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<DOCID>Grounds_Maintenance.doc.txt</DOCID>
<AUTHOR>Brandon Zajac</AUTHOR>
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The Student Services and Concerns Committee has received a number of complaints regarding how the maintenance department plows the snow, takes care of the sidewalk and the overall look of the campus.  These students concerns brought me to the decision to discuss them with the Director of the Physical Plant, Randy Peterson, and Manager of Grounds and Rink, Steve Gregory.  Both are new employees to Lake State and are experienced in their line of work. Randy graduated from LSSU with a degree in Engineering and Steve graduated from MSU with a degree in Horticulture.  They are very committed and enthusiastic about their positions, which is rarely seen in todays culture. These two men care very much about students and staff and will do anything possible to address any concerns that you might have regarding their departments. When I left this meeting I felt very positive and uplifted that everything will be done to make our stay here as comfortable as possible.

	The main concern I had from students was about the snow removal on campus.  Steve is the most knowledgeable about this problem, so I spent a length of time talking with him on the subject. Being new to that position he has his work cut out for him.  The major problem that he saw was that there was no plan in place for snow removal. To solve this problem, Steve has set up a new organized routine. He presented the plan to me and showed me all the specific routes that each particular machine was to tackle.  The plan starts with at least five workers that start their day at four a.m. in order to give you the best access routes to your classes.  The one problem I saw was there is not enough money in the budget to keep plowing all day until perfection is reached.  The men who plow also have to do every other type of maintenance on the campus from fixing a doorknob to replacing the lights above the pool.  All these tasks keep them busy so please cut them a little slack.  It all comes down to money and unfortunately LSSU does not have all the money to focus on this one endeavor.   The best way to help improve Lake State and the conditions of the campus is to spread your positive experiences and encourage others to come and share it with you. 

	Another concern that was addressed was the big puddles of water and slush in certain areas on campus.  The good news is that they are going to work on fixing it.  The bad news is that it cant be done until summer some time because the ground is too frozen to use the new equipment to do so.  The Physical Plant purchased a new tractor by trading in an old one and with it bought an attachment that will aid in the removal of the water of our sidewalks.  The machine will dig on either side of the ground of the sidewalks to make effective drainage for these areas. There is also a plan to repair and replace some of the sidewalks but this, I was told, was expensive and could only be done a little at a time. 

	Steve has plans for the summer to improve the look of the campus.  His plan would create focal points throughout campus that would improve the overall look, and help in the atmosphere of campus life.  An example of his plan is the one he shared with me about the first building that you see as you exit I-75 on Easterday that says Lake Superior State University. He wants to improve that buildings look by landscaping around it to create a focal point that he would like on campus. Along with this landscaping plan, he wants to put grass back in those areas where it seems that grass has never grown before. Steve is open to any ideas that anyone would have regarding places on campus that could use a special touch and encourages everybody to email him at sgregory@lssu.edu.  He is also looking for dedicated workers for his reshaping the University, so if you think you have what it takes go talk to him at the Physical Plant.

	At the end of the meeting, Randy and Steve, both shared thoughts on safety with the maintenance personal on campus. When you see the various equipment around campus, be alert to where they are and make sure you are visible to the workers!!! Randy shared with me that the most frightening thing that their staff workers deal with is the fear of injuring one of the students.  The drivers are always alert to what is going on; all they ask is a little awareness on your part.  If you need to pass by them, they will stop and let you pass as they are instructed to do. But please dont play games; either keep walking or dont interfere in their work. Also if you see something that you think is of concern or that might pose a threat to someones safety, inform the Public Safety Department and they will call out the appropriate personal to handle the situation. 

	Overall the meeting was a great success.  I really feel as if these two guys and the hard workers under them actually care about the students.  I recommend that if you are interested in job shadowing or just want a tour of the physical plant to see the cool operations that go on, just let Randy (rpeterson2@lssu.edu) know and he will be more than glad to help you out. 

	This article rose from your concerns, if you have any more concerns please contact Concerns Committee at concerns@lssu.edu.

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