Sacramento’s business community has said repeatedly that former City Manager Ray Kerridge established a customer-service culture in the city’s development department. At the same time, the department is wracked with investigations into possible breaches of laws. Now that Kerridge has left the city — March 11 12 was his last day of work — how will the culture of the Community Development Department change? New leadership and the findings from an audit are two upcoming developments that may change the department. The recent resignations of Kerridge and department director Bill Thomas have created job openings. At this point, both positions are being held by interim officials. Gus Vina is i

Gus Vina, already serving as acting city manager, has been selected to be the interim city manager for the following nine-to-12 months. City Manager Ray Kerridge resigned last month and will leave his post Friday. Kerridge has said he’s taking a private sector position, but has not yet announced where that position will be. Mayor Kevin Johnson and several council members held a press conference Wednesday to announce Vina’s new position. “And I think it’s very clear to all of us that (Kerridge) has very big shoes that we need to fill,” Johnson said. “And we feel that we found the right person to fill his shoes in a very short timeframe.” Johnson and the council members unanimously chose

A Sacramento city councilwoman said Sacramento’s municipal government has “gone wrong.” A second councilwoman blamed high-level city staff. And a councilman suggested that the city consider setting up a whistleblower hotline. During an intense meeting Tuesday night, the Sacramento City Council grappled with an investigation involving the city’s community development department. Council members wrestled with findings from an investigation into the department’s approval last year of 35 permits in a Natomas flood zone. The investigation was carried out by City Attorney Eileen Teichert’s office and a third-party law firm, Renee Sloan Holtzman Sakai. In a recent report, the offices of the ci

There are now two efforts by city officials to analyze plans for a new sports arena and entertainment complex in Sacramento. While Mayor Kevin Johnson has recently assigned a task force to work on ideas for a new complex, the city manager’s office continues to participate in talks to build an arena at Cal/Expo. Though Johnson is a city official, his task force is considered unique from the city manager's project. Assistant City Manager John Dangberg told the City Council Tuesday that Johnson’s task force is a “private effort.” Dangberg continues to update the City Council periodically on negotiations involving Cal/Expo. The National Basketball Association and Cal/Expo officials are inv

City officials are eyeing state buildings in Sacramento as a potential source of local property tax revenue. A public affairs official with the state’s Department of General Services confirmed with The Sacramento Press on Thursday that it is moving forward with plans to sell some state-owned buildings in the city. Sacramento does not receive property tax from state-owned buildings. But if the crisis-ridden state government sells the buildings it owns to private entities, property tax monies would flow to the city as well as to other local governments, such as the county and school districts, according to Assistant City Manager John Dangberg.  Mayor Kevin Johnson and the city manager supp

Two Sacramento city councilmembers are raising concerns and voicing skepticism about the Nestle company’s plan to set up a plant to bottle and sell water from the American River. Councilmembers Kevin McCarty and Lauren Hammond are advocating for the City Council to get involved in the city’s negotiations with Nestle, which so far have been managed by city staffers. Nestle Waters North America’s plan to set up shop in Sacramento early next year is drawing attention. A group of citizens created "Save Our Water Sacramento" to oppose Nestle’s plans. The group is calling for the City Council to set a moratorium on beverage bottling plants in Sacramento. The company noted in a statement that

On Tuesday, August 25, the Sacramento City Council will hear a proposal by developers Bob Leach and Parkcrest Development to build a hotel at the corner of 8th and K Street and a parking structure at the corner of 8th and L Street, a project that would require demolition of city landmark the Bel-Vue Apartments and adjacent buildings. The meeting will be held at New City Hall, 915 I Street, at 6:00 PM in the main City Council chambers. The item was originally to be heard at the August 11 meeting of the City Council (see sacramentopress.com/headline/11884/City_to_decide_on_fate_of_BelVue_Apartments_and_Berry_Hotel_today ) but was taken off the agenda at the last minute. According to the sta