Cook County 2016 Budget Hearings: Bureau of Asset Management,
Oct. 26, 2015
The Bureau of Asset Management was created in 2015 and now
includes:
•
Cook County Hospital Strategic Redevelopment
•
Dept. of Capital Planning and Development
•
Facilities Management
•
Real Estate Management
Total recommended appropriation for the Bureau of Asset
Management is $47,591,611 with 537.2 FTE’s.
Elaine Lockwood Bean, the newly appointed Chief of Asset
Management, provided an overview of the bureau and then each department
director provided more specific information. The intended purpose of the
reorganization of this bureau is to enhance services and decrease long term
costs throughout Cook County government.
Jessica Caffrey summarized the redevelopment plans for Cook
County Hospital. There are two plans for Central Campus, the area around
Stroger Hospital. The Core Medical plan involves the demolition of Fantus
Clinic and the creation of a new ambulatory clinic. The Market Rate Plan
involves creating a new vision for old Cook County Hospital and the area
surrounding it. Plans are proceeding to find a developer and to devise a long
term lease plan to support such a project.
Phil Boothby, Director of Capital Planning, summarized the 2015
accomplishments dealing with procurement methods and energy efficiency
projects. Plans for 2016 include looking at all facilities to bring them into
ADA compliance, warehouse consolidations, and locating space for Community
Based Health Centers.
Anna Ashcroft, Director of Real Estate Management, outlined the
ongoing efforts of her department to decrease the amount of leased office space
the county occupies and to generally reduce the amount of space occupied by
county offices so as to free up space within county owned facilities to allow
for leasing to other entities. This department also recommends the demolition
or evacuation of underutilized facilities. Leasing of vacant space has
increased revenue to the county by $2m and her office intends to double that in
the next years. The 2016 goal is to have 7 floors in the 69 W. Washington
building ready for leasing. Warehouse consolidations are in process as well. 18
departments have also been reviewed for consolidation.
Bilquis Jacobs-El stated that Facilities Management did meet
their STAR Goal of compliance with the Dept. of Justice order concerning fire and life
safety issues at all facilities. She also stated they had reached their goal of
183,908 completed work orders.
Questions from commissioners centered on what the cost savings
are associated with consolidation of space and demolition of buildings. Comm.
Gainer was concerned with how long term disability was handled within
Facilities Management and what the constraints are on returning someone to work
after they are out on disability. Human Resources will respond to her request
for information. She also was concerned that routine maintenance be done so
that large contracts did not have to be approved on an emergency basis i.e.
when $44m was needed quickly to replace the cooler at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.
The Bureau Chief and the Directors all indicated that often the
projects they work on last longer than one year and thus carry over from
previous budgets or on to subsequent budgets.
--Submitted by Cynthia Schilsky
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