A new software system could help the city’s building department track and manage city assets.
The council on Tuesday will consider contracting with Brightly Asset Management Solutions. The service would cost the city $3,740.86 for the rest of this fiscal year and $5,106 next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
Nathan Katona, building department director, requested the purchase Wednesday during the council’s work session at City Hall.
“We’ve talked several times about the need for maintenance software to track work orders, to track the end of life for buildings, aging things out, (seeing) when do we need to replace (air conditioners), things like that,” he said. “… (This) allows us to see a dashboard of every single building and the assets in it.”
The software would give the building department an accurate picture of what assets the city has, where they are, how much the city has already spent on them and their life expectancy, Katona said. It would also help the department manage work orders and track labor and material costs.
Maintenance technicians can access work orders from their cell phones, Katona said, and city staff can even submit work orders through their mobile device.
“I feel very confident, in just tracking alone, that we’ll be able to recoup (the cost for the software) almost entirely,” Katona said.
Ward 6 Councilman Jason Spears asked how Katona would ensure data input into the software stayed accurate and updated.
Katona said each work order would include a checklist, and maintenance technicians would upload photos to show each task was complete.
“If they don’t do that, the work order is never closed, and it gives me the visibility as director to look at the dashboard and go, ‘We have 15 overdue work orders. What’s going on?’” Katona said.
The building department also can provide monthly reports to the mayor and council with as much or as little detail as they wish.
“We can get it down to as granular as what unit was worked on what day and how long did it take,” he said. “… Or we can get it as high as ‘Here’s the number of work orders that we had.’”
Mayor Stephen Jones offered his endorsement for the purchase.
“(It’s) long overdue, and I feel like we’re finally getting into this century,” Jones said.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
Posted in Columbus & Lowndes County
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 49 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
link