Past managers at Big Bend National Park spent roughly $140,000 on HVAC units that they never installed/OIG
It gets woefully hot in West Texas during the summer months, with temperatures routinely in the mid-90s and a hot, glaring sun shining down on Big Bend National Park staff and visitors alike. Yet while park staff five years ago invested a quarter-million dollars in air-conditioning units for offices and shade shelters for campgrounds, the equipment was never installed, according to an Inspector General's investigation.
Park managers nevertheless signed off on the projects as being completed, the investigation added.
The resulting report paints a disturbing portrait of lax business practices and poor oversight at Big Bend. It also begs the question of whether park staff could have better spent the $250,000 on some of the park's backlogged maintenance, which totaled nearly $90 million in Fiscal 2018.
While the purchases of $140,117 worth of HVAC units and $115,000 for shade structures were properly made back in FYl 2013, 2014, and 2015, the units and materials were stored away and never installed, the investigation concluded.
"We asked why they were never installed if the (HVAC) units are still usable for their intended purpose, and the facilities manager told us that she was hesitant to replace units while the old ones still worked, further calling into question the need for the purchases," the investigators noted.
Park staff reported that the HVAC equipment had been used when in fact some of it was stored outside and some in warehouse space.
"Final comments on individual projects included statements such as, 'work completed-new units!!!' and 'new energy efficient units!!!' The former superintendent certified these projects as complete in the (Project Management Information System), but there is no indication of any oversight or review of their actual completeness other than the former park superintendent’s digital signature, the report issued Wednesday stated.
The materials for the shade shelters, meanwhile, sat unused because park staff needed outside help to install them, "and that other aspects of the campground rehabilitation, such as filling and grading for erosion control, exhausted funds that otherwise could have been used to construct the shelters," the investigators were told.
Park records nevertheless indicated that the shelters had been installed during FY 2018.
"The former superintendent digitally signed off on the completion report in the PMIS, but there is no indication of further oversight. While the shade shelters are intended for outdoor use and as such may still be usable, they cannot fulfill their intended purpose of protecting visitors from harsh weather conditions until installed," the OIG investigators reported.
Steel purchased for shade shelters also was never utilized, the OIG found.
Also lacking from park records was whether any competitive bidding had occurred for the shelters' installation.
"We asked the facilities manager if she had solicited any bids for installation, and she said she had sought 'ballpark quotes' from companies that were onsite for the other portions of the rehabilitation project. She could not provide records of any solicitation," the report noted.
As a result of this poor management, the OIG report said, $250,000 that could have been better spent "addressing more immediate deferred maintenance needs or other park priorities," was wasted.
Bob Krumenaker, who took over as Big Bend superintendent in September 2018, began investigating the purchases soon after the Office of Inspector General was alerted in April 2019 to the apparent misspending.
"The moment we were notified by the OIG that this situation was alleged we jumped on it. We were fully cooperative with the investigation,” he said Wednesday afternoon.
Krumenaker's investigation turned up that the HVAC units were the wrong size and couldn't be used. As for the shade shelter materials, they also were the wrong items for the intended purpose, he said.
"Potentially, they could be turned into something else," the superintendent said, adding, however, that he didn't know what they might be used for.
It's possible the park might be able to send the HVAC units to other government operations that could use them.
“There were significant lapses in accountability in this park, for sure," Krumenaker said. "It was a huge concern and it was one of the highest priorities in the 16 months that I’ve been here to change the culture and change the processes so something like this can never happen again.”
The OIG report recommended that the park improve its managerial oversight and see if it can't use or dispose of the equipment "to address the $255,117 in funds that could have been put to better use."
Comments
Base line budget. Spend it even if you don't need to. Always increase your budget
Parks and every damn thing else gov needs audit .
Big Bend NP is a great place to visit...it is huge. Not much to do as far as maintenance. As for the poor management of money and projects ...it is the government. There is No accountability, one is paid no matter how good or poor the work is. Very hard enviroment to maintain a good work ethic. You usually never get fired, just transfered. In the Real world you produce or you are gone....run your owe business great or you fail and lose everything...
Wife and I were Volunteers in the Park for 6 winter's, 2008-2014. Supt up to 2011 or 2012 was excellent personnel manager and most responsible fiscally. Don't criticize what you do not know from experience. Rangers in BIBE while we were volunteers in Castolon were superior professionals who did not stay in AC comfort.
Hate that this happened at such a beautiful park. I do know that the new superintendent, Bob Krumenaker, desires to be a good steward of the tremendous resources at this Park. Staff out here do an incredible job taking care of Texas' gift to the US.
Thanks to the folks who work out there and take care of this Park for us.
Emory
I read the IG Report about these examples of waste and mismanagement affecting one of the world's most magnificient parks. I have visited this park more than 30 times since 1990 and recently spent two weeks there. I know and love the park well, and I know a number of park staff. These events occurred in 2013 and 2015. Headlines do not tell the good news that dedicated park emlployees reported this matter, and current park management further investigated and moved to prevent future abuses of this sort. The individuals responsible are no longer serving at Big Bend, and current managment is attempting to mitigate losses. Big Bend is a hardship post for employees and their families who struggle with many challenges in this harsh and remote location. I recently found trails in the best condition I have seen in many years and I have great hope that lessons learned will prevent a recurrence of this sad story.
Big Bend National Park is one of the most amazing places on the planet, and over the past 35 years, my husband and I visit usually numerous times per year--always with an exceptional experience. The park itself is magnificent and very well-maintained and safe; and, we have always had great experiences with the staff--friendly, responsive, and professional. Emergency response (experienced with a friend's car accident in park) was unbelievably fast, and BBNP is an 800,000+ acre park! The incident mentioned was truly regrettable and concerning, but the park administration has already handled the situation that occurred more than 5 years ago; conscientious employees noted and reported it; administration addressed it completely and staff involved in this incident do not work at the park any longer. I am confident that this situation was fully, professionally addressed, and also that the current park administration have the highest standards of accountability and ethics . Would have been nice to see a less sensationalized headline and an immediate acknowledgement in the article that though this was a very regrettable situation, the park has already taken the necessary steps to correct it. Parks are precious assets, and the people who care for them need our support, especially in such a remote park with considerable challenges for daily life there. I am so proud of the park staff for the way they manage the park and provide such a wonderful visitor experience. It would be a great step forward if the news could just be presented in an objective manner with all the facts but not the eye-catching, inflammatory headlines.
Of all the wonderful national parks that my husband and I have visited in the United States and Canada, Big Bend National Park is our very favorite. We have rafted down the Rio Grande, hiked in the desert and backpacked in the Chisos mountains since 1974. During these visits, we have had many enjoyable opportunities to meet members of the park staff, always finding them to be professional, responsible and dedicated to the mission of the park and the National Park Service. While the situation recently reported is not good, it is important to note that this occurred prior to the tenure of the current superintendent and it appears that he is cleaning the situation up. I conclude with these words in the ntroduction to the Park's website:"There is a place in Far West Texas where night skies are as dark as coal, and rivers are temple-like canyons in ancient limestone. Here, at the end of the road, hundreds of bird species take refuge in a solitary mointain range surrounded by weather-beaten desert. Tenacious cactus bloom in sublime southwestern sun, and diversity of species is the best in the country. This magical place is Big Bend."