This week I will introduce a bill to move the headquarters of the Game and Parks Department to the City of Sidney. Currently, state law mandates that the headquarters for the Game and Parks Department be in the City of Lincoln. I would like to change that. So today I would like to explain why I believe this move is good for Nebraska.

First, there are no state parks located in the City of Lincoln, just as there are no state parks located in the City of Sidney. So, proximity to state parks has never been nor should it ever be used as a criteria for deciding where to locate the headquarters for the Game and Parks Department.

Second, the Game and Parks Department does a lot more than manage our state parks. Most importantly, they are responsible for managing the wildlife in Nebraska. As many of my readers know, wildlife in Western Nebraska has become a major problem. Antelope, deer, and elk herds have grown too large and are wreaking havoc on crops, fences, and even land. Many of the noxious weeds we see spreading across Western Nebraska are attributable to large and unmanaged herds of antelope.

Because those who head the Game and Parks Department live and work in Lincoln, they often seem oblivious to the problems of Western Nebraska, especially the problem of unmanaged wildlife which has been brewing for many years now. Because those who lead the Game and Parks Department never encounter uncountable antelope herds, or see the widespread damage caused by an out-of-control elk population, or get Canadian thistle growing in their yards, the old maxim rings true: “Out of sight, Out of Mind.” So, in order to bring greater awareness of what is happening to landowners in Western Nebraska, I am proposing to move those who are most responsible for managing our wildlife closer to where the problems actually exist.

Third, state parks in Western Nebraska do not get the same attention that state parks in Eastern Nebraska get. There is a huge disparity between our state parks and those in the eastern part of the state. Consider Mahoney State Park for example. Mahoney State Park has an aquatic center, an indoor playground, a treetops ropes course, an observation tower, and even an indoor rock climbing wall. In addition, the Peter Kiewit Lodge offers 40 guest rooms, many of which have balconies offering stunning views of the Platte River. None of the parks in Western Nebraska have these kinds of attractions.

The fourth reason for moving the headquarters of the Game and Parks Department to Sidney relates to money. Whenever you drive to Lincoln on I-80 and you get near Lincoln, if you roll down your window you can smell taxes. The Game and Parks Department is no different. The Game and Parks Department collects thousands of dollars in fees every year. These fees range from campsite fees to hunting and fishing license fees to park entrance fees. When these fees are collected in Western Nebraska they go straight to Lincoln. Very seldom do we ever see any of it come back our way.

When those employed by the Game and Parks Department go home at night or for the weekend, they spend their money in the City of Lincoln, not Sidney. Whenever they go to the store, go to the movies, or go out to dinner, they put their money into Lincoln’s economy, yet the City of Lincoln has very little to do with wildlife, state parks, outdoor recreation, or hunting and fishing. Consequently, it seems to me that those responsible for managing our game and parks ought to spend their hard earned dollars where Nebraska’s game and parks actually exist.

Finally, the City of Sidney still has plenty of unused office space for rent at very affordable prices. Ever since Cabela’s got bought out by Bass Pro Shops back in October 2016, many of their offices have sat empty. I can’t think of a better use of these facilities than to house personnel working for the Game and Parks Department.