Ground Services

Program Director or Chairperson:  Tim Flood, Director

Program Description: Grossmont College Grounds Services provides a broad spectrum of operational support for the entire college community including: grounds maintenance, irrigation installation and repair, trash removal, landscape design and installation, set-ups for special events and pest and disease control using natural and chemical products.

Activity #1: Fill all vacant Grounds positions. Currently we have two Grounds Maintenance Senior positions, and one Grounds Maintenance Lead worker position vacant.

Expected Benefit: A more uniform, aesthetically pleasing, environment friendly college campus. A better integrated, maintained, efficient, standardized, landscape infrastructure. Less work related injuries due to an over stretched department.

Activity #2: Support Prop R and college projects by providing necessary expertise during planning, design and construction phases.

Expected Benefit: A more uniform, aesthetically pleasing, environment friendly college campus. A better integrated, efficient, standardized, landscape infrastructure. More efficient expenditures of college and Prop R funds by utilizing existing campus expertise to assist in setting college landscaping standards and resolving maintenance and landscape issues.

Activity #3: Continue College landscape revitalization plan, including approved drought tolerant plant materials where possible.

Expected Benefit: A more uniform, aesthetically pleasing, environment friendly college campus. A better integrated, efficient, standardized, landscape infrastructure. More efficient expenditures of college and Prop R funds by utilizing existing campus expertise to assist in setting college landscaping standards, and planting schemes.

Activity #4: Participate in training and educational opportunities through in-services and vendor sponsored events for continuing education requirements and to keep updated on new development and State agriculture requirements to fulfill State guidelines. Trainings may include: pesticides, Department of Agriculture requirements, safety, and irrigation.

Expected Benefit: A better informed, safety conscious department, whose employees are aware and up to date on current grounds maintenance practices, requirements and safety procedures.

Activity #5: Build new Grounds/Maintenance Facility to improve safety and functionality of department. Add storage area so gas powered vehicles are not parked or stored inside the grounds building by the lunch room. Maintenance workers and Grounds workers currently share space with their tools, machinery and equipment in old surplus metal quanset buildings.

Expected Benefit: A safer working environment for employees so that they are separated from the chemicals and machinery that they use and operate on a daily basis. This will improve safety, minimize health hazards and create a better working environment for Grounds and Maintenance employees.

Additional Planning Activities

• Develop and implement a new Grounds keeper area of responsibility map that takes into effect the Science Lab Building construction area.
  
• Organize Grounds Maintenance facilities to ensure proper storage of tools and equipment.
  

• Assisted in development review and approval of the LRC landscaping plan.
  
• Assisted in the development of College's computerized irrigation control project.
  
• Assisted in the evaluation and installation of the College's irrigation backflow upgrade.
  
• Established and implemented a greens recycling program for the college.
  
• Was able to have district fund an hourly employee to assist the department in covering hours lost while the CSEA President attended meetings and other requirements of his position.
  
• Assisted in the implementation of the new LRC & Tech Center irrigation plans.
  
• Assisted the college and outside contractors in locating and repairing irrigation systems and main lines during construction.
  
• Transplanted Kathy Braun rose garden to South 300 building to save roses during demolition of the quad area.
  
• Assisted in cleaning up campus facilities after wild fires. Cleaned the entire campus in 1 1/2 days.
  
• Able to maintain campus plant material when water was off for extended periods during the summer due to the LRC and Quad construction.
  
• Assisted in renovation of CDC playground.
  
• Assisted Athletics and Exercise Science department with special projects.
  
• Completed scheduled maintenance program on campus trees.