2007

~'>1E EK or: • /(\ Y C h } ~ --~~~~--~~~---

I 1'\VI , ..

ECCC's Maintenance Department

This story was written for Profile 2007: Behind the Scenes. They keep the campus clean, make repairs as needed to buildings and facilities, provide transportation !or various college groups, and even find time to build props for musical and the– ater productions. They are members of the maintenance staff at East Central Community College in Decatur, a dedicated group of 27laborers who work behind the scenes to make sure ''everything runs smoothly" on the 150-acre campus. Although most of their work does go unno– ticed- which suits physical plant director Mike Dearing ju<;t fine - the maintenance staff did receive one of the highest evaluations regarding the College's Homecoming 2006 observance from Ihe administration, faculty and staff. Alumni who participated in the survey also gave high marks to the hard-working group. Dearing, however, who is in his 14th year in leading the maintenance department, said it is his goal for the maintenance department "to never be noticed," as he explains: 'The only time someone actually notices main· tenance is when something is not going right, something's broken or needs cleaning, the air conditioning or heat is not working properly, repairs are needed, etc. In other words, when things go wrong, everybody notices maintenance. So it's obviously a good thing not to be noticed!" ECCC President Dr. Phil A. Sutphin echoed Dearing's remarks. "It is the phy<;ical plant department that works tirelessly to make sure everything works. Vnfor· tunately, the physical plant staff is not noticed until something goes wrong or doesn't work properly," Dr. Sutphin stated. "But more times than not," he added, "every– thing works and we never recognize the effort of those who make it work. A large percentage of the employees of this institution are involved in 'making everything work' so that the other employees and the students can do what they came here to do. A big, hearty thanks is due to the men and women who make up the physical plant department for the work they do to keep the College running." Dearing said his staff includes skilled and cus– todial labor and the grounds crew, all ofwhom are trained to perform other tasks as well. "Everyone must be multi-tasked because everyone has more than one job to do," he said. "And everyone does a great job of working together to complete whatever task is required.'' Dearing said the "general function" ofthe Col– lege's maintenance department is "to keep the

SUBMinEO PHOTOS

BUILDING PROPS Maintenance staff members are often called on for their expertise in such areas as blJilding props for musical and theater products, as Artie Foreman illustrates above.

NIGHT WORK Delois Houston, a member of the maintenance department's night crew, makes sure wtndows are clean in addition to her duties. school running smoothly.'' And his role as phys– ical plant director is "to coordinate the projects by putting the right people in the right place.;; to do the right jobs.~ . It's those "right j)eople'' that Dearing vi<·w-s as his major accomplishment as physical plant director. ''What I am most proud of- and I thinkthis is a major accomplishment- is that I have hired a

A c s

-------

u

s OTHER------- ----