How to Manage Community Buildings
Community buildings are public facilities such as libraries, courthouses and recreation centers. Many private neighborhoods also have a community building for residents to rent and host events. To manage community buildings, one should have organizational skills and knowledge of buildings-and-grounds issues and responsibilities. The different aspects of building operations need to be outlined in a set of standard processes and procedures. Depending on the size and use of the community building, its maintenance load may require a staff. A community center needs to be safe, secure and well-maintained and be a place where people feel welcomed and comfortable.
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Instructions
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Create a maintenance plan for the building. Designate workers who are responsible for indoor and outdoor maintenance and repair. Follow through to make sure tasks are completed in a timely manner. Hire someone to handle reservations, deposits and other customer-service tasks.
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Give the building a professional inspection every few years. The inspector will look for any new problems the building might have. He will also let you know if the building will need things such as a new roof in the near future.
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Perform an annual check of the building's internal services, including the electrical system and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Staying on top of the systems helps reduce emergency issues and ensures that the public facility meets safe-building codes.
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Keep the building clean and updated with attractive decor. People first judge the building by its appearance, so make sure it is aesthetically pleasing.
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Create an emergency plan of action for the building and share it with the staff. Detail what constitutes an emergency. Note who and what agencies to call in an emergency and include critical phone numbers. Emergencies include serious injuries, fire, burglary or illegal trespass, storm damage and power failure.
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Maintain a good relationship with the building staff. These are the people who are responsible for the daily upkeep of the facility. So you want to be sure you are appreciative of their work and accommodating to their workplace needs. Depending on what the community building is used for, such as activities involving children, you may need to require employees to undergo background checks.
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Maintain a sound budget. Make sure you have enough money to cover the daily expenses of the building, pay the salaries of the staff and have a reserve fund.
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Obtain proper insurance coverage for the building. You will likely need to have insurance for building, contents, employer liability and public liability.To reduce heavy costs in the long run, it also might be a good idea to have policies that cover equipment breakdowns, services and trustee liability.
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Ensure the community building is handicapped accessible. To learn more about public-accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act, visit the U.S. Department of Justice website.
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