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County facilities director urges comprehensive deferred‑maintenance and master‑planning program; requests studies and funding
Summary
Facilities staff told the board the county needs a structured, multi‑year program to inventory deferred maintenance, prioritize repairs and modernize security and asset‑management systems; staff recommended a countywide condition assessment and a master plan funded in part from existing set‑asides and future budget requests.
Collier County’s executive director for facilities and redevelopment outlined a multi‑year approach to cataloguing deferred maintenance, improving space utilization and strengthening safety and security systems across county buildings.
John Dunnick told the board that much county infrastructure dates to the 1990s (average building age roughly 25 years) and that existing condition data are outdated; the most recent countywide facility assessment cited by staff was completed in 2017. He said the county’s maintenance and planning practice had been “piecemeal” and recommended commissioning a third‑party, county‑wide condition assessment and creating a living master plan that ties condition findings to a prioritized capital‑maintenance program.
Dunnick described the Administration Building (1974) and the county health department (1989) as examples of structures that need substantial long‑term investment — including envelope, HVAC and fire‑suppression work — and said staff will evaluate whether to refurbish or replace high‑cost assets when a complete condition and life‑cycle assessment is available. He showed examples of aged mechanical piping, failing exterior penetrations and older fire‑alarm/access‑control systems. The department is moving to enterprise asset systems (ArcGIS and Cartegraph) so condition data, preventive‑maintenance schedules and space allocations are stored in one system of record.
Staff said they have reprioritized existing vacancies and fund sources to add planning and supervisory positions without increasing overall FTEs and have secured initial funding (a board‑set aside of approximately $1.3 million) to begin facility condition work. Dunnick estimated the complete effort — condition assessment, space utilization study and a master plan — would require roughly $3.5 million to $3.8 million and take multiple years to complete; staff proposed using existing set‑asides and bringing further funding requests into the FY‑26 budget cycle.
The board supported the approach and emphasized that any plan should be an ongoing, accountable program with regular updates. Commissioners asked staff to return with procurement options, timelines and clear priorities for public‑safety buildings and other critical assets. Dunnick and staff said they will return with a proposed scope of work and contract options for the condition assessment and with FY‑26 budget requests tied to prioritized capital maintenance.
