Water Resource & Recovery Center Maintenance Support Position RequestCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Consent Items # 07.
Copyrighted
January 16, 2024
ITEM TITLE: Water Resource & Recovery Center Maintenance Support Position
Request
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council approval to add a non-exempt
(hourly), part-time (0.25 FTE), maintenance supervisor position within the
Water & Resource Recovery Center Department to assist with identifying
and prioritizing maintenance needs at the Water & Resource Recovery
Center (W RRC) and the twenty-eight (28) sanitary sewer lift stations
throughout the city.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
MVM Memo
Type
City Manager Memo
Staff memo, W RRC request to add PT Maintenance Staff Memo
Supervisor
THE C
DUj!BQTE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: WRRC Maintenance Support Position Request
DATE: January 9, 2024
Dubuque
WAWca 914
ii
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
Water & Resource Recovery Center Director Deron Muehring is recommending City Council
approval to add a non-exempt (hourly), part-time (0.25 FTE), maintenance supervisor position
within the Water & Resource Recovery Center Department to assist with identifying and
prioritizing maintenance needs at the Water & Resource Recovery Center (WRRC) and the
twenty-eight (28) sanitary sewer lift stations throughout the city.
The part-time maintenance supervisor position will be primarily responsible for helping to develop
routine preventative maintenance schedules and preventative maintenance plans. The schedules
will outline the planned activities and intervals at which routine maintenance tasks should be
performed on equipment, machinery, and facilities to ensure their continued functionality,
efficiency, and longevity. The schedules will be designed to address regular inspections,
lubrication, adjustments, replacements, and other proactive measures that help prevent
equipment failures and reduce the likelihood of unexpected breakdowns. The preventative
maintenance plans will outline step by step guidance as to the maintenance to be performed to
prevent equipment failures, minimize downtime, extend the lifespan of assets, and ensure optimal
performance.
The total annual cost of this request is $22,481.00. For every hour of work performed by the
proposed part-time maintenance supervisor position at GE-34 it would equate to between 50%
and 67% savings in consulting fees.
The required funding for the position in FY24 (cost of $9,367.08) will be sourced from the savings
generated during the period when the full-time maintenance supervisor position remained unfilled
(savings of $37,468.33).
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval.
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Deron Muehring, Water & Resource Recovery Center Director
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Deron Muehring, Water & Resource Recovery Center Director
DATE: January 8, 2024
RE: WRRC Maintenance Support Position Request
Dubuque
wnc�+.ucrvr.. i rxa,r
2007-2012-2013
2017*2019
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to request permission to add a non-exempt (hourly), part-
time (0.25 FTE), maintenance supervisor position within the Water & Resource Recovery
Center Department to assist with identifying and prioritizing maintenance needs at the
Water & Resource Recovery Center (WRRC) and the twenty-eight (28) sanitary sewer lift
stations throughout the city.
BACKGROUND
The FY24 budget included funding for WRRC personnel compliment currently consists of
two equipment mechanics, an electronic technician, and a maintenance supervisor to
oversee and perform maintenance activities at the WRRC and associated sanitary sewer
lift stations. The maintenance supervisor position is now vacant due to retirement.
DISCUSSION
Implementing a well -designed preventive maintenance plan will allow the WRRC to
proactively address potential issues, minimize unplanned downtime, and optimize the
overall reliability and efficiency of its assets. The process of developing the overall
maintenance plan and schedule could take several years to establish and fully implement.
For example, it will take time to identify and implement a software system to schedule
and track maintenance activities. And after identifying the appropriate software system, it
will take time to populate it with asset information and associated maintenance
requirements. Therefore, the development of the overall maintenance plan and schedule
will require assistance from a consulting engineering firm.
Adding a part-time maintenance supervisor position will reduce the City's reliance on
consulting services and reduce consulting fees. The hourly rate for the proposed part-
time maintenance supervisor position will be between one third to one half the cost of a
consultant.
The part-time maintenance supervisor position will be primarily responsible for helping to
develop routine preventative maintenance schedules and preventative maintenance
plans. The schedules will outline the planned activities and intervals at which routine
maintenance tasks should be performed on equipment, machinery, and facilities to
ensure their continued functionality, efficiency, and longevity. The schedules will be
designed to address regular inspections, lubrication, adjustments, replacements, and
other proactive measures that help prevent equipment failures and reduce the likelihood
of unexpected breakdowns. The preventative maintenance plans will outline step by step
guidance as to the maintenance to be performed to prevent equipment failures, minimize
downtime, extend the lifespan of assets, and ensure optimal performance.
The key components of developing a preventive maintenance plan typically include the
following:
• Equipment Inventory - Create a comprehensive inventory of all equipment and
assets that require maintenance.
• Asset Criticality Assessment - Evaluate the criticality of each asset to prioritize
preventive maintenance efforts based on the impact of failure on operations.
• Maintenance Schedule - Develop a detailed schedule outlining when preventive
maintenance tasks will be performed. This schedule may include daily, weekly,
monthly, quarterly, or annual tasks.
• Task List - Specify the maintenance tasks to be performed during each scheduled
interval. This can include inspections, lubrication, calibration, cleaning, and parts
replacements.
• Documentation - Maintain accurate records of maintenance activities, including
dates, tasks performed, and any issues identified and addressed. This
documentation helps track the history of each asset.
• Training and Skills - Ensure that maintenance personnel are adequately trained to
perform the scheduled tasks. This includes providing training on equipment -
specific procedures and safety protocols.
• Spare Parts Inventory - Maintain an inventory of critical spare parts to facilitate
quick replacements during preventive maintenance activities.
• Condition Monitoring - Implement condition monitoring techniques such as
vibration analysis, thermal imaging, or oil analysis to detect early signs of potential
equipment failures.
• Review and Adjust - Regularly review the preventive maintenance plan to identify
opportunities for improvement. Adjust the plan based on equipment performance,
feedback from maintenance personnel, and changes in operational requirements.
• Software and Tools - Utilize a computerized maintenance management system to
schedule and track maintenance activities efficiently.
• Communication - Establish clear communication channels between maintenance
personnel, operators, and other relevant stakeholders to report issues and share
insights that can contribute to refining the preventive maintenance plan.
Once the overall preventative maintenance plan is developed, the need for position will
be reevaluated.
In addition to the proposed part-time maintenance supervisor position, the vacant full-
time maintenance supervisor position should be filled by the spring of 2024.
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend adding a non-exempt (hourly), part-time (0.25 FTE), maintenance
supervisor position at GE-34 within the Water & Resource Recovery Center Department
to assist with identifying and prioritizing maintenance needs at the Water & Resource
Recovery Center (WRRC) and the twenty-eight (28) sanitary sewer lift stations throughout
the city.
BUDGET
The total annual cost of this request is $22,481.00. For every hour of work performed by
the proposed part-time maintenance supervisor position at GE-34 it would equate to
between 50% and 67% savings in consulting fees.
The required funding for the position in FY24 (cost of $9,367.08) will be sourced from the
savings generated during the period when the full-time maintenance supervisor position
remained unfilled (savings of $37,468.33).
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
I respectfully request authorization to add a non-exempt (hourly), regular, part-time (0.25
FTE) maintenance supervisor position within the WRRC Department to assist with the
development of a preventative maintenance plan which will outline the planned activities
and intervals at which routine maintenance tasks should be performed on equipment,
machinery, and facilities to ensure their continued functionality, efficiency, and longevity
and to help prevent equipment failures and reduce the likelihood of unexpected
breakdowns.
CC: Shelley Stickfort, Director of Human Resources
William O'Brien, WRRC Plant Manager
3