News

December 19, 2008

Moon Lake Park to close for 5 months

Luzerne County officials say budget woes force cuts at popular recreational venue.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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Moon Lake Park will likely be closed five months next year because of Luzerne County budget cuts, county employees said Thursday.

The swimming pool, newly renovated nature center, marina and campsites will also be closed, in large part because all the part-time and seasonal workers who manned these areas have been eliminated from the county budget, said park Director Clif Madrack.

“It looks very bleak. We won’t be able to do much more than have the park open part of the year for people to bike ride, go for a walk or fish,” he said.

Madrack, a seven-year park employee, estimates 150,000 people visit the 648-acre park annually.

“The most hurtful thing about this is that when I took over that park it was a dump. We took a pig’s ear and turned it into a silk purse,” Madrack said.

County commissioners cut $147,460 from the park’s budget next year, saying difficult decisions had to be made to reduce the county’s overburdened general fund. Moon Lake was a natural target because it’s not a mandated service and doesn’t impact public safety. Seasonal workers also had to go because union contracts forbid layoffs when part-timers are employed.

Quality of life will be impacted by the cuts, said county Recreation Director Andy Gegaris.

Facilities such as Moon Lake are more important than ever in this struggling economy, said Gegaris and Madrack.

“Now that times are hard, our business is up, not down. We took in a lot more money from our campground. The average guy doesn’t have money to go away on vacation and really looks forward to that week of camping,” Madrack said.

In decent weather, people visit the park during the months that it is scheduled to be closed – January through March and November and December – to hike, trek the 20-plus miles of freshly carved out mountain bike trail, fly radio-controlled planes, kick around a soccer ball, ice fish and walk their dogs, said Madrack and Gegaris.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of disappointed people,” Gegaris said.

Madrack said many park visitors have commented that they don’t use the court system, prison or other services that are eating up the county’s general fund, though he stressed that he’s not trying to criticize those government branches.

Gegaris said Madrack and the park’s three union workers will be laid off for the five months the park is closed.

The budget for Madrack’s $42,900 salary has been cut to $28,395 next year, while the budget for union salaries was reduced from $72,852 to $45,322 for a clerk, a foreman/security worker and a maintenance worker.

Madrack says the plans are to open the park five days instead of seven -- from Wednesday through Sunday – April 1 through the end of October. The park will close at sundown, ending the evening hours that had been offered during camping season.

A gate will block the entrance during the five months of closure, and a no-trespassing sign will forbid visitors.

“We can’t let people go in for insurance purposes when the place is not manned,” Madrack said. “We’re concerned about vandalism because we take great pride in the improvements we’ve made.”

Gegaris informed the employees of the layoffs and other plans Thursday.

“It’s hard because we have good people who do good work who didn’t cause the county’s financial situation,” Gegaris said. “I’m trying to remain positive and upbeat, that hopefully we can survive 2009 and restore a full array of services and amenities in 2010.”

Jennifer Learn-Andes, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7333.

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