1. If you purchased your Texas State Park Pass (TSPP) before we implemented TxParks on May 12th, it needed to be turned in the first time after May 12th that you visit a park, and then it will be exchanged (no charge) for a TSPP that is recognized by the new TxParks system. If you did this, I suspect this may be the �paperwork� being referred to as we have to gather customer information (name, address, etc.) to issue the new pass.

2. Prior to TxParks our day guests would typically drive up, show their pass, we�d verify the pass holder is in the vehicle and write down how many people were in the vehicle, and send them on their way � requiring them to display the pass through their windshield. Later we�d have to add up all the numbers or tick marks we wrote down for the day and manually input them into a computer. Now, the new TSPP is not the vehicle permit. We still verify that the pass holder is in the vehicle and enter how many people are in the vehicle (captured in computer now instead of written down and manually totaled and transferred to an automated file later). But we now also take the pass and run it through a card swipe to confirm that it is a valid pass, and issue a vehicle permit that comes out of our receipt printer and which must be displayed on the vehicle. This permit may also be the �paperwork� being referred to.


These new procedures are necessary for our fiscal control and accountability for auditing purposes. We are striving to make it as least impactive or disruptive to visitors as possible.

If this is not what you were referring to, please let me know, and we will get you an answer.

Thank you for you interest and support of Texas State Parks.

Dan


Dan Sholly
Deputy Director
Texas State Parks

Once again someone at TPWD has no concept of personal security. Look at the info they want you to fill in on that form so you can place it in full view on your windshield.

Lake Ray Roberts Users,

"Thank you for your recent comments and emails regarding the new state park pass requirements. We really appreciate your feed-back and candidness about our new business management program. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has been mandated to change its fiscal control, business accounting, and visitation procedures at State Parks. We have worked diligently to create a functional system to better integrate all of our business systems to meet this requirement.

One area of concern by the State Auditor�s Office (SAO) has been fee collection accountability and visitation counts for isolated and un-staffed park locations. Issues such as vulnerability of the �Iron Rangers� (self pay boxes) to theft and vandalism, assurance that visitors have paid their entrance fees, and maintaining accurate visitation documentation are some of the issues we have been trying to address in response to the SAO, and also the need for good park management procedures. While it may not appear so, we have also been very concerned with the potential inconvenience to each of you.

Considering that we are required by law to collect appropriate entrance fees from all visitors and to capture accurate visitation information from those visitors, we have a number of challenges. We want to work with you to make sure that these bureaucratic requirements don�t mess up a good fishing trip. So please bear with us as we try to comply with our new requirements and at the same time make the park as user friendly as possible.

While we search for the best possible way to conduct our required business, we are suspending the requirement to fill out a self pay envelope for visitors who have a Valid State Park Pass. At this time, this requirement is only suspended at the Ray Roberts Lake State Park Complex due to its very large number of pass users and large number of remote park locations.

We will keep you appraised of our plans as we try to make the new system work to everyone�s advantage.

Please contact Ray Roberts Lake State Park Complex Superintendent Chris True, at chris.true@tpwd.state.tx.us. with comments or ideas on how to make the new system work the best possible way.

Thank you for your continued support of your state parks.

Sincerely,

Dan

Dan Sholly
Deputy Director
Texas State Parks

Dan, that is cool, thanks for listening to the fishermen and trying to work with us.. I know y'all are stuck in the middle between the red tape and the fishermen, thanks for going through the trouble of posting here and for suspending the new rule at Roberts for now.


For the record, I emailed Dan, he said he would post something here and he did.. that's a stand up deal.

Hopefully some good ideas get emailed his way on how to keep in easy for us.