Staff snubs director's proposals

General Administration workers sound off on restructuring idea

PATRICK CONDON, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Monday, April 8, 2002

OLYMPIA -- When Rob Fukai came in as the new director of the Department of General Administration two months ago, he brought with him the desire to restructure the way the state's landlord operates.

That's not unusual -- most new state agency directors retool things to fit their management style.

But GA employees appear to have put the kibosh on at least one of Fukai's proposed changes.

Name game

GA's Division of Capital Facilities has traditionally maintained the upkeep and operation of all state-owned buildings, both in South Sound and elsewhere in Washington.

Since most of those buildings are in Thurston County, Fukai suggested dividing Capital Facilities in two, with a Thurston County Operations division that would tend to local buildings, and a Statewide Operations division for everywhere else.

The idea sunk when Fukai floated his changes last week with GA employees.

"It didn't work," Fukai said. "People were coming back to me and saying, 'We don't work for Thurston County.' "

"It's probably not going to happen," said Steve Valandra, a GA spokesman. Fukai wants to stick with the concept but said he'll have to come up with new names for the realigned divisions.

Planning continues

The name game hasn't deterred Fukai from proceeding with his restructuring plans, and GA employees have until the end of today to sound off on his proposed changes. Some of the realignments were sparked by the Legislature's decision to transfer the Division of Risk Management out of GA and into the Office of Financial Management.

"It was a good way to reassess everything that we were doing," Fukai said, adding that his priority is to make GA more like a business.

"We are providing services to state agencies that they are paying us for," Fukai said.

"We should operate that way."

Among the proposed changes is to create a separate office of Capital Planning and Management, which will manage all of GA's Thurston County properties, including Deschutes Parkway and Heritage Park.

Other shifts and realignments would take place under Fukai's proposals, but he stresses that no GA employees will lose their jobs under the plan -- although there could be layoffs sparked by the July 1 implementation of the state's downsized budget.

After collecting all employee feedback, GA officials will prepare for the transition until April 19, and Fukai hopes to implement the changes April 23.

Patrick Condon covers state government for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-753-1688 or at pcondon@olympia. gannett.com.

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