Parks Department outlines computerized maintenance plan to predict capital needs

The Post Falls Parks Department has spent two years building an asset-management program and implementing a computerized maintenance management system, staff told council Oct. 7.

Brian Myers, parks manager, said the effort combines a GIS-based asset inventory with routine work-order tracking to move the department from reactive repairs to preventive maintenance. Myers said staff have recorded more than 5,300 work tasks since the system began and that about 82 percent of hours recorded reflect preventive maintenance rather than reactive repairs.

Myers described how the department assigns condition and expected useful life to assets — playground equipment, shelters, trails, restrooms, irrigation — then uses those inputs to run a capital prediction tool. The tool is intended to forecast replacement schedules and smooth spending so the city does not face large one-time requests for major renewals. The department plans to set target levels of service with the Parks and Recreation Commission and then optimize maintenance and funding strategy accordingly.

Myers said much of the labor recorded to date is building out the program and maintaining buildings, restrooms and custodial tasks; over time he expects planning/clerical hours to decline as preventive tasks become routine. He asked council to expect a future workshop to align target service levels and funding strategy.

Myers said the system will help the parks team move toward predictable capital reinvestment, identify business-critical assets, and improve transparency about long-term needs.