Maryland Park Service Leadership Meeting Notes
From April 9, 2025
Virtual
Attendees: Angela Crenshaw, Jonas Williams, Kenneth Miller, Andrew Hangen, Mark Spurrier, Mary Ironside, Dana Paterra, and Sarah Milbourne
Director Angela Crenshaw opened the meeting at 9:01 am.
Director Update with Angela Crenshaw
Today’s agenda is slightly different because I am traveling. Please bear with me if there are any technical difficulties. I will do my portion from a stable location and the rest will be as I drive.
Awards for Maryland Park Service (MPS) Staff were discussed and reviewed.
Update all organizational charts as they exist today and include the date it was updated. This information is vital for MPS and Department Leadership to advocate for the service.
Housing Review Committee (HRC)
These properties must provide a benefit to the State of Maryland
Tenants rent houses as-is. Potable water, sewage disposal, heat, lead and mold checks are required. Fixtures and appliances are considered part of the house.
If something happens to a house that makes it unlivable before it is posted, please share it with Williams and Crenshaw to share with the HRC
Reporting Requirements: Because the Department reports annually to the Department of General Services and this is considered fringe, a new document for tracking house hours and other required data will be forthcoming.
Tenants that owe rent will be notified shortly. If they agree to remain on the property, they will receive a new and revised lease. Rent is due May 1, 2025.
The Spring Managers Meeting is May 15th at North Point State Park in Edgemere. The meeting will be hybrid and Crenshaw is working on finalizing the agenda.
Prospective property updates:
Gwynns Falls State Park – Calendar holds were sent for the Stakeholder Advisory Committee and Focus Group meetings.
Port of Deposit State Historical Park – Land Acquisition and Planning (LAP) is the lead on this project for right now. A meeting is scheduled in mid-April to review the next steps with our project partners.
Crenshaw has not received any updates from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) regarding the PSS vs. SPRS issue and the Supervisory Tags. HRS has spoken to them and they hope to have an update shortly.
Human Resources (HR)
The Park Manager I Recruitment for Elk Neck and Cunningham Falls State Parks was discussed. Crenshaw has been working on this issue with HR and expects a resolution soon.
Crenshaw is working on a hiring plan with HRS to fill MPS vacancies. When it is finalized, it will be shared.
Do not discuss positions with candidates that they have not applied for. If this happens again the recruitment will be voided.
Legislation
House Bill 717, the Public Lands Bill - Acquisition, Staffing, Operations, and Funding, was signed by the Governor. This Bill secures the future of the Maryland Park Service. Thank you to LAP and DNR Leadership for their hard work on this.
Reminders
If someone has an attorney do not speak with them, they should have their attorney contact our attorney. If you are unsure of the attorney assigned to the case please move this up your chain of command.
If you need legal advice for work-related projects or issues, please move that request up your chain of command.
If a case is in litigation it cannot be discussed.
Deputy Director Update with Rachel Temby
Deputy Director Temby is representing the Maryland Park Service at the Northeast State Parks Directors Meeting.
Program Planning with Jonas Williams
Key Projects
State Parks Week (April 21-25) planning continues with the Secretary’s office. Thank you to all who have helped with the proposed itinerary and for everyone’s ability to accommodate!
Work continues on the Land Preservation and Recreation Plan (LPRP) and State Park Strategic Plan (SPSP). The statewide public survey had nearly 3,000 total responses. The responses overwhelmingly show support for the Maryland Park Service and our mission. The next steps include public workshops at four locations throughout the state, an additional park leadership survey, and data review as the consultants work towards their drafting stage.
Cultural/Historic Resource Team
As park leadership teams work with Engineering and Construction (E&C) staff to inspect park facilities and park houses that are historic (pre-1960) themselves or contributing to a historic site, please include new MPS team member, Peter Morrill, in inspection efforts. His background will help inform our efforts to preserve the historic character of our sites.
Interpretation
The 25 in 2025 Adventure Challenge is moving towards the website drafting stage to be ready for launch during State Parks Week. Thank you to all who helped create the fun list of sites for our visitors to enjoy!
Leadership reviewed responses to the Interpretive Program Fee survey. The next step will be to review county and neighboring state policies with the State Park Strategic Plan consultants to compare our interpretive efforts.
Administration with Kenneth Miller
A new uniform order form has been created to reflect current pricing. Dana St Clair will share this form with Managers when she sends out her uniform order reminder.
Accidents must be reported within 48 hours and all claims must be submitted within 60 days. Any claims submitted after 60 days must be fully paid by the park or program budget instead of just paying the $1,000 deductible.
Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) is working to develop an accounts receivable form for some Use Agreements that will need to be completed and submitted so FAS can collect and track the payment(s). In the meantime, use the AR-6 form for any new Land Use Agreements so FAS can be aware of any ongoing payments. Land Acquisition and Planning will continue to take care of completing AR-6 forms for all leases.
The physical inventory is underway. Thank you to Nakia Johnson and everyone else that has assisted with this task. LaTrece Elsey, Audit and Management Review, has been visiting parks to complete inventory checks.
Visitation is down compared to 2024. Currently, there are approximately 550,000 fewer visitors from January 1, 2025 through March 31,2025 compared to 2024. Parks should review the data to ensure all visitation for their properties is complete and correct.
Regional Manager Milbourne met with the Planning Team and South Mountain Recreation Area staff at the Old South Mountain Inn to discuss next steps. She then followed up with Assistant Secretary Peditto and Director Crenshaw to confirm the removal of the atrium and eventually the kitchen to make way for a thoughtful design that incorporates meeting space and offices in a manner consistent with the historic structure’s façade.
Regional Reports
North Central Region Report with Andrew Hangen
MPS was approached by the Natural Resource Police (NRP) about closing night fishing at Susquehanna State Park. After multiple meetings with MPS, NRP and the Fishing and Boating Service (FABS), a potential compromise was reached that would continue to allow night fishing by permit (June 1 - Feb 28) but also provide a safer environment and protect spawning striped bass. We are still working on stakeholder outreach and the proposal may continue to evolve.
The Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (NRMA) is experiencing damage to their leased hay fields. It is being caused by trainers from the Fair HIll Training Center using the fields to exercise their horses. Park Manager Grieco is working with the new Manager of the Training Center to find a resolution.
Park managers who are interested in expanding hunting or trapping for the 2025/2026 season should submit a project information form (PIF) to review as soon as possible.
South Central Region Report with Mark Spurrier
A concerned citizen is posting information at Patapsco Valley State Park’s Hilton Area communications tower site. Spurrier will work with the Office of the Attorney General on next steps.
The Maryland State Park Passport Library Loan pilot program is ready to start in May. Spurrier worked with local libraries and parks to provide access to people who may not otherwise utilize Maryland State Parks. Thanks to all who assisted.
A Hart-Miller Island State Park planning meeting is scheduled for April 23rd. Spurrier is the lead on this and will follow up accordingly.
Southern Region Report with Mary Ironside
Confirmation of reservation system deployment. Weekend and holidays only reservations are needed for Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck, and Sandy Point State Parks. Director Crenshaw has a meeting with Kaizen on April 10th, Ironside will create a document with questions and concerns.
Inventory items for trade (mowers etc) should be coordinated with Nakia. It depends on several factors such as the type of disposal. Inventory is currently frozen while the process concludes.
Chapel Point State Park’s partnership with Forestry for plantings/meadows/pollinator gardens was mentioned. Great job to Southern Maryland Recreation Complex for coordinating these important initiatives with our fellow units.
Eastern Region Report with Dana Paterra
The Gift Agreement for the future Wetipquin Creek State Park was approved by the DBM allowing the State to accept maintenance support and personal property from the donor. The agreement is now with the donor for review and approval.
Regional Managers Spurrier, Ironside and Paterra met with Tim Hamilton and Anthony Burrows regarding the new capacity closure process. After discussion, we recommend running parallel processes (the current process and the proposed process) until June 1st to work through any issues. With the removal of HootSuite from our toolbox, this new process will provide one central website, or a “dashboard”, for internal and external customers to see updates of closures and reopenings at parks. More information will be provided next month.
The hot water for the Pocomoke River State Park’s Pool has not been working since the bath house was de-winterized this spring. The park and E&C have been communicating with the contractor since this is a warranty issue. The contractor has ordered parts; however, they do not have a delivery date. The pool is scheduled to open Memorial Day weekend.
This past week, the National Park Service (NPS) updated their National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program website to comply with new Executive Orders including “RESTORING TRUTH AND SANITY TO AMERICAN HISTORY”. The revisions included removing Harriet Tubman’s portrait from the website as well as her quote and any reference to slavery and the definition of the Underground Railroad as a “resistance movement”. Instead the updates focused on interracial cooperation and defined the Underground Railroad as a “civil rights movement”. This led to national media coverage and public outcry and resulted in the NPS restoring the original web content. The staff at Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park fielded a number of inquiries over the phone and in person and responded with professionalism by directing those to the State Park website and reassuring them that our interpretation and programs would continue to celebrate Tubman’s life and legacy as a great American Hero. The Baltimore Banner, Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN and WBOC in Salisbury were a few of the news outlets that covered this issue. Director Crenshaw also fielded a number of less than pleased emails, text messages, and phone calls. Thankfully NPS reversed this decision.
Western Region Report with Sarah Milbourne
May 6th is a Departmental Town Hall and also tourism week. Milbourne, Spurrier, and Crenshaw are willing and able to assist. Milbourne will follow up.
Milbourne met with E&C’s Andrew Hady to work through campground closures in the west: Greenbrier 2026, Rocky Gap 2027 and Cunningham Falls 2028/2029. They also discussed Sang Run State Park’s planned updates and the request to involve staff with planning for Critical Maintenance projects that come online. A recent backlogged project justification was approved after many years on the list and the team was caught off-guard. If staff can be involved early on, they can help trouble shoot details in the creation of specifications, etc. Williams and Crenshaw can also assist with this.
RM Milbourne and Director Crenshaw presented the needs for Savage Highland State Park to the Office of the Secretary. A clear path forward has been developed involving budget, staffing and timelines. RM Milbourne asked that regions check out a needs list from Savage Highlands and if you have extra, please share!
Meeting was adjourned at 1:00pm.
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