ILLINOIS PARKS ARE AFFECTED BY BUDGET CUTS

A Horseshoe Lake campground facility is one of 40 sites affected by the Illinois Legislature's budget-cutting plan.

Illinois Department of Conservation director Brent Manning said Friday that the legislature's failure to approve increased fees coupled with budget cuts has resulted in program reductions, season closures, delayed opening of seven proposed sites, and as many as 167 layoffs.

"Horseshoe Lake will be impacted," said Anne Mueller, a spokesman for the Illinois DOC. The department operates two campgrounds at Horseshoe.

"The east campground, which is operated from May 15 to Oct. 15, will be limited to day use only," said Mueller. "The west campgrounds, which has been in operation year round, will now revert back to May 15 to Oct. 15 operation."

Mueller said the department did not have a complete list of layoffs at this time, but a spokesman from Horseshoe Lake said one person had received a layoff notice.

Another Southern Illinois area Mermet Lake in Massac County, will lose all of its day-use facilities, but the lake remains open for fishing, noted Mueller. The 2,800-acre water and uplands Mermet area is used by more than 200,000 anglers and hunters each year, which aids the Metropolis economy by use of motels, restaurants and other businesses.

She added that the Trail of Tears horse trail areas in Union County will be limited to May 15 to Oct. 15 use, and that day use facilities would be eliminated.

In making the announcement Friday, Manning said he and Gov. Jim Edgar explored all available avenues to minimize impacts to the sites.

Manning said the department was re-directing more than $2 million in its special funds, such as those for park improvements, to help offset cuts imposed by the legislature.

"While this will mean the DOC will have to slow its planned construction projects," said Manning. "it is important to keep as many parks open as possible. Without this action, the department would have been forced to totally close or seasonally close about two dozen more parks."

Manning noted that for every $1 spent on conservation programs, $25 is generated. It is estimated that the department has a $2.8 billion annual impact on the Illinois economy.

"We have about 36 million people who use our parks every year," said DOC spokeswoman Carol Knowles. "And we can't make everybody happy when we don't have the money to keep all of them open."

About 167 positions will be eliminated as part of the budget cuts, although only 67 existing workers will lose their jobs. Others will accept other opportunities within the department.

Sources within the agency said all 67 layoffs would come from the ranks of park rangers, game wardens and other field staff.

The plan will close only two parks currently operating Peabody River King in St. Clair County and Ten Mile Creek in Jefferson and Hamilton counties.

Two new sites, Shallowbrook Farms State Park in Bureau County and the Lowden-Miller Forest in Ogle County will not be opened.

Three other sites, the Lincoln Trail Homestead in Macon County and the Pike County and Iroquois County conservation areas, are already closed and will remain so, Knowles said.

Twenty-six other parks throughout the state will be open for picnicking, hiking, camping and other day-use only from May 15 to Oct. 15, although most of the areas still will be open for hunting and fishing.

The conservation department has conducted numerous studies that indicate the vast majority of state park visitors are day users.

"The day-use areas tend to be high-use areas and we don't have the people available to take care of them," said Knowles. "Hunting areas don't require as much maintenance."

Seven sites will see reduced programs as a result of the cuts.

Knowles said officials tried to limit seasonal closing to parks with low attendance or those with programs already offered at other parks. The agency also tried to balance the closings regionally, she said.

Manning said he would continue to push for fee increases during the fall veto session of the legislature.

The proposed fees would include a modest park entrance fee, noted Manning.

The following state parks and other wildlife areas will be closed by the budget cuts: Peabody River King, St. Clair County; Shallowbrook Farms, Bureau County; Lowden-Miller Forest, Ogle County; Lincoln Trail Homestead, Macon County; Pike County Conservation Area; Iroquois County Conservation Area; Ten Mile Creek, Jefferson and Hamilton counties.