State Sen. Noreen Evans, who represents Lake County in the state Senate, has decried a proposal to allow for-profits to seek concession agreements, because she asserted it would hurt the ability of local nonprofits to run parks that might otherwise have been closed.
But in a Jan. 13 letter to park supporters, friends and prospective partners, State Parks Director Ruth Coleman emphasized that isn’t the case.
Coleman said the state parks have three partnership options – donor agreements to help fund parks, operating agreements with nonprofits or concession contracts.
She said her agency is pursuing approval from the State Public Works Board to advertise 11 possible concession contracts.
According to the updated agenda for the State Public Works Board’s Thursday meeting, the parks in question are George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area and McConnell State Recreation Area, Merced County; Turlock Lake State Recreation Area, Stanislaus County; Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area, Tehama County; Brannan Island State Recreation Area, Sacramento County; Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and Austin Creek State Recreation Area, Sonoma County; and Russian Gulch State Park, Hendy Woods State Park, Westport Union Landing State Park and Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area, all in Mendocino County.
In the letter, Coleman said State Parks “absolutely commits itself to continuing to explore all possible partnership options – whether with non-profits, local governments, for-profit companies or hybrids thereof – to ensure the maximum possible benefit for the public from keeping parks open and serving visitors. This mission-driven approach, and nothing else, will drive State Parks’ decision making.”
She also stated that the proposed action by the State Public Works Board at its Thursday meeting would allow State Parks to advertise for concessions, and doesn’t reflect an agency decision to use a concession at the listed parks.
Coleman said the State Parks Department “will continue its ongoing discussions with all parties, including nonprofits, cooperating associations and local agencies, aimed at finding the best possible partnerships to continue the operation of parks which the State can no longer afford to operate on its own.”
She added that the agency has no preference for concessions over operating agreements, and looks forward “to working with all potential partners to best serve California’s citizens and best protect the resources of the State Park System.”
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