County Supervisor's Consolidation Plan Cast Aside

RIVERSIDE, CA — Riverside County Supervisor Kevin Jeffries' proposal for a study on the potential costs and benefits of consolidating multiple county agencies into a single Department of Public Works was tabled Tuesday by his colleagues.

"Basically, we're already doing this," Supervisor Marion Ashley said. "So it's probably redundant to go ahead with this now."

Jeffries introduced the concept of setting up a Public Works Department earlier this month, based on his scrutiny of operations in neighboring counties. He touted the possibility of a "unified structure" that would do away with "silo-like" agencies that may not achieve the kind of money-saving efficiencies the county desperately needs.

Talk of combining and re-designating agencies intensified during the most recent budget cycle, triggered by revelations that the county's structural budget deficit will likely continue another three years. Ashley noted Tuesday that a multi-point initiative he announced in February aims to identify where the county can cut and combine to achieve the most efficient business model.

"Staff is working on this and will be bringing suggestions forward," the supervisor said.

According to Jeffries, a single Riverside County Public Works Department could assume the responsibilities of the Transportation, Flood Control & Water Conservation, Planning and Water Resources departments, county Parks & Open Space District administration, Buildings & Inspections, Facilities Management, Surveyor's Office and the Aviation Agency.

The Economic Development Agency currently oversees several offices that Jeffries submitted for consideration under the consolidation proposal. EDA was among more than two-dozen agencies that requested allocations over and above their spending thresholds for the 2016-17 fiscal year.

Supervisor John Tavaglione criticized Jeffries for bringing the matter up, saying it was the "wrong time" for it and that such a proposal had been deemed a non-starter in 2014.

Jeffries said the difference between then and now is "$1.17 million per week in deficit spending."

"If that's not an inspiration to find efficiencies, I don't know what is," he said.

The rift between Tavaglione and Jeffries was further underscored minutes later during talks regarding the 2016-17 budget. Tavaglione brought up the Department of Public Works proposal again, as well as additional measures that Jeffries had advanced, including steering funds out of special tax districts and into the general fund to protect reserves -- an idea Tavaglione said would put the districts' services at risk.

"Why should our finance officer have to spend time looking at these crazy ideas?" the supervisor said. "I believe the quality of this board is diminishing."

He said the net effect of Jeffries' proposals was to make county employees "nervous" about job security.

"Why shock them? Four of us up here care deeply about our employees. I hope the board member to my right, Mr. Jeffries, cares about you, as well," Tavaglione said.

Jeffries said he was dumbfounded that his fellow supervisor would find his suggestions "so upsetting that they lead to one insult after another."

"I encountered this as a legislator in Sacramento when I was dealing with some very limited people who didn't want to work outside the box that they had built for themselves," he said. "We're better than that. There's obviously some unstable issue that I'm not aware of. I'm going to continue to offer ideas. That's what we're here for. I apologize if that's caused consternation. But I don't get it."

His motion for a consolidation study was not seconded, and therefore failed without a vote.

— By Paul J. Young, City News Service.