Three Rivers faces closure

By Kate McCardell

Published: November 23, 2008

With state budget cuts looming, Three Rivers State Park in Sneads might not exist after the 2009 legislative session.
This year, state agencies were required to submit plans to reduce their annual operating budgets by up to 10 percent for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. If approved by the governor’s office, those reductions will be considered during the 2009 legislative session, explained Jessica Kemper, Information Director of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service.
As part of its $7.7 million budget cut, the DEP Division of Recreation and Parks is proposing that the management responsibilities for three state parks be transferred. The three parks are currently managed by, but not owned by DEP.
Three Rivers State Park, which sits beside Lake Seminole, is currently operating on a 50-year least with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers according to DEP records.
The two other state parks slated to be handed over are Forest Capital Museum State Park in Taylor County and       Egmont Key State Park in Pinellas County.
The management transfer of these three parks is expected to reduce the state division’s budget by $361,790.
The Corps of Engineers will not announce plans for the property until after the legislative session, according to Corps deputy public affairs officer Lisa Coughlan.
Jackson County officials have not announced plans regarding the park’s possible closure.
Sneads City Manager Ed Kilpatrick said an infrastructure project that would have tied sewer lines from the town to the park have been put on hold, pending the state’s decision.
“Due to the possible change in status of Three Rivers State Park, funding that was originally earmarked and some stages of planning for the project have been postponed,” said Kilpatrick.
In addition to returning the three state parks to the owners,  the Division of Recreation and Parks has proposed temporarily closing public access to 19 state parks.
“These parks were chosen based on low visitation numbers and revenue compared to relatively high operating budgets,” Kemper said in a news release. “If closed, these parks will remain under the supervision of a full-time caretaker. Where feasible, the department will do everything in its power to retain displaced staff in other agency positions. 
If faced with closure, current full-time staff at the affected state parks would have the option to be transferred to other parks, Kempter said. Funding for temporary and seasonal employees who do not receive benefits at the affected parks would be eliminated or reduced.
“We fully intend to re-open the 19 parks potentially facing closure when the state’s economy improves,” Kemper said. “While this was a difficult decision, the proposal reflects our effort to reduce expenditure while protecting the greatest number of staff members.”
The proposed 19 parks that may experience temporary closure are:
• Yellow River Marsh Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa County
• St. Marks River State Park in Leon County
• Lake June-In-Winter Scrub State Park in Highlands County
• Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park in Nassau County
• Constitution Convention Museum State Park in Gulf County
• John Gorrie Museum State Park in Franklin County
• Deer Lake State Park in Walton County
• Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek State Park in Polk County
• Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park in Escambia County
• Terra Ceia Preserve State Park in Manatee County
• Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park in Jefferson County
• Dunns Creek in Putnam County
• San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park in Wakulla County
• Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park in Monroe County
• Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park in Monroe County
• Dudley Farm Historic State Park in Gilchrist County
• Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park in Okeechobee County
• Nature and Heritage Tourism Center in Hamilton County, and
• Cedar Key Museum State Park in Levy County.
The temporary closure of the 19 parks is expected to save the state $1.5 million.
The Division of Recreation and Parks also proposes to cut $4 million from its budget for outsourcing.