Yesterday, I went to an orientation for my next Park Host job. I'll be working In Mt Hood National Forest for a private concessionaire, rather than for the Forest Service.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to hate this job. It is everything I despise about private enterprise. Very hard line on rules and regulations, all designed to protect revenues and avoid any possibility of liabilty. I understand why private companies have to operate this way, but I don't have to like it. It is so opposite of the Oregon State Parks system . The missions are exactly opposite. One is to provide just enough services to make a profit on. the other is to provide service and stay within budget.

There were about 40 other Park Hosts, there. They are all good, honest-seeming, salt-of the -eath types, but one thing is clear. They all adore their rules and regulations.

Stuff like. No more than one vehicle to a site, four more wheels (can be two motorcycles,) gets charged for an extra vehicle." If Gramma and grandpa use their senior discount pass for two sites, they had better be sleeping apart on those two different sites". (The reason is obvious, but now they want us to be peeking in peoples' tents at night). Strict uniform policy. Oh, I really liked this one. Question: Do we charge people for parking while they use the bathroom? Answer: No, bathrooms are legally "public bathrooms" and we can't charge, But we're working on figuring out a way to charge for that, too.

I fear that I may be "most likely to be fired" for failure to enforce company policy. There are people who enjoy being in this kind of position. I am not one of them. I only have to do this for 4 months

Good luck to ya' anyway, man. Hope it works out!

Park rules should be, don't burn down the woods, don't poop in the woods, don't litter - leave this park cleaner than you found it if possible and if an area is posted as off limits, stay out. It should be so simple, common sense.

You can do this though, grin and bear it. You know where you can come to vent!!

A part of what's going on here is that the U.S. Forest Service, is really strapped for funding. (the State Parks are funded mostly with lottery funds). The Forest Service has succumbed to the trend of contracting out to private contractors. The idea, I guess, is that by handing over the bulk of responsibilities to for-profit companies, They don't need to employ as many professional Rangers.

I don't know if this plan is fiscally successful, but it sure results in some crappy consequences

The feds have the outsourcing bug real bad and I'm afraid the it will come back to bite us all in a$$ one day, then it will be too late to do anything about it. When these businesses start losing money they will turn to the forest service for help and if they don't help the place will go to hell.

Hey!
If a bear can crap in the woods, I demand my civil right to do it to.

Hey Art, I have an Uncle who used to be a caretaker at a private hunt ranch.

He only had to deal with members a couple times a year.

He worked down in Ca, just west of Mt. Palomar.

Nice country and real secluded.