Facilities audit finds work‑order, preventive maintenance and staffing gaps; recommends leadership, process changes

District officials and consultants from Experience Management Institute (EXMI) presented findings from a facilities audit requested by the superintendent and approved by the board.

EXMI representatives said their review included document analysis, on‑site interviews and focus groups with facilities staff and internal customers. The audit identified several recurring issues: an inconsistent work‑order process with limited accountability and unclear expectations for stakeholders; multiple paper‑based processes that duplicate effort; limited preventive maintenance and inventory controls; and recruiting, hiring and retention challenges for facilities positions.

EXMI recommended a phased roadmap that begins with establishing new leadership for the department, defining mission/vision and measurable performance standards (KPIs), and adopting a clear set of process improvements. The consultants urged fuller adoption of the district’s TMA work‑order system to eliminate paper entry, enable real‑time field access, and allow stakeholders to track status. Other recommendations included a compensation study to improve hiring, clarifying vendor and internal responsibilities, planning for installation and use of purchased capital items, and creating a routine preventative maintenance schedule.

Consultants presented an impact‑effort matrix to prioritize quick wins (high impact, low effort), compliance tasks (low impact, required work) and major projects (high impact, high effort). EXMI said the district had many strengths, including engaged staff and a willingness to pursue efficiencies, and offered to support implementation and monitoring.

Board members asked questions; no formal action was taken during the presentation. The district said it will continue working with the consultants and report progress to the board.