Washington State Parks News Releases

News Release 11-003

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W., P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, (360) 902-8500
Don Hoch, Director

State Parks Commission considers transfer of Brooks Memorial State Park to local conservation district

OLYMPIA – Jan. 20, 2011 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will consider transferring Brooks Memorial State Park to the Central Klickitat Conservation District at its regular meeting in Olympia next week.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, in the Millersylvania State Park Environmental Learning Center, 12245 Tilley Road S., Olympia. A full Commission meeting agenda is available online at www.parks.wa.gov/agency/commissionmeetings/. Time for public comment is provided at all regular meetings. Regular meetings are scheduled six times a year at pre-determined locations around the state.

Brooks Memorial State Park near Goldendale is the sixth park to be considered for transfer to other governments, as a response to budget reductions. In 2009, the Commission deemed 13 parks appropriate for transfer, on condition that the receiving government entities kept them open for public recreation. Local governments were approached to assess interest and capacity. The Commission has been urged by the legislature and governor to keep working toward transfer of these parks. Wenberg State Park was transferred in 2009 to Snohomish County Parks, and Osoyoos Lake Veterans Memorial State Park was transferred to the City of Oroville in 2010. Recently, the Commission approved the transfer of Fay Bainbridge and Fort Ward state parks to Bainbridge Island Metro Parks and Recreation and the transfer of Fort Okanogan State Park to the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Thurston County Parks and Recreation Department has been in discussion with State Parks about possible transfer of Tolmie State Park. Other local jurisdictions have indicated they are not able to take over the remaining parks on the original transfer list. These include Schafer, Lake Sylvia, Fort Townsend, Bogachiel, Kopachuck and Joemma Beach. Some of these parks have garnered maintenance support from newly formed friends groups.

The Commission will consider adopting park land classifications and long-term boundaries for the South Puget Sound Area Parks and Steamboat Rock State Park near Grand Coulee. South Puget Sound Area Parks include Kopachuck, Penrose Point, Joemma Beach, Jarrell Cove and Hope Island state parks and McMicken Island, Stretch Point and Eagle Island, as well as the Haley, Scott and Harstine Island State Parks properties.

State Parks has its own Classification and Management Planning (CAMP) system, based on public outreach and participation. The plans involve community and constituent groups to identify long-term boundaries, appropriate land uses and a long-term vision for the park. To view plans online, visit www.parks.wa.gov/plans/.

Citizen appointments and reappointments to two advisory committees for winter recreation will be considered. The committees meet twice each year to help staff review and to recommend funding for winter project funding applications, and they meet once a year to review program activities. Staff invites winter recreation organizations and individuals from all over the state to nominate candidates, and the Commission each year appoints members to fill expiring terms or seats left by resignations.

Staff will recommend that Winter Recreation Advisory Committee openings be filled by reappointing Shannon Goodwin of Richland and Jim Russell, a snowmobiler from Manson and by appointing a new citizen, John Flanagan of Olympia. Mary Van Amburg of Yakima will be recommended as a reappointment to the Snowmobile Advisory Committee, and staff will ask that the Commission give the director authority to make appointments to three positions when qualified candidates are identified.

The Commission also will consider a determination that the Hyak Lodge at Iron Horse State Park near Snoqualmie Pass cannot be advantageously used for park purposes and authorize the director to dispose of the property, either through public auction or direct sale to the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Minimum bid at public auction or direct sale would be at appraised value of $590,000. State parks acquired the former employee bunkhouse from WSDOT through a three-party land exchange in 1995. The Commission remodeled the 13,400 square foot facility to operate it as a conference center concession, and since opening the facility has had agreements with three separate concessionaires for overnight lodging, food services and conferencing. The concessions have not been successful for a variety of reasons. The lodge has been vacant since April 2009.

In other business, the Commission will consider: a perpetual easement to T-Mobile USA Incorporated to place and maintain fiber-optic cable for wireless upgrades along Interstate 90; a direct sale of a .34-acre portion of property in Packwood to a local citizen to resolve a trespass issue; a one-year grazing lease with option to renew for a second year on recently acquired property at Pearrygin Lake State Park, using a competitive bid process. Commission reports will include updates on the capital program, metal detecting and a proposed memorandum of understanding between Fort Worden and Centrum.

Commission work session: A Commission work session is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, in the Moran Room at Washington State Parks Headquarters, 1111 Israel Road S.W., Olympia. The session is open to the public, however no public testimony will be heard and no formal action taken. Work session update and discussion topics include agency budget, future park planning, Horse Park Authority, Mount Spokane, Fort Flagler, report on stakeholder input and planning for commission meetings and agenda item preparation.

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