HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 100 Offered January 9, 2008 Prefiled January 8, 2008 Requesting the Department of Conservation and Recreation to study the privatization of hospitality-related services and functions. Report. ---------- Patron-- Poisson ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

WHEREAS, the Department of Conservation and Recreation manages the Virginia State Park System which consists of 34 state parks and properties; and

WHEREAS, these state parks also have thousands of campsites, hundreds of cabins, and more than 500 miles of trails; and

WHEREAS, in addition to these campsites, the Department also supervises the use of picnic shelters, family lodges, meeting facilities, festivals, concerts, nature programs, and cultural happenings; and

WHEREAS, Virginia parks have received numerous awards for outstanding park management; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to continually maintain the highest level of service to the public in managing the state park system; and

WHEREAS, in the face of certain decreasing budget expenditures, it is important to constantly review the services and functions that are carried out by the Department to ensure that its core functions are adequately addressed; and

WHEREAS, there are several hospitality-related services and functions that may be successfully carried out by the private sector at lower costs including food and gift shop operations; management of lodges, cabins and campsites; and parking; and

WHEREAS, allowing hospitality-related services and functions to be done by the private sector will in turn allow Department employees to focus their efforts on services and functions that are more directly related to the Department’s mission; and

WHEREAS, for several years, the Department has been authorized to execute leases with the private sector for the development and operation of some park operations, however, the full extent of the authority may not have been realized to date; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to examine the services and functions that are appropriate for privatization and to develop long-term strategies for implementing privatization goals; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Department of Conservation and Recreation be requested to study the privatization of hospitality-related services and functions.

In conducting its study, the Department shall (i) establish a listing of all hospitality-related services and functions that are currently managed by the Department for each state park, (ii) develop a detailed listing of current private sector entities that have agreements to perform hospitality-related services or functions, (iii) review the status of past and on-going privatization efforts for any services and functions that are currently performed by Department employees, and (iv) provide recommendations for long-term strategies for implementing the goal of increased privatization.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Department for this study, upon request.

The Department shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2008, and shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports no later than the first day of the 2009 Regular Session of the General Assembly and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.