Alston to take over<br>lead role at Grand Canyon

GCNP — While Robert Arn-berger was born at Grand Canyon and would supervise the national park many years later as an adult, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt said that's not a prerequisite for the job.

That comment made during Babbitt's speech during the grand opening for Canyon View Information Plaza was meant as a joke. Incoming park superintendent, Joseph F. Alston, must be glad, because he was born in New York City.

Joe Alston was named Grand Canyon National Park superintendent.

Babbitt, who will step down as interior secretary with the end of the Clinton Administration, said he wanted "to leave you with a worthy successor to Rob Arnberger" and followed with the announcement of Alston as that leader.

"Joe and the National Park Service can complete this business," Babbitt said, referring to the implementation of the General Manage-ment Plan, including the light-rail system. "We have a vision and we're determined to see it to full blossom of completion."

Alston, 50, comes to Grand Canyon from nearby Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument, where he also served as superintendent.

"Obviously, Rob and the secretary ... have gotten things up and running and we'll move this forward," Alston said. "One of the keys lies in the implementation of the General Management Plan. Canyon Forest Village, we'll see how that turns out and where we're headed."

The future of Canyon Forest Village will be better known after the Nov. 7 Proposition 400 referendum vote. Brad Traver of the park's Implementation Team said last month that there's no connection between the NPS and the development and that the light-rail system will move forward with or without CFV.

Alston expressed concern in the statewide media about the costs associated with the $160-million light-rail system, as well as pollution in Grand Canyon’s skies.

Alston is no stranger to Grand Canyon. In fact, he began his career in the park back in 1970 as a firefighter on the North Rim. After three summers there while completing his bachelor of arts degree at the University of California-San Diego, he moved on to become an inner-canyon ranger.

"It spend some of my most formulative years in the National Park Service here," Alston said.

A look at Alston's resume shows a wide range of duties throughout his career. Alston has been a firefighter, river ranger, wrangler, wildlife technician, concessions specialist and superintendent. Past assignments have included stints at Dinosaur National Monument, Yellowstone National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, Curecanti National Recreation Area and Glen Canyon.

While at Glen Canyon, Alston is credited with developing a water quality program that helped clean up Lake Powell. Entrance fees at the park came alon gin 1997 to help fight the waste management battle.

Babbitt admitted that the Office of Personnel Management did not know about his decision prior to Thursday's announcement and Alston's not sure about a start date, although it could be less than a month.

"It can be a fairly lengthy process," Alston said. "They'll probably bring me over in an acting assignment. I'm not sure how we'll work that out."

Alston is married to wife Judith, who is a third-grade teacher in Page. The couple met at Grand Canyon while she worked for Fred Harvey Co.

His son Thomas, who is currently a senior at Arizona State, has worked the past few years as a seasonal employee at the Canyon for the Natural History Association.

Another son, David, is a senior at Page High School.

J.T. Reynolds, a veteran of the NPS, has served as acting superintendent since Arnberger’s departure for Alaska. There has been no announcement from the National Park Service concerning Alston’s successor at Glen Canyon.