Maryland Park Service Leadership Meeting Notes
From January 14, 2026
Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area
5100 Deer Creek Road
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Attendees: Angela Crenshaw, Rachel Temby, Jonas Williams, Kenneth Miller, Rebecca Jones, Andrew Hangen, Mark Spurrier, Mary Ironside, Dana Paterra, and Sarah Milbourne
Director Angela Crenshaw opened the meeting at 9:02 am.
We began with an overview of the K-9 Program from the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP). Walter, Corbin, and Satterfield gave an overview of the program, answered questions, dispelled myths, and did a demo of what they can do and how they can be used in parks. We met Jazz and Rocky, who are cute, talented, well-trained, and love what they do.
Director Update with Angela Crenshaw
Welcomed Rebecca Jones to the Leadership Team! Maryland Park Service (MPS) staff will have the pleasure of meeting her at our upcoming Town Halls, please register for one of these events.
Director Things
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Updates
Secretary Josh Kurtz and family welcomed a little girl in December! The first part of his paternity leave will conclude around January 26th or thereabouts and then he’ll take the rest after the Legislative Session is over.
Legislative Session started today (January 14th), please let Lydia McPherson know if you are attending any receptions. Please read Deputy Director Temby’s points below and her email dated January 9th entitled 2026 Legislative Session
The Department needs a State Employee Risk Management Administration (SERMA) designee. A volunteer was sent to Department Leadership.
We have a new method for requesting the Governor to attend events.
A new Tawes: This came about because Courts are getting a new building. This will take some time, but it’s a significant start. A space survey will be conducted, and volunteers were requested and received.
DNR Supervisor Training & Engagement Program (STEP): This year there will be two STEP cohorts, spring and fall. Four have already been completed. An upcoming policy and legislation in state government training will be conducted starting in February. A participant was requested and submitted.
The State of Virginia is getting a new Administration including their Department of Conservation and Recreation. Our Leadership has a long and positive relationship with them.
Agreements, Procurement, Fiscal and Corporate Purchasing Cards were discussed. More details will follow.
The Department’s website will get a new content management system. We need to remove 80% of our websites. We will be asked to review what we present and how. This will reduce our hosting costs, and the transition will be in 2027. Anthony Burrows will do this unit by unit.
Since Lynn Fegley retired, the Fishing and Boating Service Director job was posted to JobApps.
Delegate Ruff was appointed as Chair of the Capital Budget Subcommittee
MPS Policy Manual updates were discussed.
Upcoming Meetings were discussed including the March Leadership Meeting, the Spring Managers Meeting, the Town Halls, and the Fall Manager’s Meeting.
The State Historical Parks designation was discussed. MPS will not be creating a new land designation. Freedman’s and Port of Deposit will no longer be State Historical Parks; they will be State Parks. And the “of” will be removed from Port of Deposit.
PEPs and MS-22s were discussed. MPS will stay the course this cycle. Crenshaw will provide progress updates at a later date.
Reminders
Please update your Gmail information to reflect your current position using an IT Service Ticket. If you have questions, please reach out to your Regional Manager or Director.
Please update your park and program websites.
Deputy Director Update with Rachel Temby
Legislative Updates and Expectations
Session starts today! Staff are reminded to be prompt with requests, maintain confidentiality of internal deliberations, and only testify as a DNR representative when asked to do so by the Legislative Team.
Bills are already coming in for our review and comment for such matters as school water safety courses, limitations on neonicotinoid pesticides, banning Confederate names on state property, regulating gas-powered leaf blowers, collection and disposal of yard waste, and codifying Golden Age pass and access provisions for veterans and active-duty military.
Information Technology and Starlink Challenges
Discussions are underway with DNR Leadership and Information Technology Service (ITS) to remedy issues encountered with recent T-1 line replacement with Starlink internet service and improve coordination for selection and scheduling of solutions that best meet parks’ needs.
Natural Resources Police updates
Appreciation was extended for ongoing support from MPS staff in hosting trainings and facilitating coordination across units. Plans are underway to meet in advance of the summer season to identify goals and set expectations among many competing priorities.
NRP leadership is working hard to make everyone visiting our parks feel welcome and safe - a reminder that they are not asking for immigration status, and that new canine units trained to detect Controlled Dangerous Substances will not be broadly scanning cars upon entry or deploying without cause.
NRP will be present at park opening events scheduled for 2026 and assist with security tasks as needed.
Please continue to communicate any concerns or needs related to event coordination, radio communication, incident response, etc.
Essential Personnel Status
The Leadership Team was asked to review the Essential Personnel status as reported in WorkDay to reconcile the list with recent hiring actions and ensure appropriate designation of employees.
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (NRMA) Equestrian Events
The Department has direction from the State House to continue coordination activities with Maryland Stadium Authority and other partners for the Memorial Day Races and the Maryland Five Star major equestrian events at Fair Hill Special Event Zone (SEZ) in 2026, following the departure of key staff.
DNR Staff Updates
News was shared of Assistant Attorney General Bob McFarland’s upcoming retirement on April 1st and redistribution of duties to others on the team. Also, Hope Butler from the Land Acquisition and Planning retired last month and the Lease Management team requests patience as they catch up on invoicing and associated tasks.
Program Planning with Jonas Williams
So far this year, 36 projects have been submitted. 2025 ended with 461 projects!
Key Projects
Regenerative Agriculture: Regional Managers are checking with park managers regarding the list of potential properties Maddy Williams sent and gauging initial interest in those sites. This list represents an initial assessment, feel free to provide additional sites. The Planning Division will be meeting with the Office of the Secretary by the end of the month to finalize the priority sites and start work on the new agreements. Please ask Maddy Williams for help if needed.
5 Million Trees update: Please collect and send Maddy Williams any potential 5 million tree sites in parks for the 2027 planting season. Acknowledging our agriculture programs, it would be preferable if park managers could identify sites that are larger than 1 acre that may be from new acquisitions (not already in the agriculture program), recently razed houses/newly vacant properties, or fallow fields that have been thoroughly invaded with non-native species that could use some help.
The Center for Watershed Protection was chosen as our partner for the Patapsco Valley State Park Climate Resilience and Master Plan project. Both Great Maryland Outdoor Act climate resilience projects are currently in the agreement drafting stage and will be moving forward soon!
Project Review update: The 2026 lists of projects that should or should not be sent in for review will be shared with park staff. This list may be edited occasionally, so we suggest that the Park Service Project Review website links be used as the most up-to-date list. The Project Information Form (PIF) is moving towards a modernization effort. We are working with the Office of the Secretary and the Department of Information Technology to weigh all options.
Cultural/Historic Resources Team
Work with Preservation Maryland continues. Their most recent project, which was started at Susquehanna State Park, is to begin stabilizing the Rock Run Mill.
Interpretation
Miles for Maryland now has 1,000 registrations and 2,000 total participants. Melissa Acuti is working on her Miles for Maryland-specific newsletter, which will highlight specific trails and events on a monthly basis. Please send her any trail/hiking specific events that can be added.
Maryland 250 events can highlight Maryland’s entire history, not just during the semi quincentennial. Please work with Melissa Acuti to highlight these types of events in social media, the newsletter, and beyond.
Volunteers
Carly Brukiewa is collecting bids for the next volunteer database system. Our contract with Samaritan continues through June, so please continue updating those records to ensure a smooth data transfer to the new contract.
Carly Brukiewa, Shane Johnston, and I are working with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to update the general Affiliated Foundation Agreement to allow for easier park management moving forward. If there are outstanding ideas that could be broadly incorporated into a template, please let us know. The future template can be adopted as edits to each agreement are requested.
Maintenance
Work on some regional projects and incorporations into the 2026 Maintenance School continues. Please reach out if you have a potential project that could use support, especially as the Spring season approaches.
A goal for 2026 will be to create more standard operating procedures (SOP) for facility maintenance. Efforts will start with generalized septic system/drain field maintenance. If there are similar maintenance needs that would benefit from an SOP, please send those along so they can be incorporated into a Google Drive.
Administration with Kenneth Miller
Reservation System Updates
New reservable inventory is being added to the Aspira system including the Wye Island NRMA, the Janes Island State Park lodges and the Wolf Den Run State Park’s off-road vehicle (ORV) permits.
Business Rule Updates
11 Month Rule: Reservations can be made a year ahead, but modifications or cancellations are only allowed starting 11 months from arrival. This applies to all reservable inventory.
Shelter Change Policy Updates: The current policy is vague on our change rule for shelters and was updated as follows:
For cancellations or changes made 8 to 29 days prior to the arrival date:
Cancellations and changes that alter the reservation date require payment of 50% of the shelter fee and the cancellation/change service charge.
Changes that retain the original date (shelter-only changes) only require the cancellation/change service charge; the 50% shelter fee is waived.
No refunds will be issued for cancellations made 7 days or less prior to the arrival date; no cancellation service charge applies. Changes are not permitted during this period.
Youth group cancellation fee: This was eliminated to encourage cancellations and prevent extra charges.
Additional updates were made but not included here as they do not apply statewide. Each specific park affected has been notified, for example the lodge policies for Wye Island and Janes Island were updated.
Call Center Updates
Hours of Operation
April 1 - October 31
Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Saturday - Sunday: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
November 1 - March 31
Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Saturday - Sunday: No call center hours
Check Payments
The call center will no longer accept mailed checks; however, checks are still accepted at park offices.
Other Updates
Round Up Donation Feature: During checkout, customers will be given the option to round up their reservation total to donate to the Park Service.
Transaction Fees: The existing transaction fee structure remains unchanged. Any funds beyond Aspira's fee will be reported as revenue to the park associated with the reservation. We must alter our communication around this fee since we do not remit the entire fee to Aspira. Retaining our current fee also allows us to absorb future Aspira fee increases without changing the transaction fees on the public.
Hardware Update: Cash drawers have been received for the few parks utilizing this equipment. New receipt printers and credit card machines will be sent out. Further details will be provided once the equipment is shipped. DNR IT will prioritize equipment software installation for campgrounds open to the public on February 24, 2026, before moving to other sites.
Training Dates:
January 28-29 – Training at Greenbrier State Park – Western Region
February 2-3 – Training at Tawes – South Central Region
February 4-5 – Training at Tawes - Southern Region
February 9 – Training at Tawes – MPS Admin/Headquarters Staff
February 10-11 – Training at Hillsboro Barracks – North Central & Eastern Regions
All 2025 park visitation needs to be entered into the statewide spreadsheet by close of business on January 23rd, after which time, the sheet will be locked.
All PEPs need to be submitted to Barb Knisely by January 30th. As a reminder, there are no mid-cycle memos. If you have not already done so please read Knisely’s December 15, 2025 email entitled July to December PEP Instructions - REVISED PEP Process!.
Park Service town halls start on January 29th. Everyone needs to sign up for one of the five scheduled times.
Conservation Corps with Rebecca Jones
Jones introduced herself and highlighted some things she’s proud of with her career and her education and why she applied to work with the Maryland Park Service. She also shared some information about herself and her family, and that she is enrolled in the 2026 Maryland Master Naturalist program. If you see her out and about, please introduce yourself.
Regional Reports
North Central Region Report with Andrew Hangen
Training requests from outside agencies, nonprofits and other organizations require coordination and an agreement. Leadership and Training Manager Myers are working on a template with the OAG that can be used to accommodate these requests.
End of hunting season recap meetings have been scheduled for the Central Region, Southern Region and the Tuckahoe Complex.
South Central Region Report with Mark Spurrier
Staff attended the quarterly Hart-Miller Island Citizens Oversight Committee meeting. Discussion was centered on three concepts for the transition of the North Cell of the island to the DNR and the Maryland Park Service. As a follow up item, staff will begin to work with the Wildlife and Heritage Service and our planning team to develop a long term habitat management plan for the island to help identify long-term costs to DNR for maintaining the excellent habitat and controlling invasive plants.
Stream stabilization work is about to begin at the Black Rock Mill area of Seneca Creek State Park. This work would impact much of the usable space for recreation. Staff will provide more information to the Leadership team to determine if temporarily closing the area is the best option.
Staff will meet with neighbors who have expressed concerns about a planned trail corridor through a narrow section of Patuxent River State Park. Previous leadership members have met with the neighbors before, but the discussion needs to be repeated. Park staff and the planning team were able to provide valuable information through saved emails to help shed light on past conversations and should help resolve the issue.
Southern Region Report with Mary Ironside
The Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team would like to offer additional support to MPS staff during the summer months. Leadership will discuss with their respective teams how CISM can best serve staff needs.
An update was provided on the Chapman State Park approved razings by the Maryland Historic Trust (MHT) and future discussions with the Friends Group.
A question was raised regarding whether state employees must complete out-of-service training forms to participate in Maryland Professional Employees Council (MPEC) representative training. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
The GY Scot property will not be acquired as part of Smallwood State Park due to the seller’s unwillingness to adhere to the request to clean-up the dump areas on the property.
Information was provided on the current status of the Rosaryville State Park waterline and the impacts on the Chesapeake Natives Inc. who use the property.
Interested fund raising partners for the Mount Airy mansion are making progress, with a landscaper hired to manicure the grounds. Any invasive species removal and plantings will be submitted for internal review.
Eastern Region Report with Dana Paterra
The projected closing date for Wetipquin State Park is January 23rd. A follow-up site meeting with staff from Engineering and Construction, Planning, and Maintenance, is set for January 22nd.
A meeting is scheduled with the Wildlife and Heritage Service to work toward streamlining hunt processes and establishing greater consistency across the entire Tuckahoe complex to help make their hunt program more manageable by current staffing levels.
Please provide suggestions to your regional manager or supervisor for improving the Maryland Park Service awards program. Leadership will be meeting on January 23rd to discuss updating the program.
Appreciation was expressed for the noticeable decrease in requests, emails, and overall workload during the holidays, which allowed staff to take much-needed time away.
Western Region Report with Sarah Milbourne
A consolidated list of procurement questions has been prepared and simultaneously, a frequently asked question document has been issued by the Finance and Administration Service. The two will be reconciled to address the questions. An approved Departmental letter for small businesses to apply to the Small Business Reserve Program has been developed and will be shared soon.
A sink hole has been identified at Savage Highlands State Park along the road up to the cabins and an investigation is currently underway to assess cause, impact, and next steps.
Four Hike & Holler events with Ranger Milbourne have been confirmed and are officially scheduled. Western Parks, please continue to book your hikes (or XC skis/snowshoeing, boating, or other fun activity!).
Day Use reservations for Wolf Den Run State Park were discussed.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:45 pm.
Thank you to the Soldiers Delight and Patapsco Valley State Park for hosting our meeting.
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