Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pat Harrison Waterway District asks Legislature for $15 million to address deferred maintenance, dam repairs and staffing shortfalls
Summary
Danny Box, executive director of the Pat Harrison Waterway District, told the committee the agency has lost several member counties, cutting $15–$18 million in revenue and leaving deferred maintenance across parks. He requested $15 million for equipment and paving, outlined dam repair estimates for Artusa and noted recent grant awards totaling $2.6 million for that work.
Danny Box, executive director of the Pat Harrison Waterway District, told the Appropriations Committee the agency manages nine state parks it operates and is seeking legislative help to address deferred maintenance, capital needs and statutory spending-authority constraints.
Box said a statutory change in 1995 allowed member counties to exit the district; since 2011 five counties have left (three were among the largest), producing a revenue shortfall he estimates at $15–$18 million over about 15 years. He told lawmakers that the Supreme Court decision referenced in testimony assigned much of the long-term financial responsibility to the state.
The agency outlined how it would use a $15,000,000 request the House had asked it to detail: the bulk would fund equipment and paving projects (responding to visitor complaints about park roads and RV access), with additional funds for building renovations and capital repairs. Box noted the district currently has roughly 33–34 employees, of which roughly 22–23 perform on-the-ground park maintenance, and the agency is authorized for 42 positions.
On dam repairs, Box said engineers and the Corps have differing cost estimates for the Artusa dam: the Corps' 'Cadillac' evaluation put the project at $18,500,000 while the agency's engineer estimated $10–$12 million. Box said the district has secured a $600,000 Southern Crescent Regional Commission grant and $2,000,000 from the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund for Artusa work and will apply for additional federal assistance to close the gap.
Comptroller George deCue told the committee auditors and prior peer reviews suggest about a 10-year cash runway under current balances, and Box warned that aggressive use of special projects could shorten that time frame.
Lawmakers questioned whether the requested funds would make the parks self-sustaining. Box said he had no guarantee and acknowledged some parks operate at a loss while others generate modest surpluses (Flint Creek and Manor Creek were cited as examples). He said the request is intended to preserve state-owned assets, avoid a potential state takeover burden and maintain recreational access for citizens.
Box invited further follow-up and offered documentation; the committee recessed to continue consideration of the agency's requests and related budget questions.
