Campers and daytime barbecue masters, rejoice! Fourth of July weekend in Washington State Parks is almost certainly safe.
The parks department’s most popular recreation weekend of the year initially appeared to be one of the many causalities of stalled state operating budget negotiations. Officials at the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission said Friday that employees will be paid into the weekend.
However, in the unlikely event the budge isn’t signed into law by Saturday, parks employees will begin the mothballing process Saturday. At that point, anyone inside the parks will be asked to leave and no new visitors will be allowed inside.
“Our employees will be paid to work Saturday,” said Virginia Painter, spokeswoman for the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
Gov. Jay Inslee should have enough time to get a new budget signed before tonight’s midnight deadline. That will provide the agency with the operating funds it needs to keep state parks open until the next budget cycle.
A statement posted this morning on the parks department website said: “The governor recognizes that budget negotiations are causing significant disruptions to state agencies and the people they serve. Legislators have committed to the governor they will deliver a budget in time for him to sign before midnight Friday, June 30.
In the event legislators do not deliver a budget in time, state agencies must initiate a partial shutdown — including the closure of state parks. If this happens, state parks will begin closing Saturday, July 1.”
Last week, agency officials began warning reservation holders that they might not be able to visit the parks starting June 30, if the Legislature didn’t get a budget in place. Although parks would have been funded through midnight Friday, employees would have used that day to mothball facilities.
