It would be wonderful if public work could be defined more like as it is in the private sector, getting the job done as quick as possible, and for public leadership to learn the ancient business mantra, “time is money” would be a great blessing.
Leaders push for speedy levee repairs
Sacramento's top officials worry building shutdown would be economic blow.
By Deb Kollars - dkollars@sacbee.com.
Published 12:00 am PST Friday, February 1, 2008
Sacramento's top leaders, along with anxious developers, are trying to speed up the schedule for levee repairs in Natomas so they can more quickly escape a building limbo.
The push to move faster follows the decision two weeks ago by the federal government to severely downgrade the area's flood safety level.
The Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency currently plans to complete a new round of levee improvements in Natomas by 2010. Some have said it could take even longer.
But given the announcement by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that building effectively would be halted in the area because levees there are so unsafe, City Manager Ray Kerridge and others now want to finish that work at least a year earlier.
"If this is such a big emergency, why are we even talking about 2010, 2011?" Kerridge said. "Why aren't we talking about getting it done by 2009, as quickly as we can?"
