Division director outlines small general-fund cuts and seeks $2.5 million for OHV grants
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Summary
Division of Outdoor Recreation Director Jason Curry told the OHV Advisory Council that modest general-fund cuts and a shifted $80,000 maintenance cost will be absorbed by OHP accounts, and the division has requested an additional $2,500,000 to meet grant demand and support a mechanized trail crew and project manager.
Jason Curry, director of the Division of Outdoor Recreation, told the Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Council on March 6 that the division is facing a continuing reduction in state general funds but the immediate impact is modest.
“Initially, we were gonna reduce our overall budget by about 80,000 in general funds, but that was reduced. So, really, it's only 20,000 that they've cut from our general funds,” Curry said. He added that the department has shifted about $80,000 a year in operating and maintenance costs for a shop building into the OHP account.
Curry outlined three main items in the governor’s budget and appropriations conversations that affect the OHV program: an appropriation to expand mechanized trail-crew capacity for motorized trail construction and maintenance; a requested increase in the OHP grant appropriation; and a project-management position to help coordinate multiple projects across BLM, Forest Service and division staff.
“We've asked for an additional $2,500,000 to be appropriated towards this grant,” Curry said, noting that grant requests have outpaced available funding for several years and the division has partly exhausted a reserve balance built from prior cycles.
Curry also briefed the council on bills the division is tracking. He described a provision under consideration that would let the division use Outdoor Adventure Fund dollars to cover certain administrative costs, and he said a change to flag-color law (not a strict color requirement in dune riding areas) is intended to allow more visible variability while retaining height and visibility rules for safety.
Why it matters: Council members will serve as reviewers for the grant applications that will compete for the funds Curry described. With more applications than funding, the division and advisory council will need to prioritize projects when final appropriations are settled.
Curry said he would send a final wrap-up after the legislative session concludes to summarize outcomes and any changes that affect the division’s funding and program authority.