Corps of Engineers to cut positions
About 126 positions will be cut throughout the Army Corps of Engineers' Tulsa District, according to a plan released last week.
The goal is to shift $7.6 million annually to critical infrastructure repairs.
"We don't know what this means for employees here," said Bruce Padgham, area manager, whose office is at Marion Reservoir. "A reduction in force is a complicated procedure, so we may not know until June or July exactly what will happen."
District Commander Col. Robert Suthard, who visited Marion Reservoir several months ago, said the restructuring was due to limited funds.
"Our infrastructure is aging and our operations and maintenance budget has remained relatively flat with less funds available for repairs, as a result of reduced buying power due to inflation," he said.
There are no plans to close parks. The district, which includes 33 lakes and a navigation system, will eliminate 126 positions and the associated leased office space, vehicles, etc. Support function and routine maintenance work forces would be combined.
The plan calls for voluntary separation incentives such as early retirement, the elimination of unfilled positions, and normal attrition.
"Non-voluntary separation procedure is under consideration only as a last resort," Suthard said.
More money needed
Suthard said there is about $12.5 million annually needed in major work items, while the current line item is only $2 million. Issues include old wiring, broken retaining walls, and corroded gate structures.
Much of the repairs will include automated systems. The two- to three-year investment to install systems will lead to significant manpower and maintenance savings, Suthard said.
Under the proposal, the 11 area offices in the Tulsa District would be reduced to five. The two offices in Kansas would become one, based at John Redmond. Currently, the area office is based at Marion.
That area manager would oversee all lake operations in southern Kansas.
Similarly, 24 lake offices would be reduced to 13 ranger stations, with one or two full-time employees.
Council Grove and Bill Hill reservoirs would convert to ranger stations. El Dorado would close its lake office completely and be covered by the office at John Redmond.
The current appropriation for operations and maintenance calls for about $43.9 million for labor (about 66 percent of the overall budget), $2 million for major maintenance (three percent), and $20.1 million for other operations and maintenance costs.
Under the plan, this would change to $37.6 million for labor (57 percent), $9.6 million for major maintenance (15 percent), and $18.8 million other costs.
Some political leaders have questioned the plan.
One, Oklahoma Congressman Wes Watkins, has requested a halt to the plan. Watkins said if the Corps of Engineers needs to be restructured, it should be on a national basis.
"The Tulsa District should not bear the full burden of the Corps' tight national budget," he said.
Congressman Jerry Moran, whose district includes Marion Reservoir, said he wanted more information from the Corps. If these shifts in funding are temporary, it could have long-term benefits, in providing more funding for projects such as the proposed expanded camping area at Cottonwood Point.
However, a spokesman for Moran said Marion Reservoir doesn't appear to have surplus staff whose positions can be trimmed.
"Congressman Moran has been to Marion Reservoir, and knows it's close to bare bones," the spokesman said.
