# State Forest Campground Closings



## kdogger (Jan 10, 2005)

Just wondering...how exactly does the state save money by closing unstaffed primitive campgrounds?? Ok, I can see pumping the outhouses three times a year for less than a grand, but that should be covered by self payment pipe fees.

Where is the savings???


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## foxriver6 (Oct 23, 2007)

Off the top of my head and I don't work for the DNR division that manages State Forest Campgrounds:

1) Grass Cutting, removing down trees and checking the campground every few days. Costs would be an employee's wages, cost of a truck leased by the state, gas and wages/benefits to and from the campground etc...
2) Pumping the outhouses
3) PILT ie) payment in lieu of taxes
4) Annual well inspection by the Health Department
5) Cost of a Conservation Officer (wages, truck, benefits) to handle complaints of disorderly conduct, no paying campground fees, vandalism, etc. 

The bottom line is there are some costs associated with having a State Forest Campground. Many campgrounds do not bring in enough money to cover the fixed costs. Every year the legislature/governor gives the DNR less general funds. General funds are what are used to make up the difference between what a campground costs and what they generate.


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## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

Isn't the new voluntary license/access fee supposed to help the DNR funding for such general purposes?


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## kdogger (Jan 10, 2005)

foxriver6 said:


> Off the top of my head and I don't work for the DNR division that manages State Forest Campgrounds:
> 
> 1) Grass Cutting, removing down trees and checking the campground every few days. Costs would be an employee's wages, cost of a truck leased by the state, gas and wages/benefits to and from the campground etc...
> 2) Pumping the outhouses
> ...


Ok, #1, and #2 I can buy...#3 is going to be there forever unless the dnr sells the land, #4 will be there forever unless they cap the well, and #5 is already on salary regardless. It just seems like its one of these situations where if they write on paper it saves X amount of dollars, it does, regardless if it actually does or not. There is no way to verify, and the public who use these campgrounds suffer.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

jimp said:


> Isn't the new voluntary license/access fee supposed to help the DNR funding for such general purposes?


Yep! The Recreational Passport was really hyped as the savior of our state parks, state forest campgrounds and boat ramps. Talk to anybody in the know and you will be told that the program is being very successful, but the campgrounds are being closed anyway. Go figure. FM


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