OLYMPIA -- Almost a third of Washington's year-round state parks staffers are being notified this week that they likely will be laid off as a result of lagging sales of the new Discover Pass.
Seasonal jobs will replace most of the 160 positions targeted in this week's action by the State Parks and Recreation Commission. Some of the same employees might end up taking those jobs, but only for about five months of the year.
It will mean fewer hands for the work that occupies front-line staff during the colder months -- the kind of work being done this month at Millersylvania State Park south of Olympia by park ranger John Lipparelli, who learned this week that he may lose his job.
There's building maintenance to be done, winterizing to keep pipes from freezing, training needed, emergency plans and other paperwork to be updated. Lipparelli last week spent hours blowing leaves and this week cleared trails of fallen trees. The park is "extremely short-staffed," he said.
The main alternative to layoffs is closing parks.
But parks commissioners decided that option would just worsen the problem that is causing the cuts: Fewer people than expected are paying the fee lawmakers created this year for parking on state recreational lands.
The Discover Pass costs $30 for a year or $10 for a day. The parks agency now projects state agencies will receive almost $24 million less than the $64 million the agency originally predicted for the first two years.
The parks commission this week agreed to bridge the gap by dipping into reserves and making $11 million in cuts.
"We're not giving up on the Discover Pass, saying it's a failure or anything," said the acting deputy director of parks, Ilene Frisch. "It's a brand new program that hasn't had time to gel yet."
State lawmakers and parks officials say they believe they can boost Discover Pass revenue by making it more user-friendly. One complaint they plan to address quickly is about a rule that ties the pass to a single car.
Sen. Kevin Ranker and Rep. Zack Hudgins, D-Tukwila, introduced legislation Wednesday that will allow the passes to transfer between two cars.
