Gulf state park not on cut list.Budget cuts are the main problem.Who makes money to be on safe list.Got to see more this coming week about the closing.Its going to be ugly.
Gulf State Park seems ok for now.Keep an eye on this guys.
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Gulf state park not on cut list.Budget cuts are the main problem.Who makes money to be on safe list.Got to see more this coming week about the closing.Its going to be ugly.
Gulf State Park seems ok for now.Keep an eye on this guys.
yea one of my favorites Guntersville closing.
Beautiful place. And all the eagle watches. Hate to see that go.
I think it is rather asinine to close the parks when 85% of their funding comes from their own revenue.
The funding is being diverted, so no one we elected has to put up any effort, other than kicking the can down the road. Statesmanship in office. Sadly, we keep electing the same ones, and look for different results.
This ploy has been tried more times than Saturday night date hits on highschool cheerleaders.
Don't fall for it.
Bentley was elected twice on a conservative ticket by overwhelmingly conservative voters.
Now he's showing his 'true stripes' :mad:
This is a political CoS!
Our license and usage fees support the Department of Conservation and the State Park system...
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Report: 15 state parks on closure list, including Guntersville, Cheaha | AL.comQuote:
The department receives no funding from the state general fund. Funds are generated through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, boat registration fees, oil and gas royalties from leases of state lands, and State Parks usage fees. The funds are supplemented with federal matching funds.
So the politicians answer to save the state is deny citizens use of what is rightfully theirs? :pQuote:
Alabama State Parks Director Greg Lein issued a statement earlier saying state lawmakers intend to transfer $11.4 million from the 2016 budget appropriation for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Most of that money - $10.4 million - would come from state parks, because most of conservation money is committed to match federal dollars.
Pier#r hit the nail on the head. Bentley is pulling the same stunt that Obama did in the so called government shutdown, (We could only hope for a true government shut down.) Instead of managing efficiently, cutting waste, indulgent spending etc. He's trying to cause pain just to show us that we need to pay more taxes. After working for over 35 years in government, I can tell you that any of us could go to Montgomery and in a week, find places to cut spending that would not effect services one bit.
It makes NO sense.
They have 58 million dollars to build a hotel and convention center that NObody wants,
but don't have 10 million to keep these parks open. BS!
Gulf State Park conference center project approved by BP oil spill trustees | AL.com
Gubernment never makes sense to sensible people ....and they always use wanted things by the public to get what they want.....up here it is always fire and police they threaten to cut .....same old, same old scare tactics and for some it works too .....I say cut there pay first and or job
The ADCNR gets very little money from the General Fund. Not zero, but relatively little in the grand scheme of things.
The vast majority of the General Fund money, as noted in the article, goes to State Parks, which does not have a matching federal funding source like the other Divisions have, like the Sportfish Restoration Fund, Pittman–Robertson Fund for Wildlife Programs, CZMA funds, etc...
Your license fees go to support the Marine Resource Division and the Freshwater Fisheries and Wildlife Divisions. Period. Very little, maybe none of it goes to Parks Division (maybe some boat ramp money, that would be about it).
State Parks is the only division to receive a significant (small but significant) portion of its operational cost from the General Fund. Remove that ~$10 million from the Parks budget and how the hell do you expect them to keep the lights on????
Use Fees at State Parks is the main support for the Parks system. It used to be when there was an operational lodge at GSP, its surplus revenues, plus surplus from 3-4 other big parks, supported all the parks that didn't collect enough fees. Without the GSP Lodge funding source, the Parks system has been struggling to keep the in the black. The pittance it gets from the General Fund kept the system afloat. Now our wonderful legislature wants to pull the safety net out from under Parks. What the hell do you want them to do? Raise fees even more? People already complained when they did that. You can't staff a park when you can't pay your employees. And if you think any employee at any park is over paid, look online at the State Personnel website and see what the park staff is paid. And remember a lot of their employees are seasonal, with no benefits.
And the NRDA funds for renovating GSP & rebuilding the lodge can only be spent on that project. It cannot be spent to fund other parks. Never could be. So that is a non-starter. Period. Don't mixt the two issues.
I think that real tragedy here is that this state has economic and industrial development in full swing all over the state: new or expanded factories in Mobile, Montgomery, Auburn/Opelika, Tuscaloosa, Huntsville Area.
Unemployment has dropped to pre-recession levels.
But yet our legislators cant seem to find the money to fund our state government.
Talking about only operating the already back-logged courts system 3 days a week.
Talking about turning out criminals from our prisons, putting them back on the street.
Taking away the only General Fund money the Park System gets.
The "waste & inefficiency" has been cut. There is very little to nothing left to cut. The legislators have already cut all the General Fund state agencies to the bone, the number of state employees per capita is the lowest its ever been, they raised employee contributions to health insurance & retirement and have given no cost of living raise since 2007. Last year, state employees for their first raises since 2007. Teachers got raises, state employees did not between 2007 and 2014.
I can tell you that State Parks is not bluffing. Not blowing smoke. That they haven't closed parks already is a testament to how well they have been able to manage the system. If the legislators cuts them and doesn't authorize other funds, there is no other authorized revenue source to keep Parks Division afloat. The ADCRN can't just transfer around funds authorized for other programs to Parks, its not legal.
If the legislators cut the little but of General Fund money that Parks Division receives, they will start closing parks.
You want the parks to stay open? Tell your local legislator to find a way not to cut the funds for Parks. You would think that if the people of Alabama really loved our state parks, which are some of the most beautiful in the world, they would be calling their legislators and telling them not to cut the funds instead of attacking the people who struggle every day to keep the parks operating. But apparently its easier to put all the blame Parks employees.
For Alabama State Parks, 'closed means closed,' director warns | AL.com
Quote:
For Alabama State Parks, 'closed means closed,' director warns
By Lee Roop | lroop@al.com
on April 16, 2015 at 1:49 PM, updated April 16, 2015 at 3:54 PM
Q: What does "closed" mean? Some parks have many facilities, including campgrounds, golf courses, boat ramps and lodges. Will everything close?
A: "For these 15 parks," Lein said, it means "everything is closed. The staff is gone and the facilities are closed. We may come out the other side and let people go in and use a trail, but the bathrooms won't be open and the boat ramps will be closed."
Q: What in the budget proposal is causing all the problems? How serious is the threat, and why is a relatively small amount of like $10.4 million causing this turmoil?
A: The 2016 General Fund budget making its way through the Legislature takes $11.4 million from the state Conservation Department budget by removing several revenue streams. The majority of cuts would be felt by the parks, Lein says, because most conservation money is committed to match federal funds. The budget has not passed yet, and the loss of money if it passes would not be immediate. It would accumulate through next year.
Lein says past cuts have left the parks system heavily dependent on guest charges. That money is the only source of funds to shore up areas now funded by the money being transferred.
"The only place to get it is guest revenue," he said. "If I can't pay the light bill and staffing, I don't have a product to sell. If someone takes the money you're using to produce the product, you can't produce the product. They've robbed Peter to pay Paul too many times."
Additional related articles:
300 state park job cuts looming if Alabama budget crisis isn't resolved | AL.com
Picturing a real crisis for Alabama state parks as long as Montgomery is on the case | AL.com
Odd that NONE of these positions set to be lost include Directors or other high level (high income) types ;-)
BTW, the Director of the State Park system is APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR!
http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/alcode/41/7/41-7-3
Nope, ADCNR Commissioner is selected by the Governor, all Division Chiefs are selected by the Commissioner. Its a Merit System appt., not an appointment.
Thanks Carl, I misread the list @
ALA CODE § 41-7-3 : Alabama Code - Section 41-7-3: ADVISORY BOARD
HOORAY FOR JIM ZEIGLER'S EFFORTS TO KEEP THESE STATE PARKS OPEN!
Auditor plan to keep state parks open with no tax increase: "Save Our Parks with Savings" | AL.com
Quote:
SAVE OUR PARKS WITH SAVINGS
Please contact your state senator and state representative and ask them to support Zeigler's plan, "Save Our Parks with Savings." Here is how to contact them:
AHEM! ;-)
Alabama state parks, golf courses get reprieve, won't close May 1 | AL.com
Quote:
Four state parks and two golf courses threatened with closure May 1 by the state's budget crisis will now stay open "until further notice," State Parks Director Greg Lein said today.
"Since that time, we have received a tremendous amount of support from the public. In addition, the governor's office and the legislature have received an outcry for our parks to stay open and for them to receive full funding," Lein said. "Given these recent developments and discussions that are taking place in Montgomery, Gov. Bentley has instructed the state parks division to delay these closings slated for May 1 until further notice."
Lein told park supporters, "What you are doing is working and has a huge impact on ensuring that State Parks funding is protected. We encourage all supporters of the parks system to continue to communicate within your families, your communities, and among your elected officials to resolve this funding crisis once and for all."
Still doesn't fix the budget problem.
10 facts Alabama state parks supporters and skeptics need to know: guest opinion | AL.com
Quote:
10 facts Alabama state parks supporters and skeptics need to know: guest opinion
- About the writer
Greg Lein is director of Alabama State Parks. He can be reached at Greg.Lein@dcnr.alabama.gov
As the debate continues about Alabama's budget crisis and the Legislature's proposal to take $10.4 million from the State Parks System(plus another $1 million from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources), uncertainty hangs over the future of state parks.
Here, though, are 10 things I want to share with our supporters and skeptics about the Alabama State Parks in 2015:
1) Alabama's state parks are now approaching what is normally our busiest and most prosperous time of the year – summer. We have numerous events and programs scheduled for the coming months. Several new recreational concessions will be starting operations in the next month and several others are entering just their second or third year of operations.
2) Our state parks staff and volunteers are a tremendous asset when it comes to providing the public with a positive experience in the parks. This human capital is incredibly valuable to the system. Of the State Parks System's 748 employees, 184 are volunteers -- that's 25 percent of the overall workforce.
3) Our parks offer a great "park product" to the public, as demonstrated by the Trip Advisor Awards of Excellence earned by nine of our parks in 2014. These awards are decided by visitors and are based on their personal experience at our parks.
4) All 22 parks are fully operational for the first time in 20 years, which began a period of renovations and recovery from natural – and unnatural – disasters. Throughout that 20-year period of disruption, park attendance has remained stable. The past six years have been the best on record, revenue-wise, for the Parks System, but we still operate a bare-bones budget with very little cash on hand. That is why raiding this revenue will have a crippling impact on the Parks System.
5) From a strictly budgetary standpoint, Alabama's Parks System operates as the most efficient State Park System in the Southeast, based on guest revenue compared to expenses. Across the nation, Alabama's Parks System ranks in the top three using that same comparison.
6) Despite the transfer of $12 million from the administrative and maintenance funds during FY2012 and FY2013, the Parks System has been able to cope with maintenance and administrative costs to improve and maintain a quality "parks product" by drawing on our reserve funds. Those funds are now gone.
7) The Alabama State Parks System's cash balance is at its lowest point since 2000. This, along with the seasonal patterns of our cash flow, amplifies the potential impact associated with the proposed transfer of $10.4 million of State Park System funds. Despite the implementation of efficiencies started in 2000, the costs of materials, utilities, insurance and staffing have increased significantly over time.
8) A 2014 Economic Impact Study performed by the University of Alabama demonstrated that our state gains a tenfold return ($375 million) on investment in our State Parks System. In 2014, the Parks System had 4.6 million visitor occurrences. Our State Parks System is a highly valued public service program that improves our quality of life and brings significant revenue to the communities where our parks exist.
9) Since our budget crisis has become publicly known, the outpouring of support from citizens who love and appreciate their state parks has been tremendous. A new Facebook page supporting the State Parks System (AL State Parks Partners)gained more than 22,000 "likes" on their page in less than two weeks.
10) The Alabama State Parks System is a user-pay system – one that is now attracting private investment and partnership relationships. We need the public to continue to visit and use the parks this spring and as much as possible this summer. Your support is more important than ever.
Park partners need to continue speaking with family, friends and elected officials to let them know that a fully funded State Parks System brings benefits beyond measure. Please know that we are doing everything we can to keep the state parks open and to ensure that we continue to provide the kind of service guests have come to expect. We are open for business and hope to see you very soon at one of our 22 beautiful state parks.
How much do you want to bet they will start auctioning off to the highest bidder (yeah right) state parks to corporations? Instead of seeing a sign that says welcome to gulf shores state park. It will read welcome to Bank of America gulf shores state park.
That would require a change to the state parks legislation, a constitutional amendment as well as requiring the state to repay the feds hundreds of millions $$$ in Land & Water Conservation Fund grants. And returning large tracts to TVA and a number of private entities that granted land to the Park system with deed restriction & reversion clauses.Quote:
Originally Posted by pokenfish
Could it happen? Sure, this is Alabama and stupider shit has been done, but not likely....
Maybe the lottery (or Native tribe) will bail us out ;-)
LOL again, not likely!
This problem will not be solved by politicians (even though it was created by them).
IMHO the more individual citizens do to $UPPORT the State Parks, the more of the problem will go away.
That, and TELL the politicians to keep their damn hands off the funds generated by the parks!
Mornin' #'er, I work for the DNR (Parks & Recreation Dept.) in MN. which is different than AL. because of the short season, only 6 months in most cases, but up here the Parks do not generate enough money to support themselves and are a liability to the State. Down there you have a longer season because of the weather, but because of of the longer season, it may create a greater liability to the State. If the Parks were open in the Winter months up here, they would take in very little revenue and the cost would be nearly the same as the Summer months. I suspect that is the case with the AL. Parks. However, MN. has a very nice surplus in their funds to work with, one of a few States in the Union that does, thanks to our Gov., Mark Dayton. MN. is buying a lot of recreation land, which may not be good because of the loss of tax revenue but it is nice to have and the State can and does sell it if they so desire. If I recall correctly, AL. had a huge short fall and had to cut back on many areas to keep from raising taxes considerably. Only my thoughts!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Pier#r
I remember a few years ago our sales tax was 7% in town and 5% in the county. We had no revenue from alcohol sales(dry county and city) and our budgets were just fine. Shortly after passing legalized sales of alcohol legislation(and the promise of a windfall of new revenue) our sales tax rose again to 9%. Revenue AIN'T the problem. Most government agencies are the epitome of waste, poor planning, corruption, inefficiency and ineffective management. Tell me how many public officials, police officers, deputies, and state troopers did you see driving huge luxury gas guzzling SUVs back when we had balanced budgets? If you feed the monster more it will simply get bigger and need to be fed more so it can get bigger and need to be fed more.
Apparently this saga isn't over yet...
Five State Parks to Close on Thursday
Quote:
Five State Parks to Close on Thursday
- http://alreporter.com/templates/ja_t...rintButton.png
- http://alreporter.com/templates/ja_t...mailButton.png
Details Created on 12 Oct 2015
http://alreporter.com/images/resized...ks_200_200.png
By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Thursday, October 15, the Alabama Parks System will close five of its parks. Bladon Springs, Chickasaw, Paul Grist, Roland Cooper and Florala will all close in order to save the troubled parks system money. The closings, which disproportionately affect the Black Belt Counties, have been criticized because the cuts, like the cuts of the 31 driver’s license offices by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) target the government infrastructure closest to the people rather than management and redundant administration and staff in Montgomery.
One of the most outspoken critics has been State Auditor Jim Zeigler (R), whose own office received an incredible 25 percent cut.
Auditor Zeigler has announced that he will make a major speech "The State of Our State Parks" also on Thursday, October 15, the same day that the five parks close.
Zeigler said that the closure of the five state parks on Thursday is unnecessary and shows bad management by state government.
Zeigler said in a statement, “Gov. Robert Bentley says the parks are closing due to the Alabama legislature’s failure to pass his entire package of five tax increases. Three tax increases did pass, but the Bentley administration went forward with the parks closures.”
Zeigler says the parks generate 85 to 90 percent of the money they need to operate, from fees and sales.
Zeigler blames transfers of park funds by the state legislature to the troubled state general fund (SGF): “Just in the past five years, $15 million made by the parks has been stolen from them and used to prop up other state programs. If this money had been left within the park system, there would be no closures,” Zeigler said.
Zeigler said, “The Bentley administration is hinting at more closures of more parks next year. We need better management and a long-term plan to keep the parks open. The simple thing to do is to stop taking money earned by the parks and let them keep it. With a few changes, the parks can be self-sustaining and not rely on taxpayer funds. Nobody in Montgomery is taking a lead role in getting this done.”
Zeigler said that he will address the future of state parks at his Thursday speech in Hoover at the 5:45 p.m. meeting of Rainy Day Patriots. The event will be at Hoover Tactical Firearms, 1561 Montgomery Highway, Hoover, AL. The meeting is open to the public.
Some lawmakers (particularly rural Black Democrats) have suggested that their districts were targeted with closures of parks, driver’s licenses, and even ABC stores because they would not support the Bentley Administration’s Draconian tax increases on the people of Alabama. The Black lawmakers had demanded that the state start a state lottery or allow casino gambling as a way to generate more revenue rather than Bentley’s plan to raise taxes on people’s cigarettes, cigars, nursing home beds, pharmacy prescriptions, income, utility bills, car tags, car sales, car rentals, tea and soft drinks, and business privileges.
A smaller cigarette tax (25 cents instead of the 80 cents Bentley first proposed), the nursing home bed tax, and the prescription drug tax were the only taxes to pass. The Bentley administration is expected to reintroduce more of their tax package in 2016.
State Parks officials insist that the five parks being closed have been money losers for years and were targeted to save costs not to target politicians or for racial reasons.
Zeigler has insisted that Montgomery cut out the perks and privileges of office such as the vehicles and the Governor’s jet rather than services to the people of Alabama like the parks.
"Zeigler blames transfers of park funds by the state legislature to the troubled state general fund (SGF): “Just in the past five years, $15 million made by the parks has been stolen from them and used to prop up other state programs. If this money had been left within the park system, there would be no closures,” Zeigler said."
BINGO!!!!!
I guess sometimes, the really obvious needs to be stated publically by someone in a position to know what is really going on.
PLEASE take the survey...
http://survey.dcnr.alabama.gov/TakeSurvey.aspx?PageNumber=1&SurveyID=96K2nn4&Prev iew=true
That knife has two edges.Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlF
One could also argue that if all the money stayed in the system then money from parks that are used by the public, would be siphoned off to support more pork barrel parks that exist mostly because they are in some powerful politician's district.
Ideally, I would like to see parks that are supported by the people maintained at a minimum cost to users while letting the pork projects close (or never open). I think most people would want the same. Politicians will always use public money to feather their own nests, that's the nature of the beast.
No doubt our State Parks need the revenue they generate to maintain all of their facility's to the public. Those State Parks that we visit up here in N. Al. all have facility needs to be addressed to keep visitors satisfied with their visits, just so that they would be willing to return sometime, as opposed to going home and telling folks what a run-down place that was they just went to. What we will get from Goat Hill will be a user fee AND a State Parks tittie to prop up our G.F.Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlF
Not to be repetitive or play partisan politics but this isn't a new issue to the State of Alabama. Our government has been "borrowing from Peter to pay Paul" long before the party in the majority in Montgomery came into power. If they cut out 1/4th of the fraud, waste and abuse there would be no budget shortfall.
The only thing to do is to just accept the new paradigm - The State Parks will be sold to private interests that have bribed politiicans to divert money designated for those State Parks SO THAT they would go broke. "Small government" means a reduction in services and facilities connected to the government. The decision has been made, collectively, to support the present legislators and the people of Alabama will have to live with that decision. There's really no point in wringing hands over this. Everyone should have known that this was coming. The new paradigm can be called "The State of Alabama, minus public access facilities like State Parks and Wildlife Management Areas and convenient Driver's License facilities."
State Parks will be sold?
Soemtimes I don't know where you guys come up with this shit. There are so many hurdles in place, state, federal and deed restrictions, etc., that it's not even worth any politician considering. Not that anyone, not a single politician, has even floated the idea. Same with the WMA land the state owns.
Lots more serious shit in the world to be worried about other than state parks being sold.
CarlF - You think that the State Parks will just stay closed and the State will just do nothing with them? Or do you think that the lapse in funding and the closure is somehow temporary? If it's temporary, where's the funding going to come from?
And how long did politicians float the idea of skimming funds from State Parks before announcing what they were doing? It just seems to me that backroom deals to divert/steal funds/property aren't typically announced to the general public.
OMG!
The pier closed!!
state parks will be SOLD!!!
That's carazy. Where did you hear this?
I read it on the internet, it MUST be true ;-)
My point is that it doesn't matter how corrupt politicians get or what their plans are, Alabama voters will not vote them out of office. So outdoorsmen/sportsmen may as well just accept the new paradigm, whatever that is, because legislators have carte blanche to continue to steal/divert funds and services from the people of Alabama. Legislators are sending a message that they don't value State Parks, by defunding them. This isn't happening just in Alabama. Of course one can only speculate what the end game is, since politicians are not going to disclose their intentions. I'm just skeptical that legislators have the people's interests at heart instead of an ideology that is austerity based. If this is all about austerity and State Parks are deemed unnecessary, then this is just a stage toward the eventual elimination of them.
Don't get me wrong - I think that it's a good thing that there are people who trust politicians, even in the light of the disclosure about their diverting funds from State Parks. It's an optimistic outlook that I wish I could share!
Quote:
Originally Posted by eym_sirius
No, not all will stayed closed, some of the parks are being turned over to local communities (Like to one in Florala). This is being discussed for some other parks already.
Other Parks may sit idle for now, to be re-opened if the budget mess ever resolves itself.
Or they might be converted to passive use tracts, made part of State Forests or maybe even added to the WMA system as a community hunting area, etc..
The State has numerous tracts of lands that are not part of parks or WMAs. They aren't being sold. Why the hell would we sell one of the parks???
Even if "they" (whomever "they" are) wanted to, the deed restrictions and reversion clauses would make it a nightmare. N
o matter what everyone believes, selling ADCNR owned lands is not as simple as a couple of politicians in some dark smokey room deciding to sell a park to their buddy and money changing hands.
The state has been skimming funds from Parks for years. Anyone who followed the budget hearings would have known, it was discussed, put in to bills and passed as laws and signed by the governor for years, every single year it was part of the public record.
No one "knew" about it because somehow the newspapers decided it wasn't newsworthy enough. N
o one in the public gave a shit until the legislature bled the Parks dry and closures started. N
o one gave a shit until they started talking about bleeding Fisheries and Wildlife too.
Then finally it became newsworthy.
Carl F - I think that the question should be asked in reverse: With State Parks that remained closed for years (this is years in the future, of course), why would politicians NOT sell off those lands to help pay the bills? If it's a slow, arduous process, then the time to get started on the process is -- now! I'm just trying to get a hold on the mindset behind what's going on and it looks like an "austerity" movement in the Alabama legislature. In a household, austerity would be cutting out all unnecessary items and paring down to a bare-bones budget. That's the choice instead of bringing in more money to have a better life. What austerity looks like in the public sector is shutting down what politicians deem non-essential facilities and services (like driver's license facilities and State Parks) and keeping them closed. The only way the State can avoid selling the properties (assuming that they are so inclined) is to transfer the properties to another State entity (as you said) or to invite corporate sponsorship (like the Progressive Insurance Gulf Shores Pier, or "PIGSP") But whatever the new paradigm is, the people will just have to accept it and incorporate it, because corruption has been going on for years (like you said) and nobody's taken any action (like adverse voting action) to stop it.
Because the land is relatively cheap to hold onto and can actually generate revenue through timber sales and hunting leases or still be held for its original public use (access) in one form or another.
And its a heck of lot harder to buy new land than to hold what you have.
Even in lean times, it doesn't make sense to sell capital holdings when those capital holding may generate revenue in the future or at least will be revenue neutral. Ask anyone who's family sold off large land holdings over the years and are now kicking themselves in the butt cause all they have left are the lots with their houses.
...meanwhile
Hearing set in federal lawsuit to block beach hotel - FOX10 News | WALA
Quote:
The Gulf Restoration Network filed a lawsuit against the state and federal trustees who approved the project. The environmental group says a hotel isn't a correct use of funds meant to restore the coast after the largest oil spill in U.S. history.
The state plans to use $135 million in settlement funds to build a 350-room hotel and conference center at Gulf State Park.
Read more: Hearing set in federal lawsuit to block beach hotel - FOX10 News | WALA
I'm just a tourist that is lucky enough to make it down about 3 times a year but building a hotel with that money doesn't seem right. I'd like to see them fix the pier at Ft Morgan and the sea wall at Alabama Point. That may not be proper use of those funds either but at least it is resortation projects. I know the main draw to GS/OB is the beach but I would think people coming to fish the area has to be important on some level.
Fixing the pier at Fort Morgan is on "the list".
Just cant say when or with which pot of money.
But its on the radar.