LAKE COUNTY ? A letter to state officials expressing concerns about the proposed closure of Anderson Marsh State Park is being crafted after the Lake County Board of Supervisors discussed the item Tuesday.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing the closure of 220 state parks that rely on $143 million of the state”s general fund money, while leaving 59 state parks open. The list of closures includes Anderson Marsh in Lower Lake. Park supporters are urging voters to contact state legislators by Monday, when the final budget vote is expected.
The board directed county staff to write a letter of concern, but “not label it as our top priority,” according to District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown.
“State historical parks, as wonderful as they are, are not the revenue generators. I think we need to see government creating alternatives to keep them open and operating,” District 1 Supervisor Jim Comstock said.
Brown said when Lake County”s two state parks were proposed for closure last year, the state was open to alternatives, including the county running the parks.
“Something”s got to give. There are going to be cuts,” Lake County Chief Administrative Officer Kelly Cox said of the state”s financial crisis.
Cox continued, “Just putting it in perspective, because people may not understand that are listening to this conversation why we would not just jump up and down and oppose it, I think a lot of people aren”t aware of some of the cutbacks that the state is currently considering ? seriously considering ? that will have dramatic impacts on people”s lives. It”s programs, safety-net type programs, that were once unthinkable that they would actually eliminate them.”
District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith proposed a compromise.
“I think there is a way to phrase the letter and say that we support the cuts that they have to take for personnel for Anderson Marsh State Park, that we support what the state has to do, but there are alternatives with volunteers to still keep the park open,” Smith said. During the public comment portion of the discussion, Lake County Sierra Club President Victoria Brandon proposed alternatives to closure.
“I think it could be very easily solved,” Brandon said. “I think the two main financial burdens are the opening and closing, which used to be handled by a volunteer docent in the area, and I think could be handled again. I don”t live very far from there. The other one is the mowing of the trails.”
Brandon said she believed the state would have to maintain the trails whether the park was closed or not for fire protection reasons.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com, or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
