[CAUT] Reasonable job descriptions

[Chris Solliday]

I think this is the key element. Creating an Inventory Assessment with the
Replacement Cost of a similar new piano for each piano at the school has
done the trick for my several contract situations. A simple list with
columns for manufacturer, model, serial number, replacement value (just take
it straight out of Larry's Annual Supplement, no need to get fancy) size,
furniture style, finish, location, climate control, cover, bench type (OK
maybe it's not so simple), type of use, and any other important thing you
want to include. Then a simple report describing the suggested workload ala
the "Guidelines.." or the shortcut formula 10 percent of the Replacment
Value divided into three, one for annual maintenance, one for rebuilding and
one for adding to the ongoing replacement fund. Adjust the "thirds" to fit
your specific situation. You'll be getting two thirds if you're smart.
  This is how almost every other material item institutions own is assessed.
Annual maintenance costs seen as a  percentage of the total Replacement
Value is a fairly standard valuation in the institutional as well as the
"real" business world. Copy machines and computers can be as much as 90 %.
Consider building maintenance, football fields, the rose garden behind the
president's house, etc. Allocating ten percent to maintain anything is
CHEAP! Maybe we should try for 11%, not that I'm going green with greed it's
just that the pianos seem to always need "alittle more."
Follow this up with a Comprehensive Maintenance Plan for the Why University
Piano Inventory and there is no reason that we can't improve things. It's
called communication. An area in which misanthropic independent piano
technicians do not always excel. But these are skills like any other and can
be taught and learned. The CAUT credential is the beginning of many things
for our brethern. "We have met the enemy and he is us." pogo
Chris Solliday


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Conrad Hoffsommer" <hoffsoco at luther.edu>
To: "Ed Sutton" <ed440 at mindspring.com>; "College and University Technicians"
<caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2008 9:36 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Reasonable job descriptions


> Ed Sutton wrote:
>
> > We're talking about making a cultural change in the small culture of
> > college music departments, getting them to stop thinking "pianos need 2
> > tunings a semester," and to start thinking "Our pianos are a valuable
> > investment which will serve us best with high quality, continuous
> > maintenance."
>
>
> Maybe 15 years ago I pointed out the fact that the inventory of
> instruments which I maintain (pianos, harpsichords and pipe organs) was
> worth about $2.5 million. (about $4mil, now)
>
> That served to remind them why I was here...
> ;-}
>
> -- 
> Conrad Hoffsommer, RPT - Keyboard Technician
> Luther College, 700 College Dr., Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045
> 1-(563)-387-1204 // Fax 1-(563)-387-1076
>
>
> Remember that, while money talks,  CHOCOLATE SINGS!