Albuquerque Public Schools
Proactive repair
Minimizing deferred maintenance and initiating 'root cause' investigations
Tackling deferred maintenance (DM) head-on
APS’ M&O preventive maintenance program focuses on minimizing the deferring of maintenance to a later date when deterioration is worsened and repairs more costly. Historically, lacking adequate funding for deferred maintenance can force districts into a systemic cycle of making limited repair/replacement choices. Regrettably, this only increases the problem until adequate funding is available which in many cases does not happen. This is a ruinous cycle that M&O has worked tirelessly to control at APS.
Since 2007, APS’ M&O leadership has focused on resolving the high priority DM problem with sustainable funding, as throwing a onetime funding cycle at DM is not a resolution. Deferred maintenance is a reoccurring, ongoing expense, not a onetime event. After 2007, M&O was granted funding for several identified DM projects, but a truly meaningful victory was realized in 2013 when DM was finally classified as a broader definition line expense in the Capital Master Plan. A line item budget allocation provides more flexibility in DM work getting addressed and completed quickly. The previous project listing was quite restrictive and time delayed. In joining forces with Facilities Design + Construction in recent years, DM projects are now included in remodels and rebuilds in economically and efficiently combining several jobs into one.
Initiated a 'root cause' investigation
M&O initiated a practice that brings together applicable players to discuss and root out the cause of issues regarding a problematic system or piece of equipment. As these individuals meet each time the cause of an ongoing problem has not been determined, glitches are not left to fester and become quite pricey.