Yeah, I remember that. But we had a thread back then where some people believed they would, in fact, "close the forest". Evidently some people still seem to think that's possible. 
Plan to keep NJ state parks open announced.
- Thread starter 46er
- Start date
No need for fences everywhere just a red light district....
http://www.alt-market.com/articles/537-the-big-brother-surveillance-grid-is-already-here-video
http://www.alt-market.com/articles/537-the-big-brother-surveillance-grid-is-already-here-video
The battle over our state parks has begun with the opening battle being the privatization of one of our most popular state parks, Island Beach State Park. The first step is the State Department of Environmental Protection replacing the current highly qualified Superintendent of Island Beach State Park, with a clear political appointed replacement, Ray Bukowski. The former Superintendent, Mark Pitchell, has raised concerns about the administration’s plans to privatize our state parks.The state parks belong to all of us. The Administration is breaking that trust in giving away our public lands to private corporations that only care about their bottom line and not the people of New Jersey.
BY JEFF TITTE
http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/commentary/christie-administrations-attack-on-nj-state-parks-begins
BY JEFF TITTE
http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/commentary/christie-administrations-attack-on-nj-state-parks-begins
That is one of the funniest thing I have ever read. That guy, Pitchell, has done more to harm IBSP then anyone since its opening. You had to have worked there to understand. Dune grass planting cancelled. Dune fencing cancelled. He eliminated the parks nature programs to school groups and put many of them into a concessions hands and is now sitting in an office developing park privatization plans for all parks. Tittel continues to be a laugh a minute enviroMENTALIST and has done very little to help the original cause of the Sierra Club.
On the other hand, Bukowski has already begun to make changes to bring IBSP back. Dune grass plantings have been scheduled for next month.
A forum thread with other folks comments.
http://www.stripersonline.com/t/830043/new-supt-of-ibsp
Mr. 46er, you appear to have all the answers. You're an inside man with lots of opinion - how would you fund state parks?
As for the education programs at Island Beach, I followed this happened a few years ago. Diane Chase the park naturalist took an early retirement incentive. The purpose of the ERI was to decrease the number of state employees through attrition so it was obvious none of these posts would be back filled. The chief naturalist position at Island Beach was offered to other state park naturalists but no one wanted to have to move to Ocean County. Then Save Barnegat Bay got involved and paid volunteers to run the education program for a winter. That failed miserably. Those kids couldn't even organize the dune grass plantings. Then the state also privatized the kayak rentals, so instead of getting a free program with park admission a family had to spend an extra $80 to go out on the bay. Since you worked there, you know this was forced onto Island Beach it was not the superintendent's idea. He's also not the one who eliminated the park naturalists he wasn't allowed to hire new people. Duh.
We'll see how this new guy works out. Funny coincidence that he wrote the plan calling for privatization of parks and that he works for Reedy Creek Outfitters and all. Also funny that they didn't take an experienced park superintendent and move them to Island Beach instead of giving the park to an area supervisor. I tried to find a job description for a state park area supervisor however there isn't one - there are Civil Service job descriptions for park superintendents. So it sure does sound like the state is creating positions to get their inside people where they want them, instead of hiring people with a parks and recreation management background. This new guy might do well - we'll have to see. My guess is because he's the deputy commissioner's golden child he doesn't have to follow the rule book that real park superintendents are made to follow. This is hardly the darkest hour the park has seen - hey 46er, do you remember when the state bought Island Beach and for almost a decade we weren't even allowed to step foot into the park?
As for the education programs at Island Beach, I followed this happened a few years ago. Diane Chase the park naturalist took an early retirement incentive. The purpose of the ERI was to decrease the number of state employees through attrition so it was obvious none of these posts would be back filled. The chief naturalist position at Island Beach was offered to other state park naturalists but no one wanted to have to move to Ocean County. Then Save Barnegat Bay got involved and paid volunteers to run the education program for a winter. That failed miserably. Those kids couldn't even organize the dune grass plantings. Then the state also privatized the kayak rentals, so instead of getting a free program with park admission a family had to spend an extra $80 to go out on the bay. Since you worked there, you know this was forced onto Island Beach it was not the superintendent's idea. He's also not the one who eliminated the park naturalists he wasn't allowed to hire new people. Duh.
We'll see how this new guy works out. Funny coincidence that he wrote the plan calling for privatization of parks and that he works for Reedy Creek Outfitters and all. Also funny that they didn't take an experienced park superintendent and move them to Island Beach instead of giving the park to an area supervisor. I tried to find a job description for a state park area supervisor however there isn't one - there are Civil Service job descriptions for park superintendents. So it sure does sound like the state is creating positions to get their inside people where they want them, instead of hiring people with a parks and recreation management background. This new guy might do well - we'll have to see. My guess is because he's the deputy commissioner's golden child he doesn't have to follow the rule book that real park superintendents are made to follow. This is hardly the darkest hour the park has seen - hey 46er, do you remember when the state bought Island Beach and for almost a decade we weren't even allowed to step foot into the park?