Park ranger resigns to join fire company

County Parks Ranger Justus Barton has resigned to take a full-time position with a private, contract firefighter. The parks department is now in the process of hiring a full-time ranger to manage Kamiak Butte, Bill Chipman Trail, Colfax trail and some grounds in the Elberton area. The ranger maintains those areas, works with the public and helps repair any park equipment.

“It’s a beautiful place,” Barton said of Kamiak. He has been employed with Whitman County Parks since August of 2008. His official date of resignation is August 13.

Because Kamiak needs around-the-clock care, Barton said the parks department will get by with the help of volunteers and the other park ranger, Dave Mahan.

The parks department has been operating on a tighter budget this year in light of the economic woes facing the entire county budget. To balance this year’s budget, Parks Director Tim Myers has put off some standard maintenance to temporarily cope with the financial shortages.

Those cuts included the loss of seasonal workers and that bumped up the workload for both rangers.

However, Barton said that did not contribute to his decision to leave.

Starting pay for the position is $2,500 a month, with benefits. The ranger is required to live at the home at Kamiak.

“My ideal candidate is someone who has a background in recreation management, preferably with some education background in recreation and park management,” said Myers.

Myers said they are also searching for someone who has the right attitude for working with the public, enforcing park rules and managing the day-to-day needs of the parks.

Myers said they hope to conduct interviews by the week of Aug. 9. The earliest he expects to see the position filled is late August or early September.

Barton, his wife, and four children have lived in the residence at Kamiak Butte. Barton said the residence no longer meets the needs for his growing family.

“The house up there is just not suitable for our family,” he said. After his time as park ranger, Barton said he’ll work full-time with Scholl Fire, a private fire-fighting agency. He and his family plan on moving to Troy, Idaho.

He plans on staying involved with advocating for Whitman County parks, as he believes the county parks are a rare and good asset for the region.

“I think it’s a special thing for people here,” he said.