Key state agency gets good, bad marks in survey

Monday, Dec. 9, 2002 | 10:21 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Private contractors think the state Public Works Board is doing a good job, but state agencies for which the board oversees construction projects are less impressed, and one elected official thinks the board is failing.

The opinions came in a survey the board took of more than 100 private contractors, engineers, architects, state agencies and staff to rate the agency that handles the state's multimillion-dollar construction program.

State Budget Director Perry Comeaux said it was the first time in his memory that an agency has sought outside comments and a report card from private companies and other agencies.

The results, released Friday, show the agency gets generally acceptable grades from those in private industry but lower marks from state agencies and its own staff. And the single state elected official who submitted a confidential report gave the agency an "F" in most areas.

"It's healthy to get this input," said Comeaux, a member of the board.

Board Chairman Sean Carnahan said the "eye opener" in the survey was the dissatisfaction from state agencies that must go through the agency for its construction program. "We have got to improve our services," he said.

"We have got to bridge the gap, particularly with the regents (of the University and Community College System of Nevada)," he said. There have been some turf battles between the board and the university systems.

Carnahan "applauded" board Manager Dan O'Brien for conducting the survey and said it was one of the first in state government.

O'Brien runs the agency on a day-to-day basis and the board, composed mostly of civilians, meets monthly to review projects and progress. O'Brien was told to develop an "action plan" to correct the deficiencies.

"I don't want this to fade out," Carnahan said. "There has to be something done."

The survey posed a number of questions to each group and asked them to rate the board on a scale of 1 to 5 with five being the best. Private contractors, architects and engineer, who are hired by the board for the work, said they were satisfied with the performance with the agency. They gave marks in the mid-3 scale.

But customer agencies, including other state departments, and the staff gave the board a mark of "somewhat satisfied," or in the 2 range.

"If you look at the survey, the people in the inside are the most dissatisfied," Comeaux said. But he said those in the private sector appear to be satisfied with the agency's work.

The lone elective official, who was not identified, gave the board a failing mark in such things as efficiency, effectiveness, organization and responsiveness to issues.

Carnahan said that individual might have been influenced by the handling of the construction of the Lied Library at UNLV and the veterans nursing home in Boulder City. Both projects suffered from cost overruns and long delays.

The contractors, in their comments on the performance, said the board was friendly, courteous and prompt and there was good cooperation with contractors and consultants. But they also said the board inspectors need to better review project documents and to improve bid forms and paperwork.

Other state agencies said the board has "very good project managers" and gives good solutions to construction problems. But they also said payments are not prompt, project oversight is lacking and there are too many delays in the construction schedule.

One of the deficiencies, according to staff, was a lack of communication from the top. Staff added that managers are doing a good job, but there should be better coordination between northern and southern project management and internal management communication should be improved.