Olympic National Park will not shutter any of its visitor centers during peak summer months this year because Congress has allocated more funds, park Superintendent Bill Laitner said Monday.
Unlike last year when the nation’s fourth most-visited national park had to close an array of its services because of lagging funds causing too few staff members, the financial outlook has brightened for 2005, Laitner said.
“We will be fully open for business in the summer months,” Laitner said during an interview Monday in his office at park headquarters in Port Angeles.
“This year’s good news is that we expect to keep open all visitor centers, campgrounds, picnic areas and any other service visitors can expect to find.”
In November, Congress passed a National Park Service 2005 budget worth $2.35 billion — $90 million more than the year before.
Olympic National Park receives more than three million visits annually and runs on a budget slightly more than $10 million, according to park records.
Five more employees
Laitner said more money from Congress will allow the park to hire about five new employees, including a chief maintenance operations officer.
That position, charged with overseeing the upkeep of roads and structures in the park, has been vacant since October because of a hiring freeze.
“We have been down about 27 positions, from protection rangers to maintenance crews to clerical workers,” said Laitner.
“We hope to fill a few of those slots this year.”
