August 2023

All departments at SSC have been instrumental in implementing the modifications requested by the university to accommodate the social distancing required for safety during instruction. The classrooms have been prepared to accept 33% of the normal occupancy. A color coded seating chart will be used for each class time allowing for two cleaning/sanitizing sessions per day by our custodial teams. Spray disinfectant machines will be used for a quicker clean job and to mitigate the spread of covid. Over 600 4’ and 8’ clear acrylic shields have been constructed for professors to use while instructing and over 30,000 colored dots have been used to mark the seating.

The graphics shop has produced signs with instructions on how to use the color coded seating chart and they have been placed at the entrance of each room. Each classroom also has cleaner and handtowels available and over 1000 hand sanitizing stations are now at the entrance of every building and every elevator on every floor.

Covid - 19 testing is available on campus for Texas A&M staff and students. SSC Maintenance prepared and hooked up the electricity for this temporary unit.All departments at SSC have been instrumental in implementing the modifications requested by the university to accommodate the social distancing required for safety during instruction. The classrooms have been prepared to accept 33% of the normal occupancy. A color coded seating chart will be used for each class time allowing for two cleaning/sanitizing sessions per day by our custodial teams. Spray disinfectant machines will be used for a quicker clean job and to mitigate the spread of covid. Over 600 4’ and 8’ clear acrylic shields have been constructed for professors to use while instructing and over 30,000 colored dots have been used to mark the seating.

The graphics shop has produced signs with instructions on how to use the color coded seating chart and they have been placed at the entrance of each room. Each classroom also has cleaner and handtowels available and over 1000 hand sanitizing stations are now at the entrance of every building and every elevator on every floor.

Covid - 19 testing is available on campus for Texas A&M staff and students. SSC Maintenance prepared and hooked up the electricity for this temporary unit.

The Penberthy Rec. Sports Complex is a 50 acre facility consisting of 4 artificial turf fields, 9 grass fields, 200 person capacity covered pavilion and 75 person capacity meeting room. The Dept. of Recreational Sports oversees the scheduling of drop in recreation, intramural sports, club sports and special events. During a typical year we are open to users approximately 320 days of the year and host to 120 days of Sport Club practices, 120 days of Intramural play comprised of nearly 3000 games, 30 Sport Club games, 7 multi day Sport Club Tournaments and multiple special events. But this year all that has changed.

With the spread of Covid 19 in Texas and the shutting down of campus, the complex was closed on March 18. For the first couple weeks, the Sports Team held the fields in a “ready to play” state, as we awaited decisions of how long we would be closed and if activities would resume. As more information became available and longer term decisions were made, we decided to start our summer restoration programs nearly 2 months ahead of schedule.

The teams program consists of several steps in aiding the field’s transition from winter to spring, alleviate soil compaction and repair damaged turf from the previous season’s events. Starting on April 1, all grass fields were treated chemically to remove all planted rye grass and other grassy weeds that appeared in the spring. During this transition time, all goals and bleachers were removed and stored at non playing surface locations. Once the rye had died, all grass fields were verti-cut and swept to remove all dead material from the fields surface. This was followed up with multiple aerifications and a top dressing of .25” of white sand. Fields were then fertilized and irrigated to promote maximum recovery. We also took the time to plant sod at any thinned are bare areas, completing all 9 grass fields on June 10th.

We have spent the remaining part of summer repairing/fine tuning our irrigation systems, monthly low rate fertilize applications and increased mowing frequencies to provide our customers with high quality and safe athletic fields. We have been very fortunate to have not suffered major labor and budget cuts like many school districts and parks/recreational entities I have heard about through associations related to our industry. Currently the Penberthy Complex is ready and awaiting for the start of fall sports once the decision is made.

submitted by Brian Carey

Nagle Hall and Old State Chemist were both built in 1909 by the same General Contractor, JS Harrison. These two buildings were the oldest surviving structures on the Texas A&M University campus. Now that Old State Chemist is no longer with us; Nagle Hall has the clear title of “the oldest building on campus.”

This project was a total interior demolition with the exception of the existing elevator and elevator equipment. All new MEP systems were installed without any equipment to be installed on the roof per the TAMU-Architect. Originally the wood floors were thought to be unsalvageable. Upon further review we were able to refinish the existing floors along with the original terrazzo floors. This building has been restored by bringing back the old while installing new mechanical, electrical and technology systems that equal or exceed todays’ standard.

PM: Jim Uehlin

GEM Winners

Custodial

Crystal Alvarado

Cliff Foley

Jason Hernandez

Linda Martinez

Mariana Perez

EDCS Quarterly

Lisa Gray

Grounds

Joel Arce

James Barnes

Benjamin Freeman

CUSTODIAL NEW ASSOCIATES

Estefania Santana Chavez Erica Cruz Haley Doucet DaQuindrick Drake Dave Dumas III Rachel Favella Annette Green Jessie Guevara Johnathan Henderson Shunte Johnson Jermaine Jones Juanita Kemp Kachera Killebrew Mary Kimble Maria Lerma Joshua Levan Rhys Mack Jaslyn Mooring Luz Ramos Laura Sesatty Maria Tirado Fred Stringfellow Jeana Wiley Maria Isabel Zepeda

GROUNDS NEW ASSOCIATES

Eric Ahlschlager Adam Burguson Robert Labarge Jon Milberger

MAINTENANCE NEW ASSOCIATES

Austin Bizzell Brendan Buckley Chase Hillman Kara Laughbaum Craig Luther Morgan Schuenemann