Our city delegation went to Washington D.C. in February to continue the push for the Rio de Flag flood control project. The feds have spent millions and so has the city, but the project is incomplete and, therefore, of no value. We met with our senators, Representative Kirkpatrick, the chief of the Corps of Engineers and the Budget Office.
We repeatedly told our story: This is a good project; the delays are driving up the costs; one department does not seem to know what the other department is doing; no one seems to be in charge; reports are promised and not delivered; we are frustrated. “Your system is broken,” we proclaimed.
Now keep all that in mind for a minute.
A few weeks ago, the developer of a project in Flagstaff came to me and he was obviously frustrated. This is what he told me: This is a good project; the delays are driving up the costs; one department does not seem to know what the other department is doing; no one seems to be in charge; reports are promised and not delivered; we are frustrated. “Your system is broken,” he proclaimed.
Yes, he saw the city the same way the city sees the federal government. Frustration with the “system.”
I took his comments to heart. From my years of dealing with the city as an attorney, I knew he had some valid points. I know also that some frustration comes from lack of communication and some comes from not seeing the other person’s perspective. However, dealing with a government – federal, state or city – should not be a dreaded exercise.
I have asked the city manager to come up with a plan to keep people from seeing the city as the city sees the Corps of Engineers…good people working in a broken system.
If our system is broken, or even cracked, it is my job to work on a fix. FBN
Jerry Nabours is Mayor of the City of Flagstaff.