Post by MuzzleLoader on Feb 5, 2015 18:17:52 GMT -5
Jud Mcmillin
Union County commissioners were asked Monday to write letters of support for a bill that would invest $6 million in capital improvements at Mounds and Quakertown state recreation areas on Brookville Lake and Whitewater Memorial State Park.
Union County Development Corp. executive director Melissa Browning encouraged commissioners' involvement, saying upgrades in the parks are crucial to Union County's economy.
House Bill 1611, authored by State Rep. Jud McMillin (R-Brookville) would reduce the budget of the Department of Natural Resources' Law Enforcement Division by $6 million. The agency also would face new restrictions under McMillin's bill.
The Law Enforcement Division would lose $5 million from personal services and $1 million from its other operating expense category to fund the improvements in Franklin and Union counties. If approved, the bill would go into effect July 1.
"The parks have a huge impact on our economy," Browning said. "Eighty percent of our merchants' income comes in the summertime. We'll ask the (Liberty) town council to also support the bill."
Commissioners took no action Monday on Browning's request, but president Paul Wiwi said he wants to discuss the bill with McMillin, who is now the House's majority floor leader.
Browning invited county officials to tour facilities at Whitewater, with a tour set for 1 p.m. Feb. 10. Restrooms and shower facilities are in poor condition and many of the park's wooden buildings are showing signs of rot, she said.
Whitewater, which opened in 1949, has nine vacant positions and state DNR officials have not said yet whether those positions will be filled this year, Browning said, so upkeep at the park could be a problem.
Whitewater's 2014 revenue was down $20,000 from 2013's total, Browning said.
McMillin said the DNR isn't investing enough money in maintaining its properties, so he authored the bill as a way to increase "wise spending."
If $6 million is more than what's required to improve Brookville Lake and Whitewater properties, some of the money could be used to create pedestrian trails for those properties, he said.
Because Union and Franklin counties' parks draw large numbers of Ohio visitors from Cincinnati and Dayton, the DNR's attitude appears to be parks that attract more Hoosiers should get more money for upkeep, Browning said.
DNR Communications director Phil Bloom said diverting $6 million from the DNR Division of Law Enforcement would have a significant impact on Indiana conservation officers and their ability to provide a range of services to the public.
"It's about $80,000 to recruit, train and hire, full-equip, and pay the first-year salary of a conservation officer, not including health benefits," Bloom said. "So the $6 million identified in the bill would account for about 75 conservation officers, roughly one-third of the division's deployment when fully staffed," Bloom said.
McMillin said he expects to make some compromises to get the bill passed.
"There's room for a lot of give and take," McMillin said. "I don't expect to get everything I've asked for, but it's started the conversation."
Other provisions of House Bill 1611
Conservation officers generally have the same arrest powers as the Indiana State Police, county sheriffs and police departments. Under State Rep. Jud McMillin's bill, a conservation officer could not issue a ticket, summons or citation for a moving traffic offense or a non-moving traffic offense unless the offense occurs on property owned or managed by the DNR.
The bill also restricts the consumption of alcoholic beverages at Indiana Dunes State Park, except at the licensed pavilion; Redbird State Recreation Area; Interlake State Recreation Area; a swimming beach or pool; a shooting range; or designated youth tent area.
A person could have an alcoholic beverage at a beach if the person is in the process of moving or transferring the drink to an area where the person is allowed to possess it
This guy is causing quite a stir in S. eastern indiana
Union County commissioners were asked Monday to write letters of support for a bill that would invest $6 million in capital improvements at Mounds and Quakertown state recreation areas on Brookville Lake and Whitewater Memorial State Park.
Union County Development Corp. executive director Melissa Browning encouraged commissioners' involvement, saying upgrades in the parks are crucial to Union County's economy.
House Bill 1611, authored by State Rep. Jud McMillin (R-Brookville) would reduce the budget of the Department of Natural Resources' Law Enforcement Division by $6 million. The agency also would face new restrictions under McMillin's bill.
The Law Enforcement Division would lose $5 million from personal services and $1 million from its other operating expense category to fund the improvements in Franklin and Union counties. If approved, the bill would go into effect July 1.
"The parks have a huge impact on our economy," Browning said. "Eighty percent of our merchants' income comes in the summertime. We'll ask the (Liberty) town council to also support the bill."
Commissioners took no action Monday on Browning's request, but president Paul Wiwi said he wants to discuss the bill with McMillin, who is now the House's majority floor leader.
Browning invited county officials to tour facilities at Whitewater, with a tour set for 1 p.m. Feb. 10. Restrooms and shower facilities are in poor condition and many of the park's wooden buildings are showing signs of rot, she said.
Whitewater, which opened in 1949, has nine vacant positions and state DNR officials have not said yet whether those positions will be filled this year, Browning said, so upkeep at the park could be a problem.
Whitewater's 2014 revenue was down $20,000 from 2013's total, Browning said.
McMillin said the DNR isn't investing enough money in maintaining its properties, so he authored the bill as a way to increase "wise spending."
If $6 million is more than what's required to improve Brookville Lake and Whitewater properties, some of the money could be used to create pedestrian trails for those properties, he said.
Because Union and Franklin counties' parks draw large numbers of Ohio visitors from Cincinnati and Dayton, the DNR's attitude appears to be parks that attract more Hoosiers should get more money for upkeep, Browning said.
DNR Communications director Phil Bloom said diverting $6 million from the DNR Division of Law Enforcement would have a significant impact on Indiana conservation officers and their ability to provide a range of services to the public.
"It's about $80,000 to recruit, train and hire, full-equip, and pay the first-year salary of a conservation officer, not including health benefits," Bloom said. "So the $6 million identified in the bill would account for about 75 conservation officers, roughly one-third of the division's deployment when fully staffed," Bloom said.
McMillin said he expects to make some compromises to get the bill passed.
"There's room for a lot of give and take," McMillin said. "I don't expect to get everything I've asked for, but it's started the conversation."
Other provisions of House Bill 1611
Conservation officers generally have the same arrest powers as the Indiana State Police, county sheriffs and police departments. Under State Rep. Jud McMillin's bill, a conservation officer could not issue a ticket, summons or citation for a moving traffic offense or a non-moving traffic offense unless the offense occurs on property owned or managed by the DNR.
The bill also restricts the consumption of alcoholic beverages at Indiana Dunes State Park, except at the licensed pavilion; Redbird State Recreation Area; Interlake State Recreation Area; a swimming beach or pool; a shooting range; or designated youth tent area.
A person could have an alcoholic beverage at a beach if the person is in the process of moving or transferring the drink to an area where the person is allowed to possess it
This guy is causing quite a stir in S. eastern indiana
