Contractor HES tells board custodial operations improving; maintenance already meeting expectations
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Summary
HES representatives told the school board on Nov. 10 that facilities maintenance is performing well under their contract, while custodial operations have improved but still require time to meet the district’s expectations.
Representatives of HES presented to the Southampton County School Board on Nov. 10 to describe progress on facilities maintenance and custodial services provided under an existing contract. Russell DeBock (HES) summarized the vendor’s assessment that facilities maintenance is now meeting expectations while custodial services continue to improve and will require more time to reach target standards.
DeBock said the district’s initial program was developed for about $2.5 million; funding was later reduced by roughly $700,000, which required adjustments to scope. He outlined improvements HES said it has made: quality assurance procedures, technology for work orders and recruiting, additional maintenance staff (from an originally small team to a larger maintenance group) and a regional management structure.
HES manager Dontre Hunter described day‑to‑day custodial practices, including two‑hour bathroom logs and live documentation shared with facilities leadership; he and other managers said some issues—wax build‑up on floors, restroom misuse during lunch periods and staffing variability—require time and campus coordination to address. HES representatives said they expect to reach their custodial goals by Jan. 1.
Board members asked how community members and staff should report facility concerns; HES recommended using building administrators and the district’s centralized work‑order system (CMMS) so requests are logged and prioritized. The vendor committed to responsiveness and described a process for tracking complaints in writing.
What happens next: HES and district staff will continue implementing QA and floor restoration plans and use the district work‑order system to track complaints; trustees may return to this topic if performance metrics are not met by the stated target date.
Sources and evidence: Presentation and Q&A with HES, managers' remarks on logs and floor restoration, and discussion of complaint/reporting process.