Governor's new panel charged to aid Montana park strategic plan

HELENA – Gov. Steve Bullock said Friday he has created a 12-member Montana Parks in Focus commission to ensure the state has the resources to implement a 2015 parks and recreation strategic plan.

Bullock signed an executive order Thursday to create the advisory council, ordering the public-private collaboration it to make sure the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks can put a five-year strategic plan into action.

In his executive order, he said the implementation of the plan, developed in 2015 by the parks division and the Montana State Parks and Recreation Board, has not been accomplished.

“… the fiscal health of the state parks system remains a chronic problem amid rising costs for staffing, infrastructure repair along with operations and maintenance, and declining budgetary resources,” he wrote in his executive order.

Bullock noted during a news conference with reporters that a report detailed $22.7 million in deferred maintenance to the state’s park system. Montana has 55 state parks.

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He said parks can build “public-private partnerships” to develop ways to raise funds and build the profile of Montana's park system, which he said were the "cultural and recreational jewels" of the state.

He is asking the commission to develop a diversified revenue stream for parks, which would involve finding solutions to “chronic” fiscal problems such as rising costs for staffing, maintenance and infrastructure repair. He also wants the commission to find how to increase "strategic" public-private partnerships that would increase collaborative stewardship of parks and build an “engaged constituency” that would support and advocate for parks.

Bullock said the commission is to hold four public hearings around the state. It is to deliver an initial assessment by June and deliver a final recommendations report by December.

“I think we have a great group of folks who are willing to roll up their sleeves and dive into this,” he said, adding he hoped the panel would create a foundation from which to build.

Bullock said two advisers from the Resources Legacy Fund will oversee the commission, Deb Love and Ben Alexander. He said they will work with his staff, the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, state Parks and Recreation Board and others.

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In a news release from the governor’s office, Angie Grove, chair of the state Parks and Recreation Board, said the board would work “hand-in-hand” with the new commission.



Board members include:

Stace Lindsay, who will serve as chair. Lindsay is president of Fusion Venture Partners, a strategic consulting and investment firm.

Mark Aagenes, director of external affairs for The Nature Conservancy Montana.

LiseAangeenbrug, new executive director for The Outdoor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Outdoor Industry Association.

Shane Doyle, an educator and cultural consultant who hails from Crow Agency, Montana.

Dave Galt, who works in government affairs with the law firm Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry & Hoven.

Angie Grove, state parks and recreation board chair,who also served on the board of the Prickly Pear Land Trust.

Norma Nickerson, director of the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana.

Michael Punke, former Deputy US Trade representative and U.S.. ambassador to the World Trade Organization. He is vice president of global public policy for Amazon Web Services.

Lance Trebesch is CEO/co-owner of TicketPrinting.com and Ticket River, custom ecommerce event products.

Sen. Chas Vincent, R-Libby, who is chair of the Environmental Quality Council.

Jeff Welch is the founder of three companies specializing in tourism and outdoor recreation.

Aaron Wernham is a family physician and CEO of the Montana Healthcare Foundation.

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