When an operation is down to the bare bones, a good place to cut is in aesthetics. Yes, it can get ugly, but it is a safe way to save money. If you are not mandated by your state on where to buy cleaning supplies, shopping around for chemicals may be another smart way to save bucks. Andrus also appealed to department heads to get some help. We told them about our budget problems, and now they dust, vacuum and empty waste baskets on their own.
Recycling can be as good for the bottom line as it is for the environment.
Miller at Oregon State used to pay for hauling, grinding and landfilling all of their old wood products such as pallets and lumber. He now rents a machine to grind his own wood waste on site and uses the grindings as landscaping mulch. Some maintenance managers can be pretty darn crafty when it comes to generating money or convincing the administration to prime the pump. Take Stephen Medley, director of facilities maintenance and repair at Western Oregon University, Monmouth, for instance. He charges the school's auxiliary units such as food services, housing, athletics, police and the student union a fee every time he does work for them.