convincing physical plant on need for climate control

[PNOTNR@aol.com]

I need some help in how to present to the director of the physical plant at
the college where I work (Colby College in Waterville, ME) the need for
consistency in temp. and humidity in the music building.  The music faculty
seems to understand this.  Their primary concern is a S&S D in the
auditorium.  Apparently the heat is lowered to 50 or 55 degrees at night,
making my tuning efforts as permanent as ice sculpture in Death Valley.  (I'm
told that the piano students wear coats and gloves while waiting to play in
their rep. classes.)

The tricky part of this is the phys. plant wants to save heating $$$, and the
music dept. wants the climate controlled, but doesn't want the expense to be
added to the music dept budget.  The piano teacher requested that I write to
the physical plant director in my capacity as piano technician for the
school.

I am interested to know how you CAUT's have dealt with this issue.  The
bottom line, no doubt is money.  The college can pay to have the heat kept
up, or have the instruments serviced more often, but which budget will it
come from?   I don't expect the plant director to know much (or care to know)
about pianos, so I don't want to be too verbose, but I want to make a strong
(and convincing) point.  If the pianos fall apart, the music dept. will have
to pay to have them fixed.  Can anyone suggest how to convince the
maintenance dept. that _they_ have an interest in preventing such damage?

(I'm also trying to get the music school to have Dampp-Chasers installed)

Gordon Large, RPT
Maine