Entrance Fee Increase

[Diane Merkel]

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument Superintendent Darrell Cook will host public meetings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today [March 21] and April 18, both at the Little Bighorn Battlefield Visitor Center.

The National Park Service is preparing a planned price increase for entrance fees at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument from $10 to $15 per vehicle and from $5 to $7 per person or pedestrian.

If you are not able to attend but would like to contribute, call the staff at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument at 638-3204 or mail comments to: Superintendent, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, P.O. Box 39, Crow Agency, MT 59022-0039. Responses must be mailed by May 9.

Article: www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/03/21/news/state/58-host.txt

[fred]

The increased fees are so they can pay for all the new monuments. I guess all those salted shell casings aren't fetching as much as they used to. Unless, of course, old Crazy Horse had stolen a Gatling we don't know about.

I wonder how much they've put away toward the chair lift to Weir Peaks.

Best wishes,
Freddie the Rat.

[Tricia]

One can easily turn this into a political thread, but staying away from the relative importance--or lack thereof--given to the Interior Department by the current Administration, let's just say it's gotten more expensive to run the place over the past few years. Certainly the dollars spent on power needed to keep the Visitor Center open has probably increased since Katrina's visit to our country, gas for the cemetery lawn mowers hasn't gotten cheaper, and I'm sure wages haven't gone down, either. It's just more expensive to be an American these days.

Sigh. You hate to see a fee increase, but times is what they is.
--t.

[fred]

Aa-a-a-h! I don't care if they increase the fee or not (especially since I now get into all U.S. National parks for free! It's a special program they have called, "Golden Geezer"; God, I love it! Social Security and free passes... payback!).

As for the political ramifications, Trish, old gal, let 'em ring. They've gummed up everything else, why not this, as well?

Best wishes,
Fred.

[eamonn]

expensive to be an american these days, gee try living in the uk, i honestly believe that everything in america is dirt cheap and i mean it really is inexpensive

[Diane Merkel]

You are probably correct. We are a very spoiled people.

I would not mind spending more to enter any of our National Parks. I'm just glad that we have them. In the case of the Little Bighorn, I know that they recently purchased high speed scanners and intend to put their document and photograph collection online. Money well spent!

[harpskiddie]

At last!!!!!

Gordie

[Melani]

What Diane said. The Park Service is really hurting these days. I will not bore you all with the tale of what is being done at our park to try to save money--it's downright appalling, but at least they're not firing people--the staff reduction is to be done by attrition, and we were already understaffed. Our 80-year-old reference librarian has been told he can't retire, because he will not be replaced, and that would leave us with--no reference librarian, for what's probably the largest maritime collection on the West Coast. And by the way, we are only charging $5 admission, kids under 16 free. In the middle of Fisherman's Wharf as we are, there is no auto access--good luck parking!

And by the way, Park Service salaries are the lower pits for the lower ranks. In some cases, you could make more money as a dishwasher or a clerk at Walmart. NPS folks do it for love, not money.

A high-speed scanner?! Documents online?! Whoopee! Well-worth a higher admission price. The requirements to actually use the LBH collection on-site are pretty rigorous. Online access solves that problem, especially for those of us who are not close by.