CLARK COUNTY —
The two state parks in Clark County will consolidate into one operation, as Charlestown State Park and Falls of the Ohio State Park, in Clarksville, will combine their respective offices under one administration, officials say.
Some consolidation efforts have already begun, including designating the role of property manager for both sites to Larry Gray, who was formerly only the property manager at Charlestown State Park. Efforts to combine multiple park locations into one office is not an uncommon occurrence for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
“We’ve done similar things in the past,” Gray said of consolidation efforts. “It’s kind of a common sense thing sharing [a] work force. Especially because the two locations are 15 miles apart, the effort to consolidate some services makes sense.”
The proximity of the two parks provided the impetus to go forward with the effort and will also help DNR achieve its main goal.
“We’re trying to find ways to reduce cost,” said Phil Bloom, director of communications for DNR. “[The] location made it an objective.”
For the two parks, the consolidation will not necessarily be a major transition, as they have commonly shared resources.
“We do share some of that effort already,” Gray said, referring to administrative functions. “I don’t know if there’s going to be any substantial change that’s going to take place. I don’t think it will change the identity of either park.”
Bloom agreed and said that although Gray has already assumed the role of property manager at both sites, Steve Knowles, manager at Falls of the Ohio State Park, will remain the face of day-to-day operations at that park.
Knowles was contacted for comment, but declined to answer and said that all questions should be directed to Bloom.
Bloom said visitors will not notice a difference as the changes will be far more administrative. Sharing resources and staff was something that the two parks had already been doing.
“We’ve always worked very closely together,” Gray said. “What we’re looking at is can we consolidate some efforts and build some efficiency in what we do?”
Although the consolidation effort will have some employees covering positions at both parks, it will not cost any employees at either park their jobs.
“Anybody that is employed will still be employed,” Bloom said.
While no employees are expected to be cut, some positions that are vacant will remain unfilled.
Gray said that a laborer and a maintenance-worker position — both held by people who recently retired from Charlestown’s park — likely will not be filled because the state is under a hiring freeze.
“I know we have vacancies across the state that have been idle for a while,” Gray said. “[But] we’re not asking anyone to lose a job.”
No definitive timeline has been set for the two operations to become fully consolidated, as Bloom would only say it will happen over a period of time.
“This whole process is kind of a gradual transition,” he said.
Clark County
Related Photos
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Charlestown State Park file photo
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Falls of the Ohio State Park. File photo
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Falls of the Ohio State Park. File photo
Discussion
Clark County state parks moving in one direction
Falls, Charlestown state parks to be under single administration
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