With the ability to focus exclusively on testing the expertise of the central personnel will increase.
While the issue of conflicting priorities may not have happened in every zone we did hear from many customers that their project was interrupted or delayed due to fire alarm testing.
During the best in class research there were no examples found of decentralized fire alarm and suppression testing. That said, there may be factors that have not been considered. We currently have an implementation team, led by Bob Kretchmer, that's working on the logistics of moving towards centralized testing. We strongly encourage you to contact Bob with your suggestions and comments on what's working well in your zone.
Zone (or in the future District) electricians will continue to be involved in the system maintenance and repairs, hot works, taking the system down for contractors and University staff.
Web comment #216 from 03.02.2007
This week I would like to discuss building relationships. It is
important that we create strong relationships with our customers. Many
of you have already done this and know the benefits. Those relationships
help us:
* Anticipate customer needs
* Create an atmosphere of trust
* Work through issues quickly
Try substituting employees for customer!
How about a little recognition and thanks for all the
second shift employees who fought their way in on
Thursday afternoon and worked until midnight even though the University was closed.
By the way how about comming up with a way to let people know the U is being closed so we don\'t risk life and limb getting in here!
Regarding how to communicate the closing of the U, we tried to communicate this through the media and also through messages put on all 2nd shift supervisor's voicemail (where we have hopefully told employees to call regarding such questions). Unfortunately, there was not significant time between the decision to close and the beginning of the 2nd shift. We appreciate your efforts to come in. As for thanking folks, hopefully this e-mail that went out to all FM was what you had in mind:
To: FM
From: Mike Berthelsen, AVP
Date:03.04.07
Re: Let it Snow
I hope you had a chance to dig out your neighbors, homes and cars this weekend. Mother Nature threw a lot of the white stuff at us this last week. I'm sure you are aware that Thursday was the first time the U has been closed due to snow since 1991 and I was incredibly proud of the way FM rallied to handle the event.
On Thursday I had the chance to work with Dennis Schmidt's and Brian Flaherty's crews. They were really making the snow fly. Shovels and elbow grease combined to form a FM-made blizzard (o.k., the snowblowers also helped, thanks for giving me a chance to run one).
Wherever I went, I found FM hard at work. In the AHC, crews were cleaning, shoveling and spreading sanding material to keep folks (patients, nurses, doctors and B&G workers) able to get here and safe from slipping. On the West Bank, I got to share some pizza with Brent Roos's crew who was refueling to stay ahead of the winds. I also had a chance to talk with the folks in St. Paul and BSAC - in short all systems remained a go.
Friday morning Les Potts and I toured every part of the campus. Landcare crews had been cranking into the night on Thursday and again since 3 a.m. on Friday. It was amazing, every where we went students, professors and staff were able to get to their buildings without needing skis or snowshoes. Here's a typical comment we received:
"Hi, Thanks to those who cleared the way this morning. I wasn't sure if lots could get plowed this fast, they were. I wasn't sure how the walking on the sidewalks would be, they were clear. Thanks to those who got up at ? to make sure that since we were open, we could got to our respective buildings. I was here at 7:40 and the way was open. Thank you to those who shoveled and plowed. You usually get our grumbles, it seemed important to send the thanks."
I just wanted to echo those thoughts - thanks to all who grabbed a shovel, snowblower or bobcat. (I apologize for not being able to list all I saw working.) Outstanding job. You did yourselves, FM and the University proud!
Mike
Web comment #215 from 03.02.2007
I think #206 is referring to the AVP\'s Chief of Staff/Communications Director/multiple titled \"right hand guy\".
Will Mr. Hoff have to go through the same hiring process as the rest of management team?
Yes.
Web comment #214 from 02.27.2007
Centralize the trades and teamster shops, make the General foremen, foremen and licensed mechanics responsible for the maintenance, new installations and repairs. Utilize the University of Minnesota Engineering staff To design, evaluate and be responsible for the installations of buildings and Equipment and the operation of FM.
Our proposed organization does follow some of what you are suggesting. We are going to build teams (made of a mixture of trades and teamsters) dedicated to smaller geographic areas that will focus on routine preventive maintenance. When work load or project needs require (specialized work, larger and more complex work), these teams will be supported by a centralized pool of trades at the district level and also in our FM Service group.
We are planning on adding engineering support to directly serve the districts as well as increased engineering participation in the design and commissioning of our facility mechanical and electrical systems. We are not planning, however, to become an engineering-design firm large enough to fully design all of our buildings. We rely upon private firms to do this work, but involve our FM engineering group in the design effort and review.
Web comment #213 from 02.27.2007
What is the purpose or financial attributes of having a company like Foster Wheeler running the Mpls. and St. Paul heating plants at a cost of at least 10 Million dollars a year profit to Foster Wheeler over the years. It is a known fact that many of the people working at the plants used to do the same thing working for the U of M back when the U ran their own heating plants. This was a political farce instituted by the new management system that has created all the Fm problems.The U of M also used to sell steam to St. Marys Hospital,Fairview Riverside Hospital and Augsberg College. This was a very lucrative partnership. Maybe some of the people that were around at that time could answer these questions.Responsibility centered management is one thing the total lack of financial responsibility is another. By the way it appears the Foster Wheeler Stocks were not profitable.
We believe that this Marsden Co. is owned by Sue Markham who ran FM when it started. Is this another management scheme?
It would benefit the U of M to dissolve these old partnerships and try to repair some of the wounds that were created by these past FM people. Plus it would save a lot of money.
There were some questions with the original Foster Wheeler contract, however they did not make $10 million dollars in profit a year. We structured a new contract in 2004 that is a cost pass-through contract with University management being involved in all major decisions. The only way Foster Wheeler can make a profit is by meeting and exceeding the goals of a performance plan (the highest total payments based on performance possible during the contract cannot exceed $1.7 million per year). The result of setting performance goals tied to compensation is that the steam plants have been near perfect in their performance. We are not sure where you're getting your figures on profit or what you consider lucrative but you may recall that St. Mary's Hospital, Fairview Riverside Hospital and Augsburg College all made their own decision to not renew or extend a 15 year contract with the University. Their decision was based on economics and the expected steam rate. Minnegasco cut them a 7 year contract deal on cheap natural gas that was good for the duration, but costs them more now.
You raise an excellent point regarding wounds of the past. The key word is past. Though we can learn from the past, we believe that it is not helpful or productive to dwell there but rather to focus on what FM should look like going forward.
Web comment #212 from 02.26.2007
It looks like we got caught with our hand in the cookie jar LIEING to your workforce. In regards to the e-mail on 2/26/2007 it appears that ONLY because a co-worker asked a question about contracting work out that we had to admit to something had the question not been asked berthelsen would NEVER admitted to anything. I find this double talk from the fm administration appalling you keep playing your damn games with people & this is very unprofessional, it is what it is A LIE!! There IS NO respect given to your workforce WE are the ones who KEEP this place open & running everyday not some OVERPAID & TOTALLY UNQUALIFIED adminstration. If this offends people that\'s too bad at least someone is willing to be honest.
We all know that our dedicated front line staff help keep the U running. The 2/26/2007 e-mail was sent to make sure we were all on the same page regarding the proposed contract, its rationale and why we were changing course. As to the rest of your comments, we can agree to disagree on many things but it is important to do so in a constructive manner - sending anonymous rants does not help improve FM. If you want to have a conversation regarding your concerns, please call Mike's office and schedule time.
Web comment #211 from 02.26.2007
This morning there were about 40 workers trying to get their vehicles out of the equipment yard at foodstores. The plow had gone through the area and made a pass on the front and the rear of the vehilces. This sealed the fate of many vehicles, assuring that they would never be able to drive out of their parking spot without becoming stuck. I was disappointed that a supervisor hadn't called grounds and made arrangements to have an operator with a skidsteer pull the (previously plowed) snow from around our vehicles, so we could have a chance of getting out. An operator did finally show up with a skidsteer, but only after (most of us) were unable to drive off, and I believe it was one of the workers that went to the grounds crew and asked them to help us out. This has been a mild winter with little snowfall, but this has been a problem in previous years, as well as this year, and it seems that it alsways ignored.
I suggest that permanent arrangements be made with grounds to send a skidsteer (to clear away the plowed snow) well before the time when the line staff is leaving for the day.
First of all, thank you for including your name so we could discuss the situation in more detail. Les Potts is following up with the snow removal contractor to remind him not to leave a ridge behind our vehicles. Rob Tunell and Bill O'Neill will be selecting a person from their crews to coordinate not only getting our vehicles out but removing them so the entire lot can be cleared. Of course now with our warm weather we probably won't get to test it until next year. Regardless of the timing, thanks for raising the issue.
Web comment #210 from 02.21.2007
Regarding Mike Berthelson's 2/20/07 email about re-lamping, we need to be careful about putting money ahead of environmental responsibility. Waste is a growing issue, and throwing away good lamps may become a very sticky situation for FM. You may want to re-think this.
Thank you for your comment. We need to factor in the environmental impact of our decisions. The good news is the initial change of these lamps we are moving from a 32 watt to a 30 watt lamp. Here are some quick numbers regarding that change for every 500 lamps:
- Reduction of 11,136 pounds of CO2/yr
- Equal to adding 2 acres of forest/yr added
- Equal to removing one car's pollution for one year
We also collect our lamps which are recycled with the following materials being reused:
- Glass
- HID glass and metals, ballast metals
- Metal end caps
- Mercury
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