DNR cuts anger Cherokees, Friends of the Vann House

Some 180 years ago, the government of Georgia barred Cherokee Indians from meeting at their capital in New Echota.

“That isn’t unlike what they are doing now, closing the site from us,” said Jack Baker, a member of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council and president of the National Trail of Tears Association.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources officials said Wednesday that the operations at New Echota in Gordon County and the Chief Vann House in Murray County, along with 10 other state historic sites, will be cut starting July 1.

DNR public affairs coordinator Kim Hatcher said the Chief Vann House in Spring Place and the New Echota historic site will be open Thursday through Saturday after the changes are made. Both are currently open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Hatcher said she does not anticipate changes in the daily hours.

“Part of our goal was to make sure that all state historic sites remain open, even if it is just one day a week, and that they remain open to school groups,” she said. “With the Vann House open on Thursdays and Fridays, it will remain open to school groups.”

In addition, the management of all historic sites will be transferred to nearby state parks. In the case of the Chief Vann House, management will be transferred to Fort Mountain State Park. Hatcher said she did not know what would happen to the employees at the historic sites.

Jeff Stancil, site manager of the Chief Vann House, said he could only say that there will be cuts in staff.

DNR announced plans to close or cut the hours at the state’s historic sites in September because of state budget cuts. The $18.6 billion fiscal year 2010 budget signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue is $3 billion less than the 2009 budget approved last year.

State Sen. Don Thomas, R-Dalton, said it will be next year before the General Assembly could restore funding to keep the historic sites open longer and that would depend upon whether and how much the economy bounces back.

Hatcher said DNR is “open to other groups — counties, cities, historical groups — partnering with us to keep facilities open.”

“We don’t own the house. They do,” said Tim Howard, treasurer of the Friends of the Vann House.

Howard said that group has stepped in many times when the state wouldn’t.

“We started the ball rolling on getting the museum. We started the ball rolling on getting additional property. We paid to have every one of those new buildings constructed. We paid to have the house cleaned. We volunteer lots of hours at every program they have,” he said.

But Howard said the state didn’t consult that group or site managers before making the changes.

“They’ve got a full-time staff of two, and they cut that in half,” he said. “I wonder how many parks had their staffs cut in half.”

The Vann House was built by James Vann, one of the Cherokee nation’s leaders, in 1804. It served as a center for the Cherokee people until they were forcibly removed by the government from Georgia in 1832. The Vann House marked its 50th anniversary as a state park and historic site last year.

Baker said both the Vann House and New Echota “are significant to our people and their culture.”

“Any time any of our people are visiting Georgia and the Southeast they want to go to both New Echota and the Vann House,” he said.

Baker said it was “ironic” the state announced the cuts less than two months after President Barack Obama signed a law recognizing Cherokee sites in Georgia, such as New Echota and the Vann House, as part of the Trail of Tears. Local officials have said they expect the law will increase tourism to those sites.

And Howard said it was also ironic that the cuts came less than a month after the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) aired “We Shall Remain,” a series about American Indians that was filmed partly at the Vann House, which was featured prominently in one episode.

“The Vann House has probably gotten more attention in the last two years than ever before,” he said.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced a restructuring of state parks and historic sites on Wednesday because of a nearly 39 percent reduction in state appropriations and 24 percent projected loss of revenue. The reorganization will include:

• Beginning July 1, Bobby Brown, Hart, Providence Canyon and Sprewell Bluff state parks will have reduced services with limited facilities, no on-site manager and no emergency services. Neighboring parks will provide oversight. Boat ramps at Bobby Brown and Hart will remain open, but camping will become seasonal. The yurts at Bobby Brown will be relocated to other parks. The five cottages at Hart will close, as will the visitor center and group shelter at Providence Canyon. The only change at Sweetwater Creek State Park will be a reduction in days of operation at the visitor center, from seven to four days per week.

• At 12 state historic sites, hours of operation will be reduced with management transferring to nearby state parks. Possible operating agreements with local communities are being explored and future closures are possible. The impacted sites include Dahlonega Gold Museum, Chief Vann House, Etowah Indian Mounds, Fort Morris, Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation, Jarrell Plantation, New Echota, Pickett’s Mill Battlefield, Robert Toombs House, Traveler’s Rest, Jefferson Davis and Lapham-Patterson House. Changes begin July 1.

• Ninety-five full- and part-time employees will be separated from their current positions (of these, 32 full-time employees will be offered part-time positions). In addition, 81 vacant positions will be eliminated and 23 staff members will be relocated to other sites or have reassigned duties. The agency is making every effort to provide assistance to employees impacted by layoffs. The DNR will also implement furloughs beginning July 1.

• On May 20, parking fees at state parks increased to $5 daily and $50 annually. Last year, the ParkPass program generated nearly $3 million for maintenance and construction. Officials hope to generate an additional $1.2 million with the increase. Additionally, state parks and historic sites will begin charging for many services that used to be free, such as interpretive programs and guided hikes.

• Earlier this month, the DNR announced that swimming pools will open only at High Falls, Victoria Bryant and Magnolia Springs state parks and at George T. Bagby, Little Ocmulgee and Red Top Mountain lodges. The lodge pools are open to cottage/lodge guests only, while the High Falls pool is privately operated. The pool at Magnolia Springs will operate with support from Jenkins County and, since the pool at Victoria Bryant is able to generate a profit, it will remain open.

• Operations at all park golf courses and lodges will be adjusted to minimize expenditures and maximize revenue generation. Impacts of these adjustments are not fully determined at this time, but closures may occur.

Source: Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Local News

Search Results

Related Photos

Discussion

Site Map

Contact Us