2024 Parks Annual Report by City of O'Fallon

PARKS DEPARTMENT

OF O’FALLON 100 NORTH MAIN STEET O’FALLON, MO 63366

Bill Mitchison – Parks Director

CITY

INTRODUCTION

Parks Department Mission Statement

To enrich the quality of life through People, Parks and Recreation and remain one of the premier parks and recreation destinations within the greater St. Louis area and the State of Missouri.

Department Overview

The O’Fallon Parks Department is composed of three divisions that work together to provide vital services to O’Fallon’s residents and businesses.

The Landscape Division is responsible for the year-round appearance of key properties within the City. This division designs, plants, and maintains the floral beds, container plantings, flowering shrubs, trees, lawns, interior plants, and all other horticultural highlights at municipal parks and grounds, highway overpasses, and some right-of-ways. Landscape staff also produces plants in the City’s greenhouse and operates a small nursery.

The Landscape Division handles Tree City USA recognition status and the Commemorative Tree & Bench Program. Community education is provided by Landscape staff members through numerous telephone and e-mail inquiries throughout the year.

The Parks Division is responsible for the year-round appearance of eight park properties within the City. This Division maintains athletic fields, recreational courts, CarShield Field, playgrounds, Lake Whetsel, trails, and other park amenities.

The Parks Division handles construction projects that take place in the Parks with its Special Projects Team. They install many of the park amenities such as playgrounds, recreational courts, pavilions, custom fabrication, and concrete work.

The Parks Division also supports the Tourism and Festivals Division by providing all setup and maintenance of park grounds during special events, such as food truck events, Celebration of Lights, Jammin’ Concerts, Tree Lighting Ceremony, and Heritage & Freedom Fest.

The Facilities Maintenance Division encompasses a range of tasks aimed at ensuring the smooth operation and upkeep of buildings, equipment, and systems within a facility. These services typically include routine inspections, repairs, and replacements of essential components such as HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical systems, structural elements, and janitorial services. Additionally, Facilities Maintenance also supports the Tourism and Festivals Division by providing setup and maintenance during events.

Organization By Department

Landscape Division

• Landscape Superintendent

• Landscape Supervisor

• Horticulture Specialist (3)

• Maintenance Worker I (2)

Parks Division

• Parks Superintendent

• Construction Supervisor

• Parks Maintenance Supervisor (2)

• Construction Crew Leader

• Park Maintenance Crew Leader (6)

• Construction Worker I (3)

• Maintenance Worker I (11)

• Small Engine Technician

• Office Manager

• Administrative & Budget Coordinator

Facilities Maintenance

• Maintenance Manager

• Facilities Maintenance Supervisor (2)

• Facilities Maintenance Worker II (2)

• Facilities Maintenance Worker I (4)

• Custodian II (6)

• Custodian I

Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board consists of eight members appointed by the Mayor with City Council approval. This board offers the Mayor and City Council both a user's special focus and a citizen's perspective on matters dealing with parks and recreation activities. Board members work alongside City staff to advise the Mayor and Council as they allocate funds and set City priorities.

Jim Elder, Kathy Wilson, Scott Hester, Nicole Snyder, Theresa Williams and Bobby Ridings

Committee Members

• Council Member Liaison Lisa Thompson

• Council Member Liaison Ron Epps

• Scott Hester, President (Ward 2)

• Amanda Paul, Vice President (Ward 3)

• Kathy Wilson, Secretary (Ward 1)

• Jim Elder (At Large/Ward 2)

• Nicole Snyder (At Large/Ward 4)

• Theresa Williams (At Large/Ward 4)

• Bobby Ridings ( Ward 5)

Landscape Division

Scope of Responsibility

Organization

The Landscape Division adds eleven seasonal employees as spring and summer arrive. Seasonal staff work alongside full-time staff for mowing, landscape bed maintenance, and watering.

Performance Measures in 2024

Below is the Landscape Division performance measures chart. The performance measures chart is updated annually for the budget book using the original categories to maintain consistent measures, but there are other responsibilities at play in addition to the five categories as outlined below in the chart.

Some performance measures for 2024 are higher than anticipated. For example, the number of shrubs planted for 2024 is nearly double the anticipated number of plants. The number of shrubs planted is higher than expected because an effort was made to speed along the replanting at Highway K & 70. The number of moss baskets for 2024 was reduced due to the Main Street reconstruction project where the light poles had been removed.

NumberofAnnualsP

NumberofPerennial MossBaskets

TreesPlanted

ShrubsPlanted

(City Hall East Entrance)

Services

Mowing

The Landscape Division has a dedicated mowing team to mow landscape lawns throughout the city on a weekly basis. The landscape lawns are at City Hall, the Senior Center, CarShield Field, Renaud Center, Justice Center, Highway K & DD clip sites, Veterans Memorial Walk, and various small assignments. The landscape mowing team makes thirty-six mowings per year beginning in the month of March through early December. The months of November and December also involve extensive leaf cleanup on the mowed properties. The weekly mowing involves thirty-five acres per week of mowing straight lines, checkerboard patterns, string trimming, and litter picks. By the end of the season, the mowing team will have mowed and detailed 1,260 acres of landscape lawns, equaling nearly two square miles of continuous mowing. In 2024, the Landscape mowing team used 48 tubes of grease to keep their blades running true.

The Landscape Division provides support for O’Fallon’s Code Enforcement team. When Code Enforcement secures a warrant, the Landscape mowing team arrives at the address to mow, trim, and clean up the property to bring the property up to the standard of the surrounding area. These remediation assignments are mainly through the growing season but occasionally there are assignments in winter months to correct tree problems.

Right-of-Way Mowing

The Landscape Division also has a mowing team dedicated to mowing various city properties and designated right-of-ways. The two-man right-of-way mowing team makes 102 stops on a two-week rotation. The list includes Water and Sewer properties such as the clean water and wastewater treatment plants, water towers, wells, and lift stations. The rotation list also includes street department facilities, environmental services headquarters, highway overpasses such as Highway K & I-70, Woodlawn, and Sonderen, lengthy stretches of arterial roadways such as Bryan, Mexico, and Feise roads, and various small stretches through O’Fallon’s roadways. By the end of the eight-month season, the right-of-way mowing team will have mowed 900 acres and 462 miles of roadside grass areas throughout O'Fallon, grinding through 18 blades and 15 sharpening stones by the time the last grass blade is cut.

Greenhouse Operation and Annual Flower Production

The Landscape Division staff produces 16,000 annual flowers in the greenhouse for spring planting. These annual flowers provide colorful flower displays through the summer at City Hall and the 9/11 Memorial, CarShield Field, Renaud Center, Justice Center, Highway K and DD clip sites, Veterans Memorial Walk, Civic Park, and in the planters on Legacy Point, and for the hanging baskets on Main Street.

In 2024, the landscape staff began to propagate new landscape plants using existing plants in the landscape as mother stock. We were successful with the propagation program so we will be expanding our effort in 2025 to make our budget go further.

(Annual flower crop in mi-April, ready to transplant into flower beds of O’Fallon)

Trees

The Landscape Division staff cares for trees in parks, trees on municipal properties, and trees planted along Sonderen, Woodlawn, Bryan, Mexico, and Feise roads. The tree care program consists of planting new trees, treating specific trees with insecticides, trimming and dead-wooding trees, and removing dead trees. The Landscape division has removed fewer trees in 2024 than in the previous five years. Most of the problem trees have already been removed. We do see on the horizon more oak trees that will succumb to the horned gall and our number of tree removals will increase.

Tree City USA

Tree City USA is a nationwide program sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation that recognizes municipalities across the United States, as having a dedicated program for the management and cultivation of trees in the community. The Landscape Division successfully established O'Fallon in the Tree City USA program for the first year in 2004. O'Fallon has since remained committed to being successfully recognized as a Tree City USA every year since 2004. O'Fallon now has 20 consecutive years with Tree City USA status.

Commemorative Tree & Bench Program

The Landscape Division administers the Commemorative Tree & Bench Program. The program allows individuals to plant a tree or install a bench at various parks and municipal properties to commemorate an individual’s memory, birth, anniversary, or significant event.

Landscape Beds

The Landscape Division Horticulture Specialists care for landscape beds on every municipal property. A simple way to identify what is under the Landscape Division’s care is, “If it has mulch then the Landscape Division takes care of it.” Landscape beds, covering nearly ten acres total, are areas of mulch filled with flowering shrubs, ornamental grass, perennial flowers, and annual flowers and can be found in every park, along highways, in parking lots, and at every municipal property throughout O'Fallon.

Our team of three Horticulture Specialists are each assigned to certain properties throughout the city which we refer to as a section. Each Horticulture Specialist applies their knowledge to care for the landscape beds in their section. Understanding the needs of the flowering shrubs and ornamental grasses, such as pruning and shearing, and scouting for pest problems is a large portion of landscape bed care.

(Landscape Beds at the Veterans Memorial Walk)

A significant component of caring for perennial flower landscape beds includes understanding the needs of perennial flowering plants as it coincides with their life cycle through the changing seasons. Prime examples of perennial beds would be the Krekel Civic Center and Alligators Creek Aquatic Center landscapes at Civic Park as well as the landscape beds at O’Day Park.

Each Horticulture Specialist is attentive to the needs of our annual flower beds which are planted in late April and provide colorful displays until the first frost of late October or early November. The annual flower displays require a good deal of horticultural “green thumb” skill in understanding fertilization and particular irrigation needs, and occasionally some disease and insect control.

(Blooms at O’Day Park)

(Flowering bed at Alligator’s Creek)

(Landscape planter on Fallon Parkway)

Irrigation

Irrigation systems are an important piece of equipment in caring for the landscapes across O'Fallon. The Landscape Division cares for fifteen irrigation systems that keep flower displays and lawns looking their best. The irrigation systems are pressurized in April before spring flower planting, and the systems are shut down and winterized in November before Thanksgiving. During the months of operation, the Horticultural Specialist team monitors irrigation needs and regularly adjusts irrigation run times and active days to maintain the proper balance of root zone moisture for landscape beds and lawns. The irrigation systems are regularly monitored for sprinkler performance and the mowing team always has a watchful eye for system leaks.

Weed Control

Controlling weed growth is an ongoing activity for grooming the landscape beds. The Horticulture Specialists use multiple means of controlling weeds, but mulch is the first defense in the weed battle. The Landscape Division uses twenty tractor trailer loads of mulch throughout the season. When the summer seasonal staff members arrive, a crew of four to six depart every morning to work through every O'Fallon property applying a fresh coat of mulch to landscape beds and tree rings.

(Spreading mulch for weed control)

The second strategy for controlling weeds in landscape beds is making an application of pre-emergent herbicide in mid-spring. A pre-emergent herbicide uses chemistry to kill the germinating weed seed. This prevention of a seed from establishing itself gives the Landscape Division a competitive edge against the monthly reoccurring weed crop.

The third strategy for weed control includes using a post-emergent herbicide. Staff members use backpack sprayers to apply a chemical application directly to the foliage of the weed growth. This method always carries some risk in that some of our plants get hit with “friendly fire” from these spray applications.

The fourth strategy for weed control is old-fashioned hand pulling and digging. There are occasions when we are not able to keep up with the rate of weed growth and a strategic team armed with shovels is dispatched. It's not a surprise that the battle for controlling weeds reaches such a high level because as we are creating ideal conditions for plant growth for our favored plants, we are simultaneously creating ideal conditions for weed growth.

(Spray application to weed control)

Hanging Baskets

The hanging basket displays on Main Street are a favorite with residents and businesses. The Landscape Division hangs fifty-four baskets on twenty-seven light poles on Main Street. D uring the winter months, the team receives eager inquiries of “What will the baskets be like this year?” We receive numerous phone calls through the summer as the baskets develop into large colorful displays and we typically get two or three inquiries as to purchasing the baskets at the end of the season. In addition to the Main Street baskets, the Landscape Division also cares for thirteen wall baskets at CarShield Field.

(Pulling weeds by hand)

Volunteers

The Landscape Division provides an annual opportunity for volunteers to make their contribution to the community.

The Earth Day flower planting in the spring provides a platform for 75 volunteers to plant around 7,000 flowers on a Saturday.

Volunteers are also used for large mulching projects that require 100 or more volunteers.

Volunteers remove frostbitten flowers in late October for Make A Difference Day, where we will fill an entire trash truck in one morning.

2024 Landscape Division Highlights & Accomplishments

Video Board Sign Landscape Walls

Two new informational video boards were put into service in 2024. One sign on Main Street and a second sign at Sports Park. The Landscape Division staff constructed a landscape planter surrounding each sign that will be planted with flowering shrubs in the spring of 2025.

Regrassing the Wastewater Treatment Plant

Landscape Division staff assisted the Public Works Department by creating a permanent turf at the wastewater treatment plant. Landscape staff used equipment to take the soil back down to bare ground and start again with a process that was coordinated with mother nature. We had near perfect conditions in the fall of 2024 for this project and the results are quite striking.

Landscape Plant Propagation

Frustrated with the limitations of the high cost of landscape plants, the landscape team decided to go back to plant propagation to produce usable landscape plants from our own existing plants. Landscape staff members can take cuttings of existing plants and grow them in pots in the greenhouse. Nearly 800 plants were produced during 2024 that will grow to a size for later planting in O'Fallon's landscape projects. Each year more plants will be added to the inventory for use in later years.

Parks Division

Scope of Responsibility

The Parks Division is responsible for the year-round maintenance of eight park properties within the City of O’Fallon. This division maintains athletic fields, recreational courts, CarShield Field, playgrounds, Lake Whetsel, trails, and other park amenities. The Parks Division handles construction projects that take place in the parks with its construction team. The construction team installs many of the park amenities such as playgrounds, recreational courts, pavilions, custom fabrication, and concrete work. The division also supports the Tourism and Festivals Division by providing all setup and maintenance of park grounds during special events.

Areas of Responsibility

• CarShield Field

• Civic Park

• Dames Park

• Fort Zumwalt Park

• Knaust Park

• O’Day Park

• Ozzie Smith Sports Complex

• Sports Park

• Westhoff Park

• Small Engine & Equipment Repair

• Construction Team – Special Projects

• Irrigation/Backﬂow Preventer Equipment & Repair

• Snow Removal – Parks & Admin Facilities

Certificates and Licenses

• The parks staff hold 4 licenses and certiﬁcations across the division.

• 2 Playground Safety Inspector Certiﬁcations

• 1 Missouri Backﬂow Prevention Tester

• 1 Certiﬁed Pool Operator

• 1 Certiﬁed Parks and Recreation Professional

Passive Parks

The department maintains the City’s four passive parks, Civic Park, Fort Zumwalt Park, Knaust Park and O’Day Park. The team maintains amenities such as Lake Whetsel, playgrounds, water features, splash pads, trails, camping, fishing, a disc golf course and roller hockey and basketball courts. Our passive parks have some of our more serene settings with five rentable pavilions. The passive parks are host to many special events such as the O’Fallon Jammin’ Concert Series at Civic Park, Celebration of Lights at Fort Zumwalt Park, and various special events at O’Day Park.

Athletic Parks

The department maintains four athletic parks, Dames Park, Ozzie Smith Sports Complex, Westhoff Park and Sports Park consisting of baseball/softball fields, soccer fields, cricket and lacrosse. Other amenities you will find in these parks are volleyball, horseshoes, tennis, basketball, roller hockey, basketball, pickleball and six rentable pavilions. These parks are host to many tournaments and recreational programs. Ozzie Smith Sports Complex is host to the most notable special event, the annual Heritage & Freedom Festival. The teams in these parks perform a high volume of field maintenance to keep up with the demand for recreational activities.

Performance Measures

Labor 2023 Vs. 2024

Labor Hours Explained

Overall, the 2024 totals are consistent with past years. Some categories are up or down over 2023 totals. The weather each year has a direct influence on where the labor hours are spent.

• Labor for snow removal was up due to an increased amount of snow events experienced in 2024.

• Concrete labor hours were down. This was due to some large concrete projects we had in 2023. There were two new pickleball courts added at Westhoff Park.

• Field maintenance was down in 2024 due to improvements made to Field A in 2023 at Ozzie Smith Sports Complex

• Both routine cleaning and mowing/trimming were up in 2024. Some of this is due to different crews operating in a couple of the parks between 2023 and 2024.

• Mowing was up in general in most of the parks. This was due to a wet spring and better irrigation habits at Ozzie Smith Sports Complex.

• Playground maintenance was down due to work completed at Brendan’s Playground in 2023.

Parks Personnel & Locations

Jeff Boerding – Parks Maintenance Supervisor

Jeremy Wolfmeyer – Parks Superintendent

Brian Krafft – Parks Maintenance Supervisor

Tim Snyders – Parks Construction Supervisor

Donna Pinkston – Office Manager

Abby Rose – Administrative & Budget Coordinator

Construction Team

This team is responsible for the majority of the construction projects in our parks. The work you will find them performing includes concrete slabs, curbs, sidewalks, parking lots, playground install/repair, roofing, siding, and any metal fabrication needed. To sum it up, they take care of the infrastructure projects in the parks.

Tyler Robinson, Cameron Love, Drew Iler, and Eric Beard

Small Engine Technician

Bobby Meyers, our Small Engine Technician, keeps the department rolling. This position performs all preventative maintenance and repairs on the equipment the department operates. Responsibilities that fall under this position include weed eaters, blowers, mowers, trailers, tractors, tires, tune-ups, rebuild of equipment, electrical repairs, maintenance software and the monitoring of the department’s fuel pumps.

Parks Maintenance Crew Leader – Irrigation

Our irrigation is maintained by a Park Maintenance Crew Leader. Irrigation is vital to the condition of our park system. The department is responsible for 11 irrigation systems that keep our turf thriving through the growing season. Both irrigation systems at Sports Park obtain its water from 1,000-foot wells. O’Day Park has a unique water recapturing system to utilize the water from the water feature to irrigate the grass in over half of the park. In addition to these duties, this position is a certified backflow preventer tester, maintaining and checking over 50 backflows on an annual basis.

Fort Zumwalt Park, Civic Park, and Knaust Park

Fort Zumwalt Park

Fort Zumwalt Park is one of the most scenic parks and the most historic in the City. This park features the Heald Home and Zumwalt’s Fort, two historic sites dating as far back as 1812. This is the only O’Fallon park that offers catch and release fishing at the beautiful Lake Whetsel. Residents can enjoy the playground and picnic areas, as well as The Fort disc golf course. This 48acre park includes scenic trails and is home to the Celebration of Lights display in the winter.

Civic Park

Civic Park is a 20-acre park best known for hosting weekly Jammin’ Concerts in the summer months. This park features two pavilions and a playground. Recent additions include a gaga ball pit. Civic Park is home to the Krekel Civic Center and Alligator’s Creek Aquatic Center.

Knaust Park

Knaust Park is a neighborhood park of six acres. It includes a multi-use court, playground and quarter-mile walking path.

Tony Bizelli and Mike Reigh

O’Day Park

Landon Johnson and Jeremy Roderique

O’Day Park is the newest park to join O’Fallon’s park system. This 57-acre park is home to O’Day Lodge, a banquet center that has hosted countless weddings and events. The Lodge is accompanied by an outdoor amphitheater and nearby campsite. The park features the area’s first adventure playground which has become a popular destination for residents and visitors alike. The adventure playground includes unique climbing elements and water features for an engaging experience. Those who visit the park can enjoy two pavilions and paved walking trails through a scenic setting. The team at O’Day Park assists with the set up for special events as well as the daily maitenance of the park’s dynamic features.

Ozzie Smith Sports Complex and Westhoff Park

Ozzie Smith Sports Complex

This 76-acre park caters to baseball and softball programs for the area’s residents. The complex boasts seven baseball diamonds for league play and rentals. There are two concession stands to cater to the needs of players and spectators alike. The park is also home to CarShield Field, a modern baseball stadium. In the summer, Ozzie Smith Sports Complex is transformed into the exciting carnival grounds for the Heritage and Freedom Festival.

Westhoff Park

Westhoff Park is 65-acres of abundant recreational opportunities. The park’s amenities include two lighted baseball diamonds, two lighted softball fields, two pee wee fields, multi-use courts for roller hockey, basketball and pickleball, horseshoe pits, sand volleyball, tennis courts, the Westhoff Plaza skate and BMX park, a splash pad, two playgrounds, and a pavilion.

Jamie Robertson, Bryan Reitmeyer, Tyler Fennewald, Jon Nesbit and Eric Duffner

Sports Park

Sports Park is a 12-field soccer complex on 95-acres of parkland. The park features a playground, two pavilions and the Children’s Garden, where plants have names and shapes that appeal to kids. Sports Park is also home to the Renaud Center, O’Fallon’s 66,000-square-foot recreation center. Parks staff maintain the grounds for the park and provide all the field maintenance and set up for games and programs. Sports Park has hosted several food truck events, including Food Truck Frenzy in the summer.

Luke Bornhop, Jack Prinster, Nick Dunn, and Justin Rivet

Dames Park is a 59-acre park that features fields for football, soccer and lacrosse. This athletic park brings together tournaments and programming as well as special events such as Food Truck Fright. Visitors enjoy a one-mile asphalt walking and biking path, three pavilions and two playgrounds. The pickleball courts have been very popular for use.

Dames Park

David Baxter and Zack Miller

2024 Notable Accomplishments

Dames Park

• Resurfaced pickleball courts.

• Converted the Native American Burial Mound from grass to a natural prairie.

• Summer maintenance on athletic ﬁelds.

• Flood sediment removal throughout the park.

• Converted ﬁeld one to Bluemuda. This is a mix of Kentucky bluegrass and Bermuda grass.

• Sprigged ﬁeld 3 with iron cutter Bermuda grass.

• Installed new drinking fountains near the corporate pavilion.

Westhoff Park

• The pickleball, roller hockey, and basketball courts were resurfaced.

• Installed a ﬁve bay bin system at Wabash Shed to store needed materials.

• Installed additional security cameras to better secure the park.

• Removed asphalt and poured over 100 yards of concrete at the Wabash Shed parking lot.

• Installed new ﬂooring and air conditioning at Brendan’s Playground restroom.

Sports Park

• Rewired phase 2 irrigation system with all new wiring.

• Converted ﬁelds 4 and 5 to Bluemuda. This is a mix of Kentucky Bluegrass and Bermuda grass.

• Completed summer athletic ﬁeld maintenance and repairs.

• Demoed a robotic paint striper for the athletic ﬁelds. This robot will be used on our ﬁelds in 2025.

• Prepped the ﬁelds for over 600 soccer games.

• Replaced the old video board with a new one that matches the CLIP signs throughout the City properties.

• Continued design efforts to bring a Great Rivers Greenway through Sports Park.

• Tore out and replaced the main entrance sidewalk at the Renaud Center.

Ozzie Smith Sports Complex

• Hosted Heritage & Freedom Fest.

• Prepped the ﬁelds for over 2,400 softball/baseball games.

• Hosted 20 tournaments.

Fort Zumwalt Park

• Installation and removal of the Celebration of Lights display.

• Dead tree removal.

• Tony Bizelli received the Regional Governance Outstanding New Professional Award at the Missouri Parks and Recreation Association state conference.

Civic Park

• Removed several dead trees with stump grinding.

• Installed additional security cameras at Krekel Civic Center and Alligator’s Creek Aquatic Center.

Knaust Park

• Repairs were made to the basin.

O’Day Park

• Dead tree removal.

• Repairs were made to improve drainage off the parking lot near the lodge.

• Completed mud jacking throughout the sidewalks in the park.

CarShield Field

• Poured new concrete behind the team locker rooms.

• Installed parking lot gates.

• Light bollards were replaced at the entrance to the clubhouse.

Irrigation

• Tested and repaired all backﬂows throughout the Parks and Recreation facilities.

• Installed a couple smart irrigation clocks that are Wi-Fi compatible and controlled with an app.

Facility Maintenance

Scope of Responsibility

The City of O’Fallon Facility Maintenance department has undergone a significant transformation to optimize service delivery. Before 2007, dedicated teams managed maintenance for the Renaud Center, City Hall, and all park facilities. Recognizing the potential for a more efficient approach, the city took a bold step by consolidating these groups into a single, city-wide maintenance department.

This strategic move aimed to leverage the collective knowledge and experience of our talented staff. By fostering collaboration and cross-training, the department could ensure consistent, high-quality maintenance throughout all city buildings. The results have been good, with the department effectively managing a vast portfolio encompassing:

• 420,582 square feet of building space including facilities like City Hall, the Senior Center, Justice Center, Renaud Center, and departmental offices (Parks, Streets, Water & Sewer, Fleet, and Environmental Services) averaging approximately 60,190 square feet per maintenance staff.

o We provide minor electrical and HVAC services for wastewater and water treatment plants, encompassing an additional 60,941 square feet.

• The department's commitment extends beyond buildings. They meticulously maintain staggering acres of city property. Maintaining and servicing amenities such as:

o Lighting on roads, parking lots, and ball ﬁelds

o Plumbing ﬁxtures, drinking fountains, splash pads, and water features

The City's Facility Maintenance department exemplifies a proactive approach to ensuring the well-being of our city's infrastructure. Through consolidation and collaboration, they deliver efficient and comprehensive services, fostering a well-maintained environment for our entire community.

Organizational Chart

Services

The City's Facility Maintenance department boasts a team of seventeen dedicated professionals, ensuring the smooth operation and upkeep of our buildings. Leading the charge is a seasoned manager, supported by two experienced working supervisors.

Our core team of six maintenance staff members are highly skilled craftsmen. Each boasts a well-rounded background in:

• HVAC

• Electrical

• Plumbing

• Locksmithing

• Painting

• Carpentr y

This diverse skill set allows them to tackle a wide range of maintenance challenges effectively. One staff member is dedicated to each of the following buildings: City Hall, the Senior Center, the Renaud Center, and the Justice Center. The remaining three members provide comprehensive maintenance services for all other city buildings.

Complementing the maintenance crew are eight dedicated custodians. They provide essential day-to-day cleaning services, ensuring a clean and inviting environment across our facilities. Their expertise extends beyond routine cleaning, encompassing:

• Bio -hazard cleaning

• Stripping and waxing ﬂoors

• Carpet extraction

By combining a highly skilled maintenance team with a dedicated custodial staff, the Facility Maintenance department fosters a well-maintained environment for our entire community.

2024 Notable Accomplishments

Heald Home Tuckpointing

This marks the final year of our multi-year project to restore the historic Heald House through meticulous tuckpointing. The work was coordinated around various events held on the premises, ensuring that the house remained inviting for photo opportunities. Maintaining the integrity of the brick is of paramount importance to us. Over time, mortar joints can deteriorate, allowing moisture to seep into the walls, ultimately leading to cracks in the bricks and compromising the overall strength of the structure. By replacing the aged mortar, we are not just preserving the beauty of the walls and chimneys; we are significantly extending their lifespan for generations to come.

FMX Software

For several years, the facilities management team has been dedicated to finding the ideal software solution to enhance our work order system, streamline preventive maintenance, and efficiently monitor our equipment. FMX is user-friendly and keeps individuals who submit work orders informed about ongoing issues, fostering improved communication and transparency. Furthermore, we have successfully launched our preventative maintenance program, which allows us to be more proactive in our approach. This software also enables us to track our time with greater accuracy, simplifying the reporting process and enhancing our overall operational efficiency.

Painting Underneath the TR Hughes Pedestrian Bridge

The painted surfaces of the pedestrian bridge over TR Hughes Blvd play a crucial role in not only its aesthetic appeal but also in its long-term integrity and safety. To ensure that this vital structure remains robust and safe for public use, it is imperative to apply the right protective measures.

Our process began with a thorough assessment: all loose paint was removed, and the metal framework was carefully inspected for any significant rust, defects, or weaknesses. This detailed inspection allowed us to evaluate the overall condition of the bridge, ensuring no hidden issues could compromise its integrity.

Following the inspection, we applied a high-quality primer to the exposed metal surfaces. This crucial step creates a protective barrier, safeguarding the metal against corrosion and environmental deterioration. Finally, we completed the transformation with a vibrant industrial safety red paint, enhancing visibility while providing an additional layer of protection.

By undertaking this comprehensive painting process, we are not only revitalizing the appearance of the bridge but also fortifying its structure. Our commitment ensures that the pedestrian bridge will remain in excellent condition for years to come, providing a safe and welcoming passage for all who traverse it.