,” Guidotti said.

“But as it looks today, Riverside and Mount Spokane soon will be operated by fewer people than (now) operate Riverside alone.”

The State Parks and Recreation Commission already had eliminated 80 positions statewide since July 2008.

Riverside State Park covers about 10,000 acres in and around Spokane, including the Centennial Trail, Columbia Plateau and Little Spokane River Natural Area. Mount Spokane State Park includes 13,919 acres.

One comment on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  Benson on March 05 at 1:14 p.m.

  I took my mom’s car up to the Carlson location to take my dog for a walk on the Centennial Trail, in Spokane on 3/4/12. I came back to find a citation on the car stating that I must show the Discover Pass in order to park in the lot. This is absurd, there were ABSOLUTELY no references, signs, NOTHING in view in the parking lot saying that I must show the Discover Pass or else I would be fined $99. I hadn’t been to that particular trail in years, as I don’t live in the area, leaving me completely unaware of the fact that you needed a Discover Pass to enjoy the State Park. I left a message at the park office as soon as I discovered the citation, only to receive a nasty phone call today from Park Staff member John Pillison at the Riverside Office in Spokane, WA. He had no sympathy whatsoever and said that there are never any “warnings” given - even to people who don’t live in the area and who are unaware that the pass is required. His only response was to buy the Discover Pass within 48 hours to escape the $99 fine. After asking if there was any possible way to turn the citation into a warning, John said, “Only if you speak with the park staff member who issued the citation.” Upon asking John for contact information for park staff number 331 (the one who issued the citation) John immediately exclaimed, “Oh, you won’t be able to speak with him today, he’s … uh … unavailable.” I think to myself, ‘How convenient that he is ‘unavailable’ today, just as my 48 hours are running out to buy the Discover Pass.’ All I can think in my head is, what a complete jerk for not even letting me speak with the only person who might be able to change the citation to a warning. At this point, I have decided that $35 for the pass (that will go unused, as I don’t live in the area) is a better alternative to giving them the $99 - even more of my money wasted on this awful government scheme. A scheme to limit or even close off one of the last places that citizens can go to get a breath of fresh air and catch a glimpse of Washington scenery.