A grassroots effort against the proposed shutting of the county”s only two parks has resulted in more than 6,000 signatures gathered in two months time. Petitioners plan to take the collection directly to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger”s office early next month.
The effort is being headed cooperatively by the Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association (CLSPIA) and the Clear Lake and Lakeport Regional chambers of commerce.
Other involved groups include the Audubon Society, Sierra Club Lake Group, Lake County Garden Clubs, Lake County Computer Users Group, the Board of Supervisors and the two incorporated cities ? Clearlake and Lakeport. The target is to collect 10,000 signatures in time for the sixth annual Park Advocacy Day on April 7.
In January, Schwarzenegger proposed closing 48 of the 278 state parks to help close a budget deficit of $14 billion. The announcement quickly sparked protests at the state capital and got the attention of park-goers, educators and others.
In Lake County, the grassroots response began the day after the announcement, CLSPIA Board Member Leona Butts said.
“The next day we had a letter sent to the governor, and immediately Victoria Brandon [chair of the Sierra Club Lake Group], Melissa Fulton [Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO] and I began working on a petition. We started getting the petition out, attended many meetings and spoke on the issue. People like to talk about this and are very concerned. We”re going to follow this to the very end,” Butts said.
Fulton said the group is working on setting up a meeting with Schwarzenegger when they deliver the petitions. “We anticipate some news on that this coming week. The wheels of government move slowly. It”s hard to say if we could get a face-to-face meeting, but that”s what we”re working on,” Fulton said.
Fulton plans to attend the park advocacy day, her first visit since she “hasn”t had a specific reason to be involved before.”
She said the Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce has an interest because the parks contribute to the county”s economy and tourism. The petition was e-mailed to all chamber members in January, included in the newsletter and will be included in another e-mail this week.
“No one is refusing to sign the petition ? we want to keep those cards and letters coming. As far as I”m concerned anyone can sign it,” Fulton said.
The group has received signatures from park visitors as far away as New York and Washington, and two from Dallas and Texas, Butts said. “They”re from people who have visited and know the value of our parks. Some are members of CLSPIA, and got copies of the petitions in our newsletter. They are filling them out and sending them back. It”s time to start thanking people for this great response. It”s amazing.”
A petition can be found at both chambers of commerce or at Wild About Books in Clearlake.
Contact Elizabeth Wilson at ewilson@record-bee.com. To comment on this story or others, visit www.record-bee.com/observer.
