A Shasta County analysis found no readily apparent benefit to merging the departments of Public Works and Resource Management, while identifying several ways consolidation could disrupt operations and reduce efficiency.
The staff report for the Board of Supervisors’ Sept. 29 agenda says the review was directed by the county executive officer. Interim Public Works Director John Heath and Resource Management Director Sean Ewing were scheduled to present the analysis. The item required no vote and carried no additional General Fund impact.
The departmental presentation says the departments have only limited connections in their services and responsibilities. It identifies land development, including the relationship between planning and development services, as a connected area. Building and development services, as well as community education and solid waste, are described as adjacent services.
The presentation also identifies conflicts involving Resource Management’s environmental health and air-quality functions and Public Works’ solid-waste and water-and-wastewater operations. It says a merger could require new processes and structures, resulting in operational disruption, a diluted mission, reduced flexibility and responsiveness, diminished decision-making and leadership capabilities, and employee uncertainty.
The analysis recommends continued collaboration rather than consolidation. It says the departments’ shared location already supports customer service and efficient use of county office space, while existing collaborative processes address the areas where their work overlaps.
The agenda materials do not establish whether the Board formally received or deferred the presentation, and they do not document a follow-up assignment or implementation timeline.
