The managers who operate California's state parks say they have lost faith in their leader, and are urging Gov. Jerry Brown to appoint a replacement.

Ruth Coleman, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, was appointed by former Gov. Gray Davis in 2002. It has been rumored for weeks that Brown is considering a new appointment for the post. Evan Westrup, a spokesman for the governor, declined to say Monday whether a new appointment is in the works.

In a Dec. 14 letter to the governor, the State Parks Peace Officer Management Association shared a recent poll of its approximately 125 members. The poll found that 93 percent want a new director. About 56 percent of the members participated in the poll.

"Director Coleman is an honorable person, but she has been largely absent in making sense of the new economic realities," the letter said. "We understand that there is some discussion within the administration regarding the director's appointment process. Consequently, we wanted you to know our position."

The association provided a copy of the letter to The Bee. Its members are superintendents and supervising rangers who oversee California's 278 parks at the field level.

Scott Elliott, the group's president, said he was surprised by the response. "We had certainly heard from around the state that there was a lot of dissatisfaction, and certainly morale has been low," said Elliott, a sector superintendent in the Sierra District. "But I don't think we realized how universal the frustration was."

Coleman was traveling for the holidays and unavailable for comment Monday. But department spokesman Roy Stearns said he "strongly" disagreed with the thrust of the letter.

"I can't think of somebody better prepared, with her legislative and government experience, to be handling this crisis at this time," Stearns said. "She has aggressively pursued the best budget negotiations we could have."

In her nearly decadelong leadership of the state parks department, Coleman has made progress in expanding the system into underserved regions of the state and worked to promote outdoor recreation. She also has struck financial partnerships with nonprofits and corporations. In recent months, such deals have saved nine parks from closure next year.

She also has led during unprecedented turmoil.

State budget cuts over the past decade have caused a park maintenance backlog that surpasses $1 billion, along with reduced ranger staffing and curtailed park services. By July 1, the department must close as many as 70 parks to cut another $22 million from the budget.

Elizabeth Goldstein, executive director of the California State Parks Foundation, a nonprofit that provides financial support to the department, said her group has worked "really well" with Coleman.

Goldstein declined to comment on the managers' letter. But she said it would help if the governor, after a year in office, would settle the leadership question.

"This is the time when strong leadership is absolutely necessary and the lack of an appointment here – Ruth Coleman or, frankly, anyone – has been a troubling aspect of the last year," she said.

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