On Nov. 1, County Executive Charlie Dooley presented his proposed budget for 2012. In order to close the $10 million gap in the more than $400 million budget, he suggested reducing services to 23 county parks.

If Dooley's budget is accepted as-is, it would mean the closure of 19 parks, a community center, two public pools and a farm animal exhibit. Of the 175 staff positions cut county-wide, 135 would be from the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Residents' reactions: shock and disbelief.

U City resident Alex Ihnen called parks the "canary in the suburban coal mine." 
"Increasingly, the future of parks (not to mention schools and other community assets) is tied to private fundraising," he blogged. "The  problem is that our community becomes a reflection of the values of regional wealth, of those who can raise and give money."

Over her lunch break, Fenton resident Kristen Weber starts a petition with Change.org asking Dooley to take parks off the chopping block. 

In the first 24 hours, her petition saw 100 signatures. Now, it's closer to 500.

Now, a new petition has surfaced, gathering signatures from as far away as India and Brazil.

In the last two hours, 100 people have signed the petition.