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'I don't have a clue': Weldon Springs future unclear at meeting
By Kevin Barlow
kbarlow@pantagraph.com
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CLINTON -- A local lawmaker said Thursday he has no idea what the future will hold for Weldon Springs State Recreation Area near Clinton if Gov. Rod Blagojevich closes it and 10 other state parks on Nov. 30.

“When people ask me what he will do about the park closures, I honestly have no idea,” said state Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth. “He is an extremely unpredictable governor. I don’t have a clue.”

Mitchell spoke Thursday night during an informational meeting in Clinton about the future of the park. The meeting drew approximately 75 people, and featured speakers Clinton Mayor Ed Wollet, Mitchell and Mike Levin, spokesman for state Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington.

While the Illinois General Assembly has restored the funding to keep the parks open, the plan still sits in the state Senate and must be sent to the governor’s office for approval. Blagojevich ordered the parks and 14 state historic areas closed as part of $1.4 billion in spending cuts.

“We have to keep fighting at the grassroots level,” Wollet said. “We have the support of our representatives and they are fighting to keep the park open, but I think what is making the biggest difference is the community support we have seen.

“We cannot let our guard down and we have to continue to call and write the governor’s office.”

Blagojevich and Sam Flood, acting director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, were invited to the forum, but neither attended.

“We were hoping that we could at least get some representation from their offices,” said DeWitt County Chairman Steve Lobb, the event host. “We can’t answer most of the questions the public has.

“Both the governor and the director were made aware of this meeting through various sources. They knew about it and their staffs knew about it, but they didn’t bother to even send a representative.”

While the focus of Thursday night’s meeting was on Weldon Springs, Lobb noted the fight should be to keep all of the parks and historic sites open.

“Weldon Springs is our fight to fight,” Lobb said, “but our fight is much bigger than that. We don’t want any of our parks to close.”

DeWitt County farmer Terry Ferguson suggested people show their support by showing up at the park Nov. 1. Supporters hope to fill the state parks with people that day to show the state how many people oppose the closures.

“I think it would be great if everyone showed up and showed how much this park means to us,” Ferguson said.

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