Chet Bardo, the new superintendent of State Parks for the 30 parks from San Mateo County to the Pajaro Valley, is a resident of Montara. Bardo’s responsibility includes more than 64,000 acres of parklands and 40 miles of coastline. There’s in interview with Bardo in the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Q What do you see as the biggest issues facing local parks?
A Funding. … If things were to really go south, it would be difficult. We’re charged in this district with just an incredible amount of historical structures and culturally sensitive areas. To look at that and try to figure out where to focus funding is a challenge. That’s probably one of the biggest challenges, and hence why we have a deferred [maintenance] backlog statewide.
Staff is doing a great job of keeping things up and running and dry, but it’s a constant thing. And as you know, when you work on a historic structure it takes a whole different level of repair. You just don’t go put something on it that’s not supposed to be there and call it a fix.
…
Q What is your background and how do expect to put that to work here?
A I’ve been with the department for about 26 years, going on 27 in August. I’ve done the full range of duties from a seasonal park aide at an entrance station to a field ranger to a supervising ranger to most recently a sector superintendent. My background is in wildlife biology.
And I love teaching. When I was a field ranger, I was very active in local schools. I always had a lot of fun doing that.
Q What is your favorite park?
A The coastal parks are great. I was pretty much born and raised in Half Moon Bay. I tell people before I had to get responsible and get a job, I used to spend my days at the beach all summer, swimming and fishing—I never took up surfing—mostly fishing and just dinking around. I haven’t spent a lot of time in the redwoods. Big Basin is new to me. Henry Cowell is new to me. And I’m sure I’ll love them just the same.
Sequoia offers possibility of care on Coastside; CFMC records still in limbo, Jul 2 4:57pm, Carl May — “Under the proposal, which is still very tentative, two-thirds of voters from Montara to the Santa Cruz County line would…
Post-Indendence Day Montara Beach clean up, Sunday, Jul 2 3:23pm, Anneliese Agren — Thanks for posting this Barry. I’m off my notification rocker right now. Too much to do, not enough time. :)…
Picture: Another view of Beachwood, Jul 2 11:04am, Steven Hyman — I’m no attorney either. I know when I sell land with a ccwd water connection, I specificially include that in…
Post-Indendence Day Montara Beach clean up, Sunday, Jul 2 10:47am, Dylan Oliver — No doubt all of our beaches will be in desperate need of help on Sunday morning. I say pick the…
Picture: Another view of Beachwood, Jul 2 9:29am, Paul Perkovic — I’m not an attorney, but common sense and a bit of legal reasoning suggests that the attempt by Keenan to…
Sequoia offers possibility of care on Coastside; CFMC records still in limbo, Jul 2 9:09am, Deb Wong — I was part of the Sequoia Health Care system for 30 years when I lived in Redwood City, and it…
El Granada Traffic & Trails concept plan to be presented, Tuesday, Jul 2 12:23am, Leonard Woren — The fact that “protect view corridors” came in a very close second should mean that Dave permanently abandons his idea…
Dog and 4th of July Fire Works, post 3, Jul 2 8:14am, Debbie Wolfe — Some advice from the ASPCA on pet safety for the 4th of July: Fireworks and Your Furry Friend I like…
Commute to South Bay From Montara, post 2, Jun 30 11:08am, Dan Blick — Hi Jim, Congratulations, and welcome to the Coastside! I’m in Moss Beach, and I’ve found that with no traffic, it’s…
Book Burning, post 1, Jun 16 9:57am, Kevin Stokes —
School Board "Special (construction)” Meeting, FRIDAY, June 12, 2009@1715, post 2, Jun 12 2:16pm, Barry Parr — What things are missing from the original Phase II?
We risk our lives on Highway 92, Let's do something about it!, post 87, Jun 10 7:15pm, Laslo Vespremi — I contend that 70% of the Hwy 92 problems are attributable to slow trucks and the Ox Mt. landfill. It…