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Maintenance department plans rebalancing, fewer mowing cycles and fewer crews after allotment reductions
Summary
Reginald Brumfield said the maintenance department will meet an approximate $2.5 million reduction by freezing positions and shifting contracted mowing in‑house; pothole, asphalt and concrete crews will be reduced and non‑emergency work will be scheduled into windows.
Reginald Brumfield presented the Department of Maintenance’s plan to absorb about $2.5 million in reductions without layoffs by relying on vacancies, freezes and operational changes. He said the department froze 10 positions over the summer and will use 22 current vacancies to shed 33 allotments without cutting existing jobs.
Brumfield said staffing changes will reduce service capacity: pothole crews will drop from three to two, asphalt patch crews from two to one and concrete crews from three to two; seasonal positions will fall from 60 to 40. He said the department will prioritize critical corridors, flood‑risk access and EMS routes while scheduling non‑emergency work in windows, which will lengthen response times for lower‑priority complaints.
To mitigate impacts the department plans to modernize equipment (including exploring autonomous mowers), implement a new work‑order system for better scheduling and routing, increase stockpiles for storm response and invest in supervisor training through LSU Leadership School.
Brumfield said increased reporting of ordinance violations (tall grass, drainage obstructions, sidewalks) may shift burden back to property owners and recoup costs in some cases. He also said converting some contracted routes to in‑house mowing would save money but will require careful scheduling and oversight.
