JFAC approves $8.14 million boost and 5 FTE for Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, allows transfers to capital program

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on March 11 voted to add funding and staff to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and approved language allowing transfers between the agency’s consolidated operations and capital programs.

Senator Hart moved the main budget motion and Representative Manwaring seconded. Senator Hart told the committee, “I move for fiscal year 20 26 for the Department of Parks and Recreation an additional $5,410,700 from dedicated funds and $2,725,000 from federal funds for a total of $8,135,700 and an additional 5 full time equivalent positions.” The motion passed on a roll call of 17 ayes and 3 nays.

The funding package specified multiple line items: $321,100 for park personnel; $210,000 for seasonal group positions; $195,000 for statewide operating costs; $309,100 to increase pay for targeted positions; $140,000 for an OHV use campaign; $4,000,000 for improvements at Bear Lake State Park; $400,000 for improvements at Lake Cascade; a transfer of $23,035,600 from the management services program to the park operations program to consolidate programs; $2,263,000 for replacement items; and $197,500 for OITS hardware. The committee record shows the amounts as presented on the floor by Senator Hart.

Representative Furness asked for specifics behind a $200,000 decrease in the replacement-items line. Work-group members responded that retained account balances and the agency’s ability to use retained funds in future years supported reducing the replacement-items request. Budget and policy analyst Janet Jessup described the language the committee later adopted, saying it would “provide an exemption for the agency to transfer monies from the parks operation program, which pursuant to action at the committee just took is now the consolidated program of the fundings that were in the management services and the park operations program and allow them to transfer those monies for the purpose of grants to their capital development program.”

Committee members then approved the language by unanimous consent after Senator Hart requested it be accepted as shown on the screen.

The committee’s action sends the recommendation forward with a do-pass recommendation. The language adopted directs how the department may move funds between its newly consolidated operations account and capital development grant uses, and it requires the department to follow the transfer authority as limited by the language the committee approved.