Grounds Maintenance by SSC
The Grounds Maintenance Division of the Department for Facilities Management provides a planned program of grounds care on the main campus for the educational, general and housing areas. This program includes turf maintenance; care of shrubs, ornamental plantings, and shade trees; solid waste management and recycling; road and walk cleaning and maintenance: snow and ice removal; special event preparations; and moving support. The Grounds Maintenance staff is responsible for all basic grounds construction and maintenance consisting of three shops including landscape and lawns, heavy equipment construction and moving.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to report maintenance needs identified on campus as they occur. Requests for emergency or routine service will be received at the Department for Facilities Management during normal working hours (7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) through a customer request on AiM or by telephone. The telephone number is 270.809.4291. Facilities Management is located at 615 Gilbert Graves Dr.
After normal working hours (4:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.), on weekends or holidays, requests for emergency service only, will be received at the Murray State Police Department at 270.809.2222. Security relays the message to the Shift Supervisor at the Central Heating and Cooling Plant. The Shift Supervisor will determine the nature of the emergency and react appropriately based on Emergency Policies of the Department for Facilities Management.
In-House Forces or Contracted Labor
Department for Facilities Management employees have expertise gained through training in the trades required for maintenance, repair, construction, and renovation services in such areas as: leveling and grading land sites, paving parking lots, landscaping, and installing turf. Continuity of basic maintenance and repair programs, both routine and emergency, can be met by these skilled employees. Renovation projects of limited scope can be performed under authority granted in the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS).
The scope, cost, time, or specialized nature of some proposed projects will require contracted services for design and construction. The decision to use in-house forces or contracted services rests with Facilities Management for adherence to KRS and administrative regulation of the Department of Finance of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Other Murray State University departments or operating units are not authorized to perform maintenance, repair, renovation, or alterations on University grounds.
Landscaping
The Murray State campus has an ongoing program of landscape installation and renovation. Plantings of annual flowers are done seasonally to provide environmental enhancement for special events and daily enjoyment. Perennial plantings, evergreens, deciduous trees and shrubs are also planted as permanent installations.
Landscaping services are limited by the availability of funds. Additional or special grounds care can be provided on a reimbursable basis. A work order citing the fund source should be submitted for this service by calling 270.809.4291.
These services are provided in cooperation with all three Grounds Maintenance shops. The heavy equipment construction shop prepares the site, while the landscape and lawns shop installs plant material and the moving shop assists when needed.
Lawn Care
Lawn Care is a planned program on the main campus for the educational, general and housing areas and athletic fields. This consists of mowing, edging, weed control, fertility and Ph regulation and lawn renovation. Turf maintenance consists of mowing and weeding; insect control in lawns; and edging of sidewalks on a weekly basis during the growing season.
Parking Lot Paving
The Department for Facilities Management is responsible for providing a comfortable, safe and economical road surface. The heavy equipment construction crew cuts out and removes asphalt from damaged areas and then levels, rolls and installs base material. Independent contractors are responsible for paving the areas with a surface grade hot-mix asphalt.
Irrigation Systems
The Murray State campus has extensive irrigation systems installed on athletic fields, recreation fields, lawn areas and planted beds. These systems provide moisture for plants during dry time periods. The Grounds Division installs and maintains irrigation systems.
Athletic/Recreation Fields
Areas of fine turf grass used for recreation and varsity athletics are maintained by the Department for Facilities Management. The Grounds Division mows, fertilizes, controls pests, aerifies and waters these fields to promote healthy natural grass surfaces for athletic competition and practice; and recreational purposes.
Chairs, Tables, and Tent Rentals
Chairs, tables, and tent rentals are available to University related organizations for official functions on a limited basis. This service is provided by SSC. MSU events are considered services and therefore will be charged directly to the requesting department/group. Reservations for tables, chairs, or tents should be placed at least one week in advance by filling out the .
Special Events Preparation
Preparing for special events such as Homecoming and Commencement requires the cooperation of all Department for Facilities Management personnel. The Grounds Divisions assists in the the areas of landscape; setting up and taking down chairs, tables, tents and floors; cleaning prior to, during and after the event; waste removal; and promoting the University Recycling Program.
Heavy Equipment Construction Shop
The heavy equipment construction shop uses and maintains more than 36 different pieces of equipment such as backhoes, road graders, dump-trucks, sanitation trucks, bulldozers and Vibromax rollers. The crew uses a variety of rental equipment from local businesses. The usage of such equipment requires all crew members to obtain and maintain a commercial driver鈥檚 license.
The heavy equipment construction shop is responsible for site preparation, tree removal, lawn and turf installation, renovation and parking lot pavement and repair which are required to complete landscaping and construction projects. Additional responsibilities include snow and ice removal; set up for special events, sport games and ceremonies; solid waste removal; and maintaining the Award-Winning University Recycling Program.
The crew is on call 24 hours a day and responds to emergency situations including snow and ice removal, storm clean up and water main breaks.
Landscape and Lawns Shop
The landscape and lawns shop uses and maintains over 60 pieces of equipment such as a variety of mowers, blowers, weed eaters, hedge trimmers, tillers, chippers and chain saws. The larger equipment consists of tractors, a "Gator," dump-truck, backhoe and grader.
The landscape and lawns shop is responsible for landscape; lawn maintenance; athletic field maintenance; irrigation systems installation and maintenance; and special events set-up. Additional responsibilities include snow and ice removal and assisting the moving shop.
The crew is on call 24 hours a day and responds to emergency situations including snow and ice removal and storm cleanup.
Moving Shop
The moving shop provides moving services for educational and general activities. Other activities are charged for the service. This service provides tables, chairs, and stage platforms as well as assistance with the set-up for special events. For small jobs, this service can be obtained by calling 270.809.4291 and placing a work order during normal week day working hours (7 a.m. to 4 p.m.).