Milton's Consolidated Facilities Department Saves Money, Streamlines Work

The Town of Milton has 22 school and town buildings, totaling 878,200 square feet. Since it became operational in 2012, Milton's Consolidated Facilities Department maintains the $263 million worth of property.

Bill Ritchie was hired as Consolidated Facilities Director on July 1, 2011. He hired an  Operations Manager, Office Assistant and Electrician and inherited the Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds, Maintenance Craftsman and Maintenance Man from the Department of Public Works.

Ritchie oversees 33 employees, who handle custodial care, maintenance, landscaping, snow removal and capital improvements in Milton.

Milton Town Meeting approved the creation of the department and its budget in May 2010. Milton is among several towns in Massachusetts that moved to a consolidated facilities department, including Scituate, Hanover, Natick and Needham, among others.

"A lot of towns are transferring over to it," Ritchie said. "It's just good business."

Ritchie served 11 years at the Director of Facilities for the Milton Public Schools prior to his new role.  Ritchie has over 20 years of experience in facilities management. Prior to that, he worked in construction. Those skills help him understand all sides of his work.

"I don't know how anyone could manage facilities that doesn't have a construction or engineering background," said Ritchie.

Aside from managing staff, a united department allows Ritchie to save money on bids and capital planning.

The Consolidated Facilities Department now handles most of the labor in town; the departments receiving the work just cover materials. Recently, new cable was run through Pierce Middle School by the town's in-house electrician. Having the labor on staff, the school saved $50,000 on the work.

Prior to the department's formation, department heads from the Library Director to the Fire Chief and everyone in between, had to spend time and money sub-contracting work and purchasing materials independently. Ritchie has streamlined these processes.

"The improvements he's made to Town Hall have been tremendous," said Town Clerk Susan Galvin of Ritchie and his department.

In the Town Clerk's Office, the front counter was made handicap accessible and around Town Hall, Galvin noted the floors are cleaner and the walls have been painted.

Over at the Milton Police Station, plumbing and electrical issues that were contracted out in the past are now being handled by the Consolidated Facilities Department. 

"Bill has been very good about getting people out here to respond to stuff," Milton Deputy Police Chief Charles Paris said.

With so many facilities, the department is constantly taking on new large-scale projects while doing day-to-day upkeep. At Milton High School, a $680,000 duct replacement project is about to begin. The ducts at Pieced Middle School and Glover Elementary School were undertaken last year.

New generators were recently added at Town Hall and in the MPEG studios at Pierce Middle School where the town's phone system is housed. This summer, the Consolidated Facilities Department will fund the replacement of the Brooks Field turf. 

To learn more, visit the Consolidated Facilities Department page on townofmilton.org.