California Fish and Wildlife Department spent a half-million dollars on boat it barely uses

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife spent a half-million dollars on a boat it has barely used due to design flaws, according to a California State Auditor’s report.

A program manager wrote up specifications for the boat even though he didn’t have much experience in that area, and he didn’t consult experts, according to the report. The manager, who isn’t identified, has retired, the report says.

The department should have followed state contracting procedures more closely to avoid the “wasteful purchase,” the report says.

The department told auditors that given the size of the purchase, the state Department of General Services shared responsibility for carrying it out and providing engineering services.

The boat, outfitted with nets, was supposed to be used to help monitor fish and other aquatic life in the Central Valley, according to the report.

But when the boat got out on the water, operators encountered several problems.

“The boat’s square design is problematic, catching the wind and causing the boat to rock,” the report says.

A modified hull makes the craft difficult to “steer straight.” Its helm was installed on the opposite side of what’s normal, obstructing the driver’s view. When its gas tank is full, it lists to one side and can’t reach cruising speed. And problems with the hoisting mechanism for its nets create safety issues due to possible interference with other boats and objects, the report says.

The manager waived an inspection midway through construction that had been included in the contract and he waived employee training hours for the $535,000 boat, according to the report. The federal Bureau of Reclamation was responsible for half the price, the report says.

The Fish and Wildlife department has operated the boat just 14 times, according to the report. It typically uses other, less specialized boats around 10 days per month, the report says.

The department told the auditor a new program manager will oversee its vessel operations, a marine surveyor will inspect research boats each year and a vessel operator will support operations, maintenance and inspections moving forward.

The boat was mentioned in an annual report the auditor issues on improper governmental activities under the state’s Whistleblower Protection Act. The report, published in April, included 11 substantiated allegations from 2019 totaling $618,000 in inappropriate expenditures.

Among the report’s other findings:

The Department of Veterans Affairs wasted $38,000 when an administrator ordered a bedbug treatment oven and then left it outside for four years.

Seven employees at five state agencies improperly claimed 320 hours of bereavement leave, worth a total of about $10,000.

A California Energy Commission supervisor improperly issued commission-paid parking passes to up to seven staff members.

Two Caltrans employees improperly used state vehicles to commute between work and home.

This story was originally published May 13, 2020 at 4:00 AM.