Meet Lodi's new public works chief

Wally Sandelin, Lodi's new public works director, replaces long-time director Richard Prima, who retired earlier this month. (Dan Evans/News-Sentinel)

Meet Lodi's new public works chief

Wally Sandelin's goals: Strong maintenance plan, focus on water treatment plant

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 6:29 AM PDT

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Wally Sandelin took over as Lodi's new public works director this month replacing Richard Prima, who retired from the top post April 4.

As director, Sandelin is in charge of hundreds of miles of city streets, sidewalks, sewer pipelines and several major projects, including the new water treatment plant planned near Lodi Lake. The Ukiah native and longtime Lodi resident sat down with News-Sentinel reporter Chris Nichols on Monday to talk about his new post.

Q: What are your goals as director of public works?

A: I probably have two primary goals: One is to develop a stronger strategic plan that focuses on maintenance of everything that we're responsible for in public works. And that includes the streets, the water pipes, the sewer pipes, the storm drain pipes and all the buildings and the fleet vehicles. I'm convinced that we have a limited amount of money and we need to spend it in the best possible and the wisest way. We could probably show some improvement in that area.

My favorite project is also probably a goal, and that is the water treatment plant. We've got a contract with (Woodbridge Irrigation District) where we're buying 6,000 acre feet a year (of water). We need to build a surface water treatment plant to treat part, if not all, of that.

The part we treat will go into the city's distribution pipelines and customers in town will drink it. It may be that we don't send it all through. There may be some alternatives.

Q: Can you sell some of the water?

A: Yes. We haven't found a market yet that will buy it. ... In years like last year and this year and the couple years before that, there haven't been opportunities out there. But when we hit a drought year, there certainly will be. I think we want to take advantage of that when we can.

Q: How will you deal with the politics of being a department head?

A: I think the City Council is going to look to the director to provide them information in the form of background and advice of what they're going to do in the future, and leadership to put us not necessarily on the status quo, but out in front of things — like where we are with the water plant and planning for future water resources, and how we've been proactive with our street maintenance program. We've brought in some pretty neat tools that have been cost-effective. I think that the council is looking for a professional source of information. And the city manager is looking for innovative and alternative and out-of-the-box ways to probably get more done with potentially fewer personnel resources, fewer dollar resources. And then, at the same time, you've got to find a way to balance that with what people are willing to pay for their water or their sewer or their permits at the counter. So it comes down to ... working smart.

Wally Sandelin at a glance

Age: 57

Residence: Lodi

Occupation: City of Lodi Public Works Director

Family: Wife Jo, daughter Whitney and son Tyler

Hobbies: Wood working, working out, backpacking

Experience:

Served for the past eight years in positions including Lodi's deputy public works director and engineer

Previously worked as consultant in private sector

Q: With a multi-million deficit in the city's water and sewer operations funds, how likely is it that residents will see a rate increase?

A: We have an annual rate adjustment that's tied to the (Consumer Price Index) for the San Francisco Bay Area. It's been running in the 2 to 4 percent range. The council doesn't want to change the rates. We pointed out that the rate of increase and costs is exceeding the consumer price index. And at the same time, we want to create some balance of reserves in the capital account. So, we will initiate very soon a new rate study that will look at all the factors involved. And the important thing to consider is we have the PCE/TCE (groundwater contamination) cleanup on the water side. We've got the infrastructure replacements on both sides. You can possibly tone those down from the original base, which was about $2 million each per year. You can look at your capital reserve factors and try to bring them into balance.

I think, with the acceleration of the costs so much greater than the consumer price index, we probably are looking at a rate increase that might want to use a different index that would reflect the increase in personnel costs. But it's hard because a big part of the increase we're seeing is regulatory. The state Regional Water Quality Control Board is requiring way more monitoring at the (sewer) plant. We're having to do more monitoring of the water system. When we bring in the new surface water treatment plant, there will be more monitoring then. So it's changing. It's a regulatory environment that's changing. I think that's a large part of why we are where we are now.

We hope to bring back this new rate model by November. In that report, we'll bring the council three of four options. One would include a rate adjustment over and above the CPI. The other three would include alternatives that don't require one. (We'd have to) see how they work through. I really don't know the answer. Historically, Lodi has been averse to rate increases.

Q: As director the past few weeks, what's been the biggest challenge so far?

A: I think the biggest challenge has been getting familiarized with the project work that the former director had taken on and then left behind. He did a really good job trying to transfer information and the knowledge, but to get into those projects and actually start working has been a challenge.

I think the funnest challenge I've had is actually going out and meeting the groups of people that work in public works, sitting down with them one-on-one. It's uncomfortable when you go into a room with people you don't know. You don't know if they're going to start off with "It's really nice to have you here," or, "We'd really like you to make some changes because we're really unhappy with the way the city has been treating us for the past five years." You know, that kind of thing. So, I went out and I met with them all, and they were just great people. I enjoyed meeting with them a lot. And I look forward to seeing them on a regular basis.

Now the biggest challenge in all of that is to remember all the names of all the faces. I've been trying really hard.

Q: You mentioned backpacking is one of your hobbies. Describe the ideal backpacking trip. Where would it be and what would it include?

A: It's pretty easy. Because every year there's about five of us guys who have gotten together for, gosh, it goes way back to when we were in college. Anywhere in the Sierra. A place where you can both enjoy fishing and mountaineering and anywhere from five to seven days. And it's a great way to unwind and have fun in ways that you probably can't do at home because your wives and children are around and would say "Come on. Don't act silly, you guys."

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