Parks director outlines $160 million deferred‑maintenance backlog, new reservation system and regional upgrades

Susan Buxton, director of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR), told the House Resources and Conservation Committee that IDPR manages more than 60,000 acres in about 30 parks statewide and operates hundreds of facilities and infrastructure items. She said outdoor recreation generates roughly $4 billion in the state economy annually and that IDPR’s programs account for about $1.2 billion of that activity.

Buxton said the agency has 190 full‑time employees and described a deferred‑maintenance backlog she said totals about $160 million. To address the backlog, she said the agency has begun capital improvement planning, reclassified some positions to better manage projects and created a reserve fund with a $5 million floor that recently exceeded $10 million.

The department launched a new reservations contract (Brandt) and a modest dynamic‑pricing pilot; Buxton said the new contract saved about $250,000 on the procurement. The reservation system went live Jan. 6 and generated 24,000 invoices and about 80,000 reserved campsite nights in its first month, she said.

Buxton described other operational changes: an added region maintenance crew stationed near American Falls (Massacre Rock State Park), $200,000 set aside per region annually for preventative and deferred maintenance, and a $100,000 media campaign to encourage responsible recreation. She said the agency awards roughly $10 million in grants each year to local governments and partners.

Buxton also discussed site‑specific work: upgrades at Bear Lake (additional parking and a phone‑based reservation system to reduce roadside queues), a federal grant for Lake Cascade projects (vault toilets, docks and pavement), and ongoing work at Harriman and Farragut state parks to address historic structures and deferred maintenance. She said the department plans to add capacity goals—about 250 campsites, 150 boat docks and 25 day‑use areas—and aims to maintain about 2,000 trail miles annually with agency crews.

Questions from committee members covered fee caps, local impacts in North Idaho, and procurement limits; Buxton noted proposed bills (House Bill 51 and 56 referenced in testimony) that would change bidding limits and said those changes would help execute maintenance projects more quickly.

Ending: Buxton closed by saying visitors remain steady post‑pandemic, the agency is prioritizing maintenance and capacity increases, and staff are available to provide detailed grant and deferred‑maintenance lists on request.