Every summer is a busy time for maintenance, according to Bruce Biebuyck, maintenance supervisor for Oxford Schools.
‘That’s when we do our routine maintenance on air handlers, univents, all the heating and cooling equipment to clean coals, replace filters, grease belts and all that kind of stuff,? Biebuyck said. ‘That’s always a given every summer.?
Some of the extras they’re doing include fixing sidewalks at Daniel Axford, Clear Lake and Lakeville Elementary, as well as doing parking lot repairs at Oxford High School, Oxford Middle School, Lakeville Elementary and Oxford Elementary.
‘We put some money into the budget for crack fill so we can fill the cracks with a rubber material to help save the parking lot up there at the high school,? Biebuyck noted.
As far as major projects go, along with the sidewalks and parking lots, maintenance has been up on the high school roof.
‘Shingles that needs to be replaced, patching that needs to be done and then going through and caulking and sealing joints up on the roof, that’s constant and ongoing maintenance, that’s nothing extra,? he added. ‘Whenever we get time we try to get up and do those kinds of things.?
Throughout the district they’ve been replacing valves, light bulbs, that kind of stuff, which are things they can’t get to during the school year, according to Biebuyck.
‘We’re just trying to become more proactive than reactive. That’s always our goal, to try and catch things before they happen,? he said. ‘Like everybody else you get a little short on help now and then and you become more reactive than proactive, but during the summer we try and catch up on those types of things?
As for maintenance and operations goes, Biebuyck said they’re trying to upgrade the bus fleet with some newer buses in order to get the ‘average miles of the fleet down for more reliability and less maintenance.?
‘Our guys are working hard and the buses pass inspection each year, but each year as they get older it’s just a little bit harder to maintain that reliability,? he said. ‘We did buy six buses at an auction and that kind of bought us some miles for a little bit and we did buy two new mini-buses that were delivered to us in January.?
However, Biebuyck noted that they’re also in need of an orthopedic bus with a lift and air conditioning.
‘We’re hoping to use the money we got in the budget this year to upgrade that area,? he said.
Biebuyck believed that $100,000 of the 2.3 million in the transportation 15-16 projected budget was for buses.
Other than that, Biebuyck said ‘things are going smooth.?
‘I think overall the district is in good shape,? he said. ‘We’re trying to bring up the curb appeal a little bit to make things look better and just keep things rolling.?