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Facilities and Fleet outline: city manages 44 buildings, ~2,000 vehicles; CPM team handling $43M in projects
Summary
Facilities and Fleet staff told the Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee on March 18 that the city manages roughly 1.2 million square feet of buildings and a fleet of about 2,000 vehicles and 800 pieces of equipment. The capital project management (CPM) team is managing 11 active projects with an estimated value of $43 million.
City facilities and fleet leaders briefed the Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee on March 18 about asset management, capital planning and fleet replacement priorities.
Commissioner Ford opened the segment by describing the division structure and the capital project management work. The facilities side manages 44 structures (approximately 1.2 million square feet), and Fleet oversees some 2,000 vehicles and about 800 pieces of heavy equipment, staff said. A three‑person in‑house capital project management (CPM) team — licensed architects — is currently managing 11 projects with a combined project value of about $43 million.
Why it matters: the briefing covered long‑lead procurement for large vehicles, deferred capital needs and the city’s process for prioritizing repairs, preservation and replacement across both buildings and fleet.
Key points
- Staffing and organization: Facilities and Fleet leadership includes Division Director John Sheehy, Deputy Director Wanda King (Fleet) and Acting Deputy Mike Wiley (Facilities); the CPM architects report to the commissioner’s office and support capital project delivery across departments.
- Facilities portfolio and projects: Facilities staff noted recent completed projects (for example, a roof replacement at the Community Corrections building and a new police roll‑call station at Veterans Park) and said design for roof replacements at the district and circuit courthouses is underway. The CPM team’s in‑house work provides procurement and design cost savings, staff said.
- Fleet and replacement timing: Staff described recent investments to modernize the fleet and said the city has worked to prefund some large vehicles to cope with long lead times. Wanda King, deputy director of fleet services, said the urban‑services vehicles that appear expensive in the capital chart are primarily refuse compactors and that those units can approach half a million dollars apiece.
- Procurement and data: Commissioner Ford said a legacy fleet software upgrade is underway this fiscal year to improve fleet management data.
Questions and policy notes
Councilmembers asked whether plans or project trackers are available online; staff said there is not a public tracker now but that the presentation and budget documents are public and staff would consider posting more information. Councilmember Sabigny asked about electric vehicle consideration and the city’s carbon‑neutrality goal; staff said EVs have lower operating and maintenance costs and suggested investigating EVs for appropriate fleet roles. Presenters and councilmembers referenced a city carbon neutrality target (staff described the target year as 2050 in discussion of long‑term planning).
Ending: Facilities and Fleet staff offered to return with more detailed online tracking ideas and to provide follow‑up on vehicle replacement timing, the courthouse roof design schedule and the fleet software implementation.
