Park’s Leader Rejects Transfer, Will Retire

Park Supt. David Mihalic has said he would rather resign than take the helm at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The National Park Service told Mihalic, 56, last month that he was to swap jobs with Smoky Mountains park Supt. Michael Tollefson, 55. Tollefson will now have to wait until Mihalic officially leaves Jan. 3 to take over at Yosemite.

“I was the deputy superintendent [at Great Smoky Mountains] 15 years ago,” Mihalic said. “Some of the same issues I dealt with at the time are back on the table. I think it would just be best for the National Park Service, best for the Great Smokies and best for me to choose to retire.”