DNR

ready

for cuts

Regional office began preparing for cuts in October

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- While the full impact of the governor's proposed budget cuts to stem the shortfall this biennium is yet to be felt, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' regional office in New Ulm has been preparing for it since October.

"Because of those preparations, consequently, I think we're in pretty good shape to absorb that. It's obviously going to mean that we won't be able to fill some positions that we've been holding vacant, maybe we won't be able to do quite as much with some programs. We may have to cut back on some of those a little bit," Cheryl Heide, regional administrator in the New Ulm office, said.

Some pass-through grants, as listed by the Department of Finance have been cut, she said.

"Otherwise, each unit has been looking at ways that they can try to absorb some of that cost," Heide said. "It's like $3.8 million, which is, I think, around 4 percent of our budget (for the department) that we have to absorb."

Heide said she didn't know if the DNR grants that are to help fund New Ulm's bike trail are in jeopardy.

"I know they are not specifically targeted, but each of the disciplines is kind of looking at how they're going to manage not only this immediate shortfall, but looking at the figures for '04-'05. So we're going to be working on this over the next couple of weeks, seeing how we can respond to that much larger deficit."

The most recent forecast projects a shortfall of nearly $4.2 billion for the next biennium. However, the next and last revenue forecast is due out in late February leading the governor and the Legislature to include "buffer" cuts in case the next forecast's numbers are worse than expected.

The forecasted shortfall for the current biennium is $356 million. Gov. Tim Pawlenty's phase-one cuts anticipate a budget reduction of $468 million, including a $112 million buffer.

Meanwhile, the DFL-controlled Senate is working with a buffer total of around $150 million that would result in cuts totaling $500 million.

The budget-cutting within the department will require the closing of 10 state-run campgrounds throughout the state, Heide said. However, at this point, she has no information indicating that the campground at Flandrau State Park would be closed.

"But everything is on the table. We'll just have to wait and see what more cuts will have to be made and where they are to be made."