Parks Treatment Operator tells panel more needed for ODNR budget

April 5, 2007 - Al Shiner, an ODNR Treatment Plant Operator and OCSEA steward, gave testimony today before the House Finance Subcommittee on Agriculture and Development.

Shiner, a 13-year employee who works at Pymatuning State Park, told committee members of the dire need for additional funds in the ODNR budget for full- and part-time water/wastewater treatment operators.

"Specifically, with respect to maintenance and staffing of the Parks’ water treatment operations, we’re still sitting on something of a powder keg, with a critically low shortage of certified operators and decades old infrastructure in need of repair and upgrade," Shriner said.

Pending EPA regulations will demand that existing water/wastewater treatment operators get additional certifications and pay, and that between 15-17 new operators be hired. The EPA regulations go into affect in 2009, before the end of the fiscal biennium.

"In the interests of preparing for the new regulations and in providing safe drinking water and the safe handling of wastewater, OCSEA and ODNR recently sat down to address these staffing needs. The parties have tentatively agreed to develop an apprenticeship program for Operators-In-Training and have identified funding from the OCSEA Union Education Trust Fund to pay for it. Candidates would undergo a 25- week training session aimed at advancing them to Class 1 Operators," Shriner said of the agency's plan to address the new regulations.

"However, without appropriate funding from the Legislature to fund new positions, our training and this program will have been for naught and the Department would stand to lose even more skilled workers.  For these reasons, OCSEA supports an increase in funding for these critical operator positions."

The seasoned union steward also spoke of the significant cuts that the parks have endured during the last two decades. The parks currently has 453 full time staff, nearly a 50 percent reduction from the 1980s.

Shriner highlighted negative outcomes of the repeated cuts,"...many of our parks have lost the skills to help maintain our parks and repair our equipment.  Due to the continual loss of skilled maintenance combined with an aging infrastructure and equipment statewide ($300 million in deferred maintenance), we have needs in the following areas as well:  skilled carpentry, plumbing, electrical and automotive/small equipment repair."

See Related

Testimony of Al Shiner for OCSEA on ODNR Budget

OCSEA Budget Resources

Ohio Department of Natural Resources