Community Forums

patsikes · 09-30-2013, 04:35 PM

We are going to stay at a campground at Fort Campbell Kentucky the 13th and 14th of October. I'm assuming this will also be shut down?

I hope they get things sorted out by then otherwise will have to find enough another option to visit my nephew who is stationed there.

firedoc · 09-30-2013, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdickson

Terry, that's interesting. We're starting a volunteer position at a National Wildlife Refuge on Oct 21st. The manager told me today that if there is a shutdown over that time we would not be allowed to come in to the campground and any volunteers already there would have 48 hours to leave. I think fish hatcheries like NWR's come under US Fish and Wildlife Service, so local managers may have some latitude.

A contributing fact is that the hatchery we are at has no camp grounds. Ours is the only hook up. We just close the gates and don't let anyone in. Since we aren't paid (funded) we don't count? Another perhaps more important point is that we are not an appropriations run hatchery even though we are US F&W. Another reason -as I have stated- good people.

3catstravel · 09-30-2013, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patsikes

We are going to stay at a campground at Fort Campbell Kentucky the 13th and 14th of October. I'm assuming this will also be shut down?

I hope they get things sorted out by then otherwise will have to find enough another option to visit my nephew who is stationed there.

If you are staying at Destiny Parks and Pavillion - which is the name of the listed RV park for Ft Campbell on militarycampgrounds.us - it shows the park is run by mwr. It's possible that it might not be closed.

Contact the park & see if they are open. (270) 798-2175 If someone answers, possibly they'll be open!

I hope you have a good visit with your nephew. Thank him for his service. My dh is retired Navy.

Rich and Cork · 09-30-2013, 05:58 PM

No federal employee will not be paid in full for the time lost. It is crazy that they would shut anything down. This is just to inflict pain on the public.

Scarab0088 · 09-30-2013, 06:02 PM

Military Campground/FamCamps are controlled by MWR so they are non-appropriated funds activities and should not be impacted by the current issues in D.C. - UNLESS - some of the support staff is shared with an appropriated funds office (facilities/law enforcement).
As always, a lot depends on the Local Command decision.

This could explain why COE facilities are impacted.

I would like to know if anyone is at a National Park/National Forest Service campground...these facilities are on the top of all the closure reports about the federal budget issue.

Anyone out there at a NPS campground? What are the Rangers telling you?

My original inquiry was closed: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f38/natio...wn-178364.html Sorry

Safe travels

DSL417 · 09-30-2013, 06:05 PM

We are at Camp Lejeune Onslow Beach Campground. Just reviewed the base website, and it would appear that if the shutdown occurs, those things that pay their own way, with no appropriated support, or pay their own way, including the campground, remain open.

Commissary -- shut down beginning the 2nd Oct if issue not resolved.

PyrateSilly · 09-30-2013, 06:07 PM

Thom works at Northrup Grummen (spelling?) and today the guards at the gate was telling everyone to be careful coming in tomorrow since there will be no guards.

patsikes · 09-30-2013, 06:09 PM

Thanks for the info! Keep your fingers crossed. I'll give them a call a bit closer to the trip but with enough time to find alternatives.

Davdeb1 · 09-30-2013, 06:17 PM

On a lighter note, there's still lots of spaces a Walmart & Flying J!

az bound · 09-30-2013, 06:29 PM

We were told today that the USDAFS camp grounds that are being managed by vendors will not be affected.

Craig_R · 09-30-2013, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by az bound

We were told today that the USDAFS camp grounds that are being managed by vendors will not be affected.

We are volunteers with the USDA/USFS in the White Mountain National Forest. We've been told that should there be a government shutdown we are welcome to stay but will not be allowed to work. The concessionaire run campgrounds will continue to operate. I have also been told that the vault toilets that are located at some trail heads, recreational areas and scenic overlooks (Kancamagus Highway) will be closed and locked even though there will still be access available to those areas. I guess we'll know more in the morning.

TXiceman · 09-30-2013, 07:15 PM

Since Tuesday is the opening day for archery deer season on the refuge, we are waiting for the refuge manage to call and tell us to lock the gate to the hunting area tonight. We have been leaving it unlocked since SEP 1 so that the hunters could come in early and survey the hunting area in advance. They will be in for a big surprise if they show up at 0430 Tuesday and the gates are locked. We are on the locked in side of the gates.

Ken

chuckinthebus · 09-30-2013, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky_Boss

I am too old to be allowed control of a mic. For that last few years I have performed staff duties so no one need fear loss of service based on my absence. LOL
58 days till I am free of this rat race.

Is there an app for how you keep track of everyone's coffee likes?

What if you had several days paid and in the middle of your stay at a federal park and they closed? Do they refund your money if they ask you to leave?

VanDiemen23 · 09-30-2013, 10:27 PM

I'd call the MWR office at the facility and ask the manager directly. Non-appropriated fund activities are not supposed to be affected, but there are extenuating circumstances.

Every time we go thru these things they make the rules up as they go along.

I work at a Working Capital Fund facility - basically, the project money we work off of is appropriated (and valid for a full year or longer) but we are funded sort of like private industry. Thus we continue to work our projects until we run out of money (likely 3-6 months).

However, in the furlough period earlier this year DoD furloughed us anyway to "spread the pain and be fair". When that happens we miss schedule, underspend, have to work OT to catch up, and then have to fight to keep the money we didn't spend (even though the tasking is still not finished) or else it will be "swept up" and returned to the treasury, leaving unfinished work that is either scrapped, discontinued, or costs even more to get re-started.

At least this time cooler heads prevailed and we will continue working tomorrow.

The reason Feds get paid in arrears for this type of shutdown is that taking someone's salary under OPM rules is a PUNITIVE action, regardless of the circumstances. In order to do it, you have to provide notification in advance, allow for appeals, etc. With furlough-type shutdowns there's enough time to go thru all this (my staff and I probably spent 400 hours on training, paperwork, employee counseling, etc earlier this year). With the change-in-fiscal-year-no-continuing-resolution type of shutdown, the probability is so low they don't go thru all that BS, and just pay us in the long run.

If they tried to plan for it, every fiscal year, and perhaps a couple times a year if CRs are involved, you'd go thru all that pain and expense, the workforce would freak out, good people would bail over all the uncertainty, and we'd never get anyone to re-fill those positions.

It's all nuts being orchestrated by nuts.

Kinda surprised at some of the interviews with Feds on the news. Griping about congress on camera can get you a few more days of unpaid leave if one of those guys is really offended.