Maintenance Design Group
 





MDG in Motion is
published yearly by
Maintenance Design Group
1600 Stout Street, Suite 940
Denver, CO 80202-3160
Contact: Don Leidy, Principal
Phone: 303.302.0266
FAX: 303.302.0270
E-mail: Don.Leidy@mdg-llc.com
Volume 3, Number 1
Winter 2000/2001
Maintenance Plan Saves Expenses
After June 15, 2001, the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB 34) will require that all entities receiving federal funding provide information on all assets built or maintained with federal dollars.

Such entities affected by GASB 34 include:
  • State and local governments
  • Transit agencies
  • School districts
  • Municipal hospitals
  • Public utilities
  • State universities
It can take an average-sized agency almost a year to accurately assess and evaluate its capital assets. The filing process can impact budgets, facility maintenance management, condition assessment, work orders and future capitol improvements. For these reasons, it makes sense to get organized and prepare by performing a detailed inspection of real property assets.

The question then becomes, what to do with the data once it has been gathered. Today, a variety of electronic tools and technologies are available that not only help organize the process, but keep the information up-dated and maintained for on-going status reports.

A key ingredient to the success of these information management systems is GIS (Geographic Information System), which can link many kinds of digitized information to create a searchable database. Such digitized information is as follows:
  • Maps
  • Photos
  • Building statistics
  • Parcel information
The GIS not only gives government agencies the ability to prepare the information required by GASB 34, but also gives them access to a computerized facility maintenance management system, a ranking program and a long-range deferred maintenance program.

Ultimately, the ability to take a long-range look at maintenance and capital needs may be a new experience for government agencies, but the standards set by GASB 34 will encourage facility managers to realize the long-term benefits of a facility maintenance and asset management plan.

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