[Vision2020] Sen. Schroeder Proposes Plan to Gut Parks and Recreation Board

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the Lewiston Tribune.

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Sen. Schroeder proposes plan to gut Parks and Recreation Board

January 27, 2010, 3:07 pm
Bruce Wyatt - State Farm

BOISE - A north central Idaho lawmaker angry over the Parks and Recreation
Board move to end state funding for Dworshak State Park has retaliated by
proposing to gut the six-member panel's power.

Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow, accused the Parks Board today of
mismanagement by locking Dworshak's gates in December while it still had
nearly a dozen parks planners at agency headquarters east of Boise,
positions he called "fluff."

His bill would make the Parks Board's role advisory only and strip its
members of authority to appoint the agency's director, giving that to the
governor instead.

Schroeder suggested Parks Director Nancy Merrill's and Gov. C.L. (Butch)
Otter's plan to fire 25 employees, including the planning staff, to help
save $4.5 million in fiscal year 2011 could be in danger, without his
bill.

Merrill and Otter declined separately to comment. Parks Board Chairman
Steve Klatt didn't return a phone call.

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Hmmm.

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown