Summit County has concerns about U.S. Forest Service plan not to hire seasonal workers that do campsite enforcement
The U.S. Forest Service says it will not be hiring seasonal workers that do campsite enforcement in Colorado this upcoming year. In past years, those workers have kept the campgrounds clean and the trails safe.
The decision by the Forest Service has upset some people in Summit County who pay extra in their taxes for some of those positions. The tax was created because the county is not allowed to hire people to do that enforcement themselves. The work needs to be done by a USFS employee.
The Forest Service doesn't have the money to create those positions this upcoming year and wants to use the money that they'll save for other priorities, according to county leaders.
"Our community in 2018, I believe, created a mill levy to actually fund 12 of those part-time seasonal positions," Summit Commissioner Tamara Pogue said.
Summit County has been grateful for the work that those seasonal positions have done. The work has included wildfire mitigation and fire enforcement in the forest which has included making sure campers know how to properly put out a campfire.
Pogue says the Forest Service wants to use the money for positions like biologists.
"That's great. We want them to have a biologist, but that actually does not solve the biggest problem that we're experiencing in Summit County," she said.
New AI camera systems have helped crews respond to wildfires in the forest quickly, but it's important to county commissioners that the person-to-person work done to spread the word about wildfire prevention is still happening.
"We certainly have the ability to recall that funding," Pogue said. "We will think about other strategies that we might be able to use, but any of the other strategies that we land on will be less effective."
The county sent a letter to the Forest Service asking for a workaround.
"We made the request. We know that that request has been granted in other communities across the United States. So we're optimistic," Pogue said.
The Forest Service said in a statement, "We hope to have additional hiring options in the coming year if additional funding becomes available" and that the firefighting employees Summit County supports with the mill levy will still be around. It's just the recreation crew who's patrolling camping areas who will be missing should nothing change in the process. Summit County either wants those positions hired or wants its money back.
The Summit County tax generated the following amounts each year since the mill levy went into effect:
2018: $185,000
2018: $135,000
2018: $135,000
2018: $298,000
2018: $282,000
2018: $595,000
2018: $504,000
The Forest Service's complete statement is below:
The Forest Service is operating under a Continuing Resolution and we anticipate a budget-limited environment in FY 2025, and we are operating with that reality. At this time, for Fiscal Year 2025, we are not hiring additional seasonal non-fire employees (or 1039s) where offers have not been made.
This decision could affect up to 30 non-fire 1039 positions on the White River National Forest based on known need estimates from the previous year. These seasonal positions cover a variety of field work that occurs on the White River National Forest, including fuels reduction, fire prevention and education, front country campsite management, public contacts and education, biological field work, trail maintenance and trail construction.
More broadly, the Forest Service will continue to hire its core firefighting force of 11,300 for the coming fire year, having worked over the last two years to stabilize and strategically grow our workforce. One important action we took was to convert almost 1,300 non-fire temporary (1039) employees to permanent status, including 105 in the Rocky Mountain Region. This action provided these employees certainty, and better benefits. The change also helped ensure the agency as a whole can better accomplish critical work on behalf of the American people with a more permanent workforce. The White River National Forest converted 15 seasonal 1039s to permanent status in FY24. That said, we are also working closely with individual partners to explore creative solutions to fill gaps where we can.
In working with partners, each agreement established to do this work is unique, and there are dozens with many different partners on the White River National Forest, with a variety of implementation types. The agency has a process to request an exemption for consideration, and we ask for patience as this process occurs. And while the bar for exemptions is high, we take funding sources, the ability to conduct work through alternative or other means such as grants or agreements into consideration. Local units have instructions on what steps to take if they are seeking an exemption. We also hope to have more hiring options in the coming year if additional funding becomes available. As you see, we are working diligently to ensure that we are able to do this critical work.
What agreements are in place in Summit County/Dillon Ranger District that help fund seasonals? What is the dollar amount contributed and how many seasonals does that fund? What work do the partner-funded seasonals do?
The Dillon Ranger District has formed partnership agreements with several collaborators across Colorado. In recent years, they have secured around $2,000,000 in partnership funding, distributed in varying amounts annually. Approximately $612,000 of this funding is earmarked for enhancing capacities in areas such as recreation management, fuels reduction, conservation education, and off-highway vehicle crews. This funding is allocated for salaries and expenses, employing temporary seasonal workers (1039s), permanent full-time staff, permanent seasonal employees, and interns from youth corps programs. The number of seasonal personnel varies each year depending on the specific agreement with each district.
And, as noted previously, the agency has a process to request an exemption for consideration, and we ask for patience as this process occurs.
Below is a list of partners that the Dillon Ranger District has recently supported, along with a description of their work and contributions.
• Summit County 1A Funding -- In 2018, Summit County voters passed a mill levy that provided $182,000 for a seasonal dispersed recreation crew to patrol camping areas, educate visitors, and enforce regulations. An additional $100,000 was also included to fund a 6-person firefighting crew for fuels reduction work. The fuels reduction work does not require an exemption and will be staffed accordingly.
• Colorado Parks and Wildlife OHV grants -- $70,000 designated for the Dillon Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) crew.
• Colorado Springs Utilities -- $25,000 designated to help protect the watershed south of Breckenridge by funding dispersed recreation crews to educate visitors and enforce regulations.
• Cost Recovery from Breckenridge and Keystone - $50,000 designated for wildlife surveys and an interpretive ranger.
• Denver Water -- $185,000 designated for permanent and seasonal employees to protect watershed resources through pile burning, weed management, and timber sales.
What would that money be used for this summer if not for seasonals?
Details vary by agreement as not all are exclusively intended for 1039 seasonals. Some funding is allocated for permanent staff who possess the necessary qualifications and training to effectively plan, organize, and assist in the implementation of work and resource management.
