PORT TOWNSEND — All state parks are facing the same economic woes, but it could be that Fort Worden State Park can offset these problems in unique ways.
“State parks never had to operate as a business, and no matter how many people visited the parks, we would still get our government subsidy,” state Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Larry Fairleigh told about 50 people at a meeting at the Pope Marine Building on Wednesday night.
“That has changed,” Fairleigh said. “We are competing with a lot of other activities.’
That’s one reason the idea of a lifelong learning center was broached for Fort Worden State Park.
The Lifelong Learning Center Public Development Authority is not seeking to take over management or ownership of the park; it is seeking to manage an educational component that works in tandem with existing park operations, Cindy Hill Finnie, board chairwoman, said at the meeting.
The consultant who is to develop the business plan for a lifelong learning center at Fort Worden talked about what a business plan would contain.
“I’m here to detail what is needed to have sustainable business operations for certain aspects of Fort Worden,” said Brian Justy of Dallas-based Pros Consulting.
“I’m not here to sell the case,” he added. “I’m only here to put together the numbers that make sense.”
Under the direction of the public development authority, Justy will develop a business plan with specific suggestions expected to be discussed in a public forum Aug. 23, though the time and place have not been set.
The public development authority board will meet Aug. 29 to review public comment, finalize the draft plan and submit it for review Sept. 1 to the Office of Financial Management and an independent consultant.
The State Parks Commission will review the plan at its Oct. 25 regular meeting and expects to take action on the plan Dec. 31.
Justy is familiar with state parks in general because his company is one of two that works in the field and with Fort Worden in particular: His firm developed the 2008 business plan on which the new plan is to be based.
Justy is being paid $25,000 to develop the new plan.
“As an industry, state parks are the most threatened and endangered form of public parks in the country,” Justy said.
“They are not national parks, which have big iconic places and the wealth of the federal government to support them, and they aren’t the local parks that are near and dear to everyone’s lives.
“State parks are large tracts of land that have all these expensive resources they need to maintain and don’t have the same level of innovative funding and financing that a lot of local parks enjoy,” Justy said.
Justy said his plan will look at the costs needed to manage an aspect of the park that supports the lifelong learning center vision, which includes some of the conference facilities but not the campground or the beach.
The plan will project some of the real costs the public development authority could expect in running the park and possible revenues, as well as an analysis of who is visiting the park, Justy said.
“I wish we had more time to do this, but this project is like drinking from a firehose,” Justy said.
“It’s quick, but we don’t want to shorten the opportunity to receive input from you in this process.”
During the public comment period, Fairleigh was asked about the specific profit and loss statements for Fort Worden, which he said he could not provide.
“We don’t have that kind of data,” Fairleigh said.
“When we were getting the same government subsidies each year, we didn’t operate in the same way as a business enterprise.
“I can tell you about the entire park systems budget, but we don’t have the numbers for each park.”
During the public comment period, the efficacy of the public development authority was questioned.
“I think the task of managing Fort Worden is too big for them,” said David Thielk of Port Townsend.
“Maybe the parks commission should select the members for a new PDA board.”
“Education has never been able to support itself,” said Edward D. Edwards of Port Townsend.
“Under this plan, the revenues from the recreational side can provide the funds that are needed to operate the educational side.
“I think this is a brilliant idea.”
The state review of the proposed plan that will begin in September will include sending the final draft to other state park directors throughout the country, who will review its content and judge the soundness of the plan, Justy said.
Even though all state parks face the same issues, the plan won’t be repurposed by other parks.
“Every state park is unique, and with every business plan, you have to start from scratch,” Justy said.
For more information or to read the notes from Wednesday’s meeting,visit www.fwpda.com.
Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
