NATIONAL PARK CAMPSITE FEE PAID BY CHECK

When we volunteered at an NPS campground, we were a little surprised that processing the campground envelopes was not a priority. The locked iron ranger boxes would sit in the security office until they ran out of boxes. Then three people had to empty the boxes and verify the count of the number of envelopes.

The envelopes went into a bank bag, locked. About once a month the employees who verified the count of envelopes had to go to park HQ where designated employees would open the bank bags. The count would be reverified. Then the designated employee and two others who had not been involved in emptying the campground boxes would open the envelopes and do a cash / check count. Three people had to get the same amounts, then a courier would be called to take the money/ checks to a certain national bank.

Taking four to eight weeks for a check to be deposited was normal.

The park gets 95% of the campground receipts for use in the park, next fiscal year. Since the money doesn't come to the park until next October, there is no urgency to get the money deposited.

Takes a long time at any government operates facility it seems. I know in the forestry division where we hosted they collected from the fee tube 1X per week, then prepared a deposit and sent it on to a main office location somewhere in another state. After that it was deposited.

Maybe they have some young employees who have never seen a check and don't know that to do with it? :B

I agree that it sometimes takes a long time.

Sometimes.