Public Service Group Considers 'Government After Katrina'
The nonprofit Partnership for Public Service is launching an initiative called "Government After Katrina" to look for ideas that can help the government operate more effectively and polish an image that was tarnished by a sluggish response to the hurricane.
"We need to leverage the occasion of Katrina's anniversary to focus new energy to the issue of improved government performance," said Max Stier , president of the partnership, a nonpartisan group that seeks to revitalize federal service and encourage young people to take up careers in government.
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A year ago, on Aug. 29, Hurricane Katrina came ashore near the Louisiana-Mississippi border, leaving much of New Orleans submerged and parts of the Gulf Coast in ruins. It also delivered a blow to the government's reputation. Congressional investigators found breakdowns in the federal response that hampered rescue and recovery efforts and probably wasted millions of taxpayer dollars.
The partnership's initiative begins today with a breakfast discussion featuring R. David Paulison , director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Other officials scheduled to discuss Katrina include Donald E. Powell , federal coordinator for the Office of Gulf Coast Rebuilding, on Tuesday, and David M. Walker , head of the Government Accountability Office, on Sept. 6.
The Katrina project ( http:/
Hiring and keeping employees, however, appears to be turning into a difficult test for agencies operating in the New Orleans area. Housing and living costs have soared in recent months, creating a challenge for agencies trying to maintain a stable base of employees.
The federal workforce in New Orleans decreased 11 percent from March 2005 to March 2006, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
The Army Corps of Engineers, for example, has about 150 unfilled jobs in its New Orleans district office. In addition, it has only 22 engineering students in a training program, rather than the typical 80 to 100, because local colleges have cut back or eliminated engineering classes.
Cheryl Weber , director of the Corps civilian personnel advisory center in New Orleans, said that job applicants are asking more specific questions about housing, schools and living costs than before Katrina and that many decide against pursuing employment after taking such factors into consideration.
The Corps had about 1,230 employees in the New Orleans district before Katrina, and about 300 lost their homes. Many of the displaced are working full time and hope to rebuild, but they are exhausted by long workdays and long commutes, Weber said.
Retirements are picking up, she said, and the Corps is offering relocation and retention bonuses in a bid to keep critical jobs filled.
To keep up with its workload, the Corps also has been bringing in employees from other parts of the country, usually on 120-day temporary assignments, Weber said.
For many New Orleans area employees, she said, the goal is to get through this hurricane season "without anything bad happening." She said, "A lot are on pause, waiting to see."
Management Meet-Up
The Federal Section of the International Public Management Association for Human Resources will hold its annual conference on Sept. 5 and 6 at the Ronald Reagan building. This year's theme is "The Business of Human Resources: Building Capacity That Delivers Results." Speakers include Linda M. Springer , director of the OPM, and Claudia A. Cross , deputy chief human capital officer at the Energy Department. For more information, go to http:/
Talk Shows
Diana J. Veilleux and Lisa A. Bernstein , co-hosts of "FEDtalk" and lawyers at Shaw, Bransford, Veilleux & Roth PC, will discuss "Myths and Realities of the Federal Sector EEO Process" at 11 a.m. today on Federalnewsradio.com and WFED radio (1050 AM).
Jennifer Main , chief financial officer at the Small Business Administration, will be the guest on "The IBM Business of Government Hour" at 9 a.m. Saturday on WJFK radio (106.7 FM).
Federal Diary is taking a summer break and will resume Sept. 5. Stephen Barr's e-mail address isbarrs@washpost.com.
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