Glacier's budget not nearly as rosy as first predicted

Glacier National Park's 2008 budget looks like a decidedly mixed bag, with some divisions seeing hiring increases, while others will see far less funding. While the base budget did see a sizable boost, trails and other projects, which fall under different funding categories, will see significantly less funding.For example, the Park's trails budget will not get $248,000, building maintenance will not get $300,000 and visitor use area maintenance will not see $161,000."Lack of funding for these projects will result in an overall net loss of temporary employees in these areas unless funding is secured through other means. Loss of special project positions will impact trail repair work as well as historic preservation, buildings and campground maintenance activities. Further, there will be no road chip sealing," Park officials said in a prepared release.That's not good news for a Park with 700-plus miles of trails, several historic structures and roads that get pounded by the weather. Some trails funding, for example, comes from the base budget, but not all of it.Speaking privately, some Park employees likened it to a shell game, where one section of the Park budget benefited, while others fared poorly.For example, several Park divisions actually see increases in employment.Under the Park Service's new Centennial Initiative, funding corresponds to specific park requests and covers a variety of activities. The interpretation division will restore two seasonal positions ?one in Two Medicine and one in Many Glacier, and will also add a new seasonal position. The Facility management division will hire nine new seasonal positions and will extend several current seasonal positions. Visitor and resource protection divisions will hire several new positions including: two biological technicians, one fire forestry technician, one permanent non full-time ranger, and three seasonal rangers. Additionally, 16 rangers will work longer seasons. Funding was also provided for a new volunteer coordinator.There were also additional operational increases for interpretation, including hiring an education specialist as a permanent non full-time position and a permanent non full-time visual information specialist. This specialist is also partially funded by the Park Service's Intermountain Region and will work with other parks to develop media for them. Further, five seasonal rangers were restored and an additional position will work a longer season.Acting Superintendent Stephanie Dubois tried to put a positive spin on the mixed bag of numbers."In practical terms, this base operating funding increase means that we will be able to hire more seasonal employees and visitors will see more rangers out in the park," Dubois noted. "We will begin a special watchable wildlife program in Many Glacier. We will be able to better protect the public and park resources through the extension and/or hiring of protection rangers. Our education program will be permanent, which will foster stewardship among youth. We will be able to continue connecting people to Glacier with the use of cutting-edge technology."Glacier's total pot of budget funds is about $25 million. About half of that is its base budget.The park's base operating budget increased from $12.030 million to $13.19 million, which is an almost 10 percent increase and fully covers pay increases for employees paid from base funding. The increase will also help with escalating utility and fuel costs for daily operations. Included within this operating budget is $624,975 from the National Park Service's Centennial Initiative. This is a permanent increase to the park's operating budget that will provide for enhanced seasonal operations, Park officials said.The Park also is awaiting Congressional approval on other Centennial projects, including funds for programs to celebrate Glacier's centennial which is coming up in 2010, a volunteer stewardship program for native plants and a dorm project at Lake McDonald Lodge.The Centennial Initiative is a Bush Administration program designed to match private donations with federal dollars to get programs funded in national parks.