THE MONEY TRAIL
It's a $22 million question: Why are Water Resources Department workers being moved out of their state-owned building and into a leased West Sacramento office during a budget crisis?
Not only is the state looking to foot a $22 million bill over 15 years to house 325 employees, but the under-construction digs aren't necessarily green-friendly, despite the governor's push to make state buildings an example of energy efficiency.
Jim Libonati, the agency's business operations deputy director, said the department wanted to consolidate employees scattered in four locations (three privately owned and one state-owned) and provide an on-site lab and storage for boats.
Besides, Libonati said, the Department of General Services advised that the state-owned Bonderson Building – an office occupied by a majority of the resources workers – is due to be renovated.
"DGS told us to move out," Libonati said. He couldn't provide documentation on the forced relocation.
That explanation had General Services folks scratching their heads. "There aren't any plans to renovate the Bonderson," said Eric Lamoureux, a DGS spokesman. "That isn't even on our radar."
General Services selected 3500 Industrial Blvd. as the new home for Water Resources by the end of the year. A state summary said the site, owned by a partnership headed by developer Joe Benvenuti, was "the clear favorite due to its location, site size, economics and well known/experienced lessor."
The building was too far along in the construction phase to obtain an energy-friendly LEED certification.
In a survey, obtained by The Bee, workers said the more isolated West Sacramento location would force them to drive rather than walk, bike or take public transportation to work.
Regardless, Lamoureux said "there are no specific environmental requirements for leased buildings."
– Terri Hardy. Send tips to moneytrail@sacbee.com
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Scout's project helps locate grave sites in Fair Oaks
The rolling, tree-studded Fair Oaks Cemetery has thousands of burial sites. Finding a loved one's final resting place can be difficult.
Boy Scout Will Yang, 18, has made locating a grave site a little easier by coming up with a very simple solution.
For his Eagle Scout project, he manufactured and hung metal plates with the letters A-Z along a pre-existing fence on Olive Street, the road that fronts the cemetery.
Once visitors get the row letter for a grave from the cemetery office, they simply head to the correct letter and walk down that line of graves to the proper headstone.
"I wanted my Eagle project to be something that will be beneficial to the community," said Yang, who completed the project with other Scouts in Troop 54 of the Pony Express District and fellow church members in the Fair Oaks 3rd Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Ray Young, cemetery district manager, said it will make "life much simpler."
Bill Lindelof. Send tips of people who make a difference to fixthis@sacbee.com
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