WESTFIELD – The City Council, on a 8-5 vote, approved creation of a new city department last Thursday which will centralize maintenance of city buildings and facilities.
The new Department of Facilities Management currently has no employees or budget, but establishes a structure for later build out.
At-large Councilor Brian Sullivan, chairman of the council’s Legislative & Ordinance Committee, said the idea is to fund the new department with existing maintenance funds in other municipal departmental budgets, transferring those funds and maintenance functions in the next budget cycle to the new department.
The City Council has discussed the concept of a centralized maintenance department for several years because maintenance is often deferred and funds intended for that purpose transferred to departments’ operational spending.
The city has invested about $25 million into building renovation and increasing energy efficiency over the past several years, an investment many councilors want protected through proper, and reguarily scheduled, maintenance.
“Our buildings were falling apart for a long time, especially the schools,” At-large Councilor James R. Adams, an L&O member, said Thursday. “We invested millions (to repair and upgrade buildings). Our custodians cannot take care of the new technology.”
“Someone has to take care (of the city’s inventory of buildings). What we were doing has not worked in the past, so we have to change, put one person in charge,” Adams said. “We have to do something different or the buildings will fall apart again.”
Several councilors said they had reservations that creating a new department would be the best avenue to maintaining municipal buildings and facilities.
“I’ve talked with many citizens who are against a new department,” At-large Councilor Cindy Harris said. “This job could be put under the Department of Public Works superintendent.”
Ward 5 Councilor Robert A. Paul, Sr., said the maintenance duties could be assumed by other city departments.
“We have the talent capabilities,” Paul said. “Starting a new department is not the answer.”
At-large Councilor David A. Flaherty said his concerns are that the Director of Maintenance will be part of the staff in the mayor’s office and with the job description for that position.
“This position needs somebody with a great deal of experience and expertise,” Flaherty said. “The job description needs more detail. We need to know what the minimum requirements are for this position.”
The job description, written by the Personnel and Law departments, was never voted upon by the City Council which failed to act within the 30-day window after the description was submitted by the executive branch.
Voting to create the new department were: Adams; Council President and At-large Councilor Brent B. Bean II; Ward 6 Councilor Christopher Crean; Ward 2 Councilor Ralph Figy; Ward 3 Councilor Brian Hoose; Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell; Sullivan; and At-large Councilor Matthew VanHeynigen.
Voting in opposition to the new department creation were: At-large Councilor Dan Allie; Flaherty; Harris; Ward 1 Councilor Christopher Keefe; and Paul.
