Budget problems threaten parks

BUFFALO RIVER STATE PARK, Minn. - Paula Bader loves spending summer days with her three sons at the swimming pool here.

But the Fargo family might not be able to visit Buffalo River State Park east of Glyndon after June 30.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Wednesday unveiled a proposal that would keep open some state services - but not state parks - if legislators do not finish their budget work by July 1, the start of a new fiscal cycle.

Legislators haven't approved about 70 percent of a $30 billion, two-year budget. They are in their fourth week of a special budget session with no progress.

The Pawlenty administration estimated that 8,600 state employees would keep their jobs and 15,700 employees would lose them if Wednesday's proposal goes into effect.

Andrea Skjoiten, a lifeguard at Buffalo River State Park, is among those whose jobs are at risk.

Told about the possible shutdown of state parks, the North Dakota State University student frowned and said, "I don't want to lose my job."

Nor do state workers who belong to the Minnesota chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said Eliot Seide, director of the St. Paul-based union.

"People have a lot of concern," he said.

Many state employees live paycheck to paycheck and would be badly hurt by losing their job temporarily, he said.

Also on Wednesday, Attorney General Mike Hatch filed legal paperwork allowing him to ask about 500 state and local officials what constitutes "core services" that should be maintained during a shutdown.

The list includes every county attorney and school superintendent.

At least three people on the list don't know what to tell Hatch.

Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Superintendent Bernie Lipp said he's stumped, at least for now, on how to respond.

Otter Tail County Attorney Dave Hauser and Clay County Attorney Lisa Borgen said they're not sure what to say, either.

"I really have no idea what to tell him," Borgen said.

She said she's uncertain how core services differ from essential services such as police, fire and courts.

Hauser said he needs to research the issue before responding to Hatch.

But employees and patrons of Buffalo River State Park had a sure and certain answer to Wednesday's developments in St. Paul:

Keep our park open.

Helen Dohlmann, who's worked at the park since 1979, said it doesn't make sense to close it, especially just before the big Fourth of July weekend.

The Fourth, along with Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, are typically the park's three busiest periods, she said.

Bader said the park is popular the entire summer.

"This is a great place. It should stay open," she said.

Also enjoying the park and its pool Wednesday were Emy Hanson of Barnesville, Minn., and her three children.

Hanson - whose family visited the park about 40 times last summer - said closing it would reflect badly on state officials.

"To close a popular park in Minnesota in the summer," she said, shaking her head.

"You'd really have to wonder about their priorities if they did."

Readers can reach Forum reporter Jonathan Knutson at (701) 241-5530