Working Smarter

As nothing can be done to change the numbers, M&O is challenged to provide the same quality of service that earned the Division a 2010 Gold Ben Luján Award for Maintenance Achievement presented by the New Mexico Public School Facilities Authority. Because M&O has a duty to the taxpayers and students to provide clean, safe, and aesthetic environments that are conducive to student success, compromising caliber of service is not an option. In addition, just saying “no” to requests doesn’t save expenditures; it only escalates both the problem and the cost to resolve it.

More strategic planning is imperative in taking care of needs versus wants. More than ever, M&O is beseeched to carefully plan and schedule work orders to derive the most immediate and “future facility repair” for each effort. The Division is challenged to work more creatively in stretching the limited shrinking dollars without compromising quality. Decisions and choices have to be well thought out, as throwing good money after bad will ultimately be counterproductive. This leads the Division to looking at all possibilities:

• Outsourcing some tasks.
• Increasing PM work orders by at least 7% each year.
• Integrating new technology and monitoring systems into mechanical and electrical equipment that lessen maintenance and increase efficiency.
• Using new cleaning materials that make cleaning easier, faster, and earth friendly.
• Installing artificial turf rather than natural grass to save water and maintenance.
• Investing in new materials and technologies to minimize labor intensive maintenance (which will require greater upfront capital expenditures).
• Reducing transportation costs by planning more efficient routes and utilizing GPS technology in fleet vehicles and planning strategies for maintenance.