The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department said seven state parks it had planned to close this fall due to budget cuts will remain open thanks to local governments that have agreed to take over their management.
The transfer to local government will saved the state $700,000, but is being challenged by state employees dislocated by the decision, according to a report by NewsOn6.com.
State employees who had worked at the affected parks were told to show up Tuesday for new jobs at other state parks. That basically required the employees to relocate, retire or quit without severance, argued the Oklahoma Public Employee Association, or OPEA. The district court judge has already turned down OPEA's emergency motion to stop the transfers, but the dispute could still end up in court.
