[PRCo] FYI ONLY --- Not PRCo --- Government Shutdown

[Herb Brannon]

This is an interesting email received from the National Park Service just a
few minutes ago. I am a Conductor on the Cuyahoga Valley Railroad (volunteer
worker) and am scheduled on a really interesting "Total Track Tour" charter
tomorrow. This is all the way from Cleveland, through Akron and on to
Canton. This is all 60 miles of CVRR track. Being a partner with the
National Park Service and Cuyahoga Valley National Park, my volunteer worker
status gives me federal volunteer hours with the NPS as well as the CVRR.
Having never participated in a shutdown of a major world government I find
the email interesting, maybe you will also. I also find it interesting that
the railroad website will be up so ticket sales can be made. However, no
trains are running so ticket purchases would not be very helpful to anyone
 Begin email:

IN CASE OF A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
We still believe that there is the opportunity for Congress to avoid a
federal government shutdown, but are working to prepare for all possible
scenarios. If a new budget is not passed today, a federal government
shutdown will begin tomorrow, April 9th.
In case of a federal government shutdown, the following will occur in
Cuyahoga Valley National Park:
Volunteers cannot come to the park and volunteer during a federal government
shutdown. No volunteers are permitted to volunteer even at offsite events.
This includes volunteers who have a National Park Service Volunteer-In-Parks
Agreement and volunteer with the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National
Park, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, and Cuyahoga Valley Countryside
Conservancy. The Volunteer Services Agreement will not cover volunteers
under worker's compensation and tort claims during a federal government
shutdown.
All National Park Service employees are furloughed, except for  essential
staff including law enforcement park rangers and dispatchers.
All public programs are cancelled. Shelter reservations are cancelled. All
parking lots and areas are closed including the Towpath Trail and all
visitor centers. Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's train excursions will not
operate.
Office staff from the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park,
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, and Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy
are permitted to work in their office buildings.
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's administrative offices at Tilden House and
the Fitzwater Yard are closed. The website
www.cvsr.com will be operating so ticket sales can occur during a federal
goverment shutdown.
The Volunteer Office and Volunteer Center buildings are closed. Bridget
Ambrisco, Lisa Meranti, Shelby Lewis, and Jamie Walters will work out of the
Conservancy's administrative office located at 1403 W. Hines Hill Road in
Peninsula.
The National Park Service (NPS) website for Cuyahoga Valley National Park,
www.nps.gov/cuva, is not operating. All national parks are closed and NPS
webpages are not operating. For more information, go to www.doi.gov.

Notifications on a federal government shutdown:
If you are scheduled to volunteer on Saturday morning, please call the CVNP
Park Operating Level Hotline number at 440-546-5961 to determine if the
federal government has been shutdown. You are also encouraged to watch media
outlets to stay informed of a potential federal government shutdown. If the
shutdown occurs, we will notify you on Saturday via email.

Just another interesting tidbit of life in the twenty-first century
-- 
Herb Brannon
In Cuyahoga Valley National Park