Iowa state park concession operators no longer would be checked on child abuse registry

Contractors who sell concessions, rent boats and offer other services inside Iowa’s state parks no longer would be checked against Iowa’s child abuse registry under revised rules proposed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

These vendors also would no longer have to sell healthy food and could get 10-year contracts, up from five.

The changes are intended, in part, to make it easier to hire concessionaires.

“We have had recruiting issues in the past with concession operations due to the seasonality of the opportunity,” Iowa DNR spokeswoman Tammie Krausman said. “Many friends groups have stepped up and are providing concession services such as boat rental, ice, firewood sales and some snacks.”

The Iowa DNR reviewed administrative rules for Parks, Forests and Preserves; Conservation Education; Land and Water Bureau and Water Quality Bureau, among other units.

The proposed changes are part of a state governmentwide review of regulations ordered by Gov. Kim Reynolds in January. The agency will seek comments on the proposed changes and will hold a public hearing in September.

Iowa has 71 state parks, recreation areas and forests, but only 19 have concessionaires authorized to sell food, drinks, firewood, bait and souvenirs or rent boats or bicycles.

These vendors apply for five-year contracts, but the agency wants to extend that period to 10 years in some cases.

“In certain situations, longer-term concession contracts incentivize greater investment in concession operations and are generally more appealing to concessionaires/vendors,” Krausman said in an email. “Shorter-term contracts may still be used by DNR when a shorter period is appropriate.”

The proposed rules remove a requirement concessionaires sell food and drinks recommended in the Iowa Department of Public Health’s Comprehensive Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan. That plan sets a goal of eating fruit, vegetables and whole grain and limiting sugar consumption.

“The department is eliminating this requirement to enable private concessionaires to offer customers what they desire,” Krausman said.

Many employers include child abuse check with background checks

Nearly 17 million people visited Iowa’s state parks in 2021, the Iowa DNR estimated. Included in that are families with children and camps that use state parks for nature programming.

Despite the large number of children visiting state parks, the Iowa DNR decided to remove a requirement that prospective concessionaires be checked against Iowa’s child abuse registry and a confidential list of caregivers, including parents, with founded child abuse reports.

“Typically, it’s used for employment where the person will be in direct contact with children,” said Kylie Spies, outcomes and advocacy manager for Prevent Child Abuse Iowa.

Many employers will do conduct a criminal-background check and a check of the child abuse registry for prospective employees, Spies said. Because not all cases of founded child abuse result in criminal prosecution, a background check alone might not reveal the child abuse case.

The Iowa DNR now does both checks for concessionaires, but wants to remove the child abuse requirement, Krausman said.

“DNR has shifted concessionaire selection processes to better align with general contracting standards, including retaining the requirement for a criminal-background check,” she said.

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DNR director, not commission, would decide federal grants

Another proposed rule change would give the Iowa DNR director decision-making authority over which city and county projects would be aided with the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which provides match funds of 50 percent for outdoor recreation area development and acquisition expenses.

Now those decisions are made by the Natural Resource Commission, a seven-member board appointed for six-year terms. Under the proposed change, the Iowa DNR director will “review, amend, reject or approve” all selection committee recommendations for funding. Appeals would go to the commission.

Last year, the federal government allocated $3.4 million for Iowa. The commission approved 12 projects in June 2022. Past projects have included skate parks, playgrounds, new and renovated swimming pools and land to increase habitat for wildlife.

The Gazette emailed commission members about this proposed change, but no members responded.

Comments: (319) 339-3157; erin.jordan@thegazette.com