State parks workers want governor to remove their boss
By Matt Weiser, Sacramento Bee
The managers who operate California’s state parks say they have lost faith in their leader, and are urging Gov. Jerry Brown to appoint a replacement.
Ruth Coleman, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, was appointed by former Gov. Gray Davis in 2002. It has been rumored for weeks that Brown is considering a new appointment for the post. Evan Westrup, a spokesman for the governor, declined to say Monday whether a new appointment is in the works.
Ruth Coleman was in Tahoe in October for the Washoe Meadow State Park hearing. Photo/LTN
In a Dec. 14 letter to the governor, the State Parks Peace Officer Management Association shared a recent poll of its approximately 125 members. The poll found that 93 percent want a new director. About 56 percent of the members participated in the poll.
“Director Coleman is an honorable person, but she has been largely absent in making sense of the new economic realities,” the letter said. “We understand that there is some discussion within the administration regarding the director’s appointment process. Consequently, we wanted you to know our position.”