WCC ? DNR Budget Update

[Grumpy]

Hi, folks:

The Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) provides a unique and valuable opportunity for young people, aged 18 to 25, who want on-the-ground experience doing stewardship projects with agencies such as the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. The WCC program offers employment for six months to one year, minimum wage ($8.55 per hour), and an AmeriCorps Education Award of $2,300 to $4,725 toward a college education.

In Washington State, WCC crews provide a critical labor force in the stewardship of our state lands and recreation areas. They install signs, build and maintain trails, install fences, remove garbage, and maintain campsites and facilities, and much more.

For the past six years, DNR had a cooperative agreement with Washington State Parks and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to fund seven crews consisting of one supervisor and four Corps members. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, both State Parks and WDFW have decided they can no longer fund their part of the WCC program.

DNR is now looking for new partners to help fill this gap in funding.

We anticipate being able to cover the three Eastern Washington WCC crews by shifting their work from WDFW lands to projects funded by the Federal Economic Stimulus Package’s program for wildfire prevention on public lands. However, on the west side, DNR’s WCC crews based in Thurston and Skagit counties will be losing funding for 93 and 120 days, respectively. We are contacting non-profit and local governments to see if they need experienced natural resource crews for small projects.

If you have any ideas for WCC projects for nonprofit groups and or local governments—especially in Thurston and Skagit counties—please send me an e-mail.

For more information about DNR’s WCC program, contact Kirk Thomas at 360-902-1645 or kirk.thomas@dnr.wa.gov. You can also learn more about WCC at: www.dnr.wa.gov/RecreationEducation/Topi ... corps.aspx

Budget Update

We are just closing the books on last biennium ending June 30, 2009. In December 2008, we realized that funding would be tight in the coming biennium. We found ways to reduce spending so we could carry unspent ORV funds into this biennium. As a result, we ended the last biennium with nearly $60,000 in the ORV Fund that we have been able to carry over. This was a bit of good news, especially since current revenue coming in from the ORV Fund is less than expected.

Recreation staff have just completed working through the 2009 - 2011 budget and determining where and how we’ll be spending our limited resources. It’s a challenging process since our funding comes from a variety of sources with specific requirements on how the funds can be spent. However, we have worked out a monthly expense process that accounts for each staff member’s time and tracks goods and services, travel, and personal service contracts.

The following is our budget—in round numbers—with the fund source for this biennium:

· $3.3 million — ORV Fund
Can only be used on designated recreation facilities and trails.


· $430,000 — General Fund
Can be used for anything related to supporting DNR’s Recreation Program.


· $871,000 — NOVA appropriation (from 2009 legislation).
Can only be use to implement the recreation plans for Reiter Foothills and Ahtanum State Forest recreation and install ORV-related signage.


· $153,000 — Resource Management Cost Account (RMCA)
Can only be used to support the implementation of the Policy for Sustainable Forests


· $153,000 —Forest Development Account (FDA)
Can only be used to support the implementation of the Policy for Sustainable Forests


· $816,000 — Capital Fund
Can only be used for construction type projects (replacing toilets, bridges, refurbishing existing facilities and constructing new facilities and trails.


Although we are not required to, we distributed the ORV Funds using the NOVA grant program’s formula:

· 1/3 to Motorized

· 1/3 to Non-motorized

· 1/3 to Non-Highway Road


Last but not least, in my next update I will be providing a progress report on what we accomplished last biennium and what we are focusing our resources on in this biennium.

Take care!

Mark R. Mauren

Assistant Division Manager

Recreation, Public Access and WCC Programs

Asset Management and Recreation Division

Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

(360) 902-1047

mark.mauren@dnr.wa.gov