Parks and Recreation Director outlines infrastructure, staffing and spending needs in House Bill 1019 hearing

Cody Schultz, director of North Dakota Parks and Recreation, told the Appropriations - Education and Environment Division on Tuesday that House Bill 1019 includes technical and budget language to govern the agency—s use of recent appropriations and that Parks and Rec will seek additional targeted funding and carryover authority in the governor—s budget.

Schultz said the agency manages about 21,000 acres across 15 properties, nearly 1,400 campsites and more than 300 buildings, and recorded more than 1.2 million visitors in 2024. "Our mission is to enrich generations through experiences that connect people and places," Schultz said, adding that outdoor recreation contributed about $1.6 billion to North Dakota's economy in 2023 and that state parks contributed $154 million in a 2020 NDSU study.

Why it matters: committee members pressed Schultz on how the agency will spend one-time appropriations, carry federal grants into the next biennium and address a backlog of deferred maintenance estimated at about $55 million today (from a 2020 estimate of $74 million, with roughly $28 million appropriated since). Deferred maintenance and short construction seasons mean delays can cause lost overnight stays and revenue, Schultz said.

Key details and recent actions: Schultz described $27.9 million in…