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Cove Palisades park manager warns fee increases could reduce service levels next season
Summary
The park manager at Cove Palisades State Park told commissioners the park faces a multimillion‑dollar shortfall and that user fees (day‑use and camping) have been increased; he warned that seasonal staffing shortages could reduce services next summer and asked the county to consider partnership and data requests.
Steve Befano, park manager for Cove Palisades State Park, used the public‑comment period to brief commissioners on recent fee changes and the park's financial position. "A as a state park agency, like, a $14 or $14,000,000 deficit," he said, explaining that user fees (day‑use and camping) are the primary revenue source and that some day‑use fees have increased ("our day use fees… used to be $5. It's $10 now").
Befano said the park does not receive general‑fund property tax revenue for operations and that revenue distribution means some user fees are redistributed through the statewide parks system. He said shoulder‑season strategies such as adding cabins or developing offseason programming are being discussed to boost revenue, but he warned that next year the park may be unable to hire the seasonal staff needed to sustain current service levels.
County officials asked for a report with reservation and revenue numbers (comparison across recent years) to quantify pandemic and post‑pandemic changes in visitation and revenue. Befano agreed to provide reservation data and noted some park lands inside the park boundary are managed by federal agencies, complicating a potential long‑term land swap to consolidate ownership.
The board thanked Befano and encouraged ongoing coordination about permitting for any future cabin or concession expansion. The county did not commit funds at the meeting.
