Physical Facilities and the FM Group

I'm a new stake clerk learning on the job. One of the funny things about this is figuring out who does what. A couple of examlples include:

The clerk computers in my stake are all extremely 6-7 years. When I hit up our Facilities Rep, and our FM group, neither of them seemed to know the policies for both the clerk computers and FHC computers.

I found information in the Wiki that the FM group provides equipment for wards to do translation for non-english speaking members of our congregations.

According to the Wiki, the FM group purchases Projectors for buildings in the stake with a Sattelite Dish.

How do I know and learn what things a Stake pays for out of Budget, and what things a FM group provides? HELP????????

I would recommend reviewing the policy that was released August this last year on Record Keeping Computers in local units. It contains the information that you are looking for. The link is here:

https://tech.lds.org/wiki/images/a/aa/P ... eeping.pdf

jshawut wrote:The clerk computers in my stake are all extremely 6-7 years. When I hit up our Facilities Rep, and our FM group, neither of them seemed to know the policies for both the clerk computers and FHC computers.

The link CzechRM provided covers the policies for the administrative computers. The family history center computers are covered under the Policy and Guidelines For Computers in Family History Centers. The clerk administrative computers are managed and maintained with funds from the FM budget. The FHC computers are managed and maintained with funds through the Family History Department.

jshawut wrote:I found information in the Wiki that the FM group provides equipment for wards to do translation for non-english speaking members of our congregations.

According to the Wiki, the FM group purchases Projectors for buildings in the stake with a Sattelite Dish.

How do I know and learn what things a Stake pays for out of Budget, and what things a FM group provides? HELP????????

I have never seen a document that is available to a stake clerk or STS that spells out the information you are looking for. I generally ask the FM Group Manager when there is a need for repairs or new equipment. He and these forums are where I get most of my answers. Clerk Support is another resource to get answers for stake clerks. Ward clerks should talk to their stake clerk first.

The stake and ward computers should be replaced on a 5 year rotation. Sometimes FM Managers will not want to do this. Probably ones who do not understand how important updating hardware is. In this case an explanation of that importance would certainly be warranted. Also, a stake president can insist that computers in his stake be replaced if it has been over 5 years.

These types of replacements are done on a yearly planning basis. Right now the managers are determining what items need to be replaced next year in their buildings. They should be gathering information from the stakes and wards. With that information they make a plan for the buildings which is then sent "up" and approved by the brethren. Some things make it through the approval process some things do not. The important thing is to get those items you need on your plan so they can be considered for next year. Everything is always a year away in planning unless you have an emergency.

And if you have a question about what the FM Group buys and what the stake buys just contact the FM Group or have the stake PFR contact them. Being friendly with your FM Group Manager and his office assistant is a very wise thing. The stakes and wards are their customers and they should want to keep you happy (within policy). And you will get much more cooperation from them if you contact them with humility and appreciation for the work they do! As the church cuts back Physical Facilities employees their workload has increased immensely and so showing an understanding of this would be to your advantage.

mtomm wrote:Sometimes FM Managers will not want to do this. Probably ones who do not understand how important updating hardware is.

More likely, it's FM Managers that have had their budgets cut.

If for whatever reason computer replacement it wasn't planned for when the 2010 budget was written up, it's probably not going to happen this year. (If you're lucky, they'll have some extra funds at the end of the year and can get some changed out.)

I know several forum members have reported that due to budget cuts that computers will not be replaced this year unless they break.

mtomm wrote:The stake and ward computers should be replaced on a 5 year rotation.

That is the overall plan. However, as budgets get cut and adjustments made this may not happen. When computers were not replaced in 2009 as planned we found out that FM budgets had been cut and that FM managers had to adjust the computer replacement plan for their area. In our area after the FM budget settled out computer replacements ended up on the bottom of the priority list. We were suppose to have all nine computers in the stake replaced in 2009 yet only the one that failed was replaced. Our replacement schedule has been adjusted to extend the replacements over the next three years. The last one will be replaced eight years after it was originally delivered in 2004.

RussellHltn wrote:More likely, it's FM Managers that have had their budgets cut.

If for whatever reason computer replacement it wasn't planned for when the 2010 budget was written up, it's probably not going to happen this year. (If you're lucky, they'll have some extra funds at the end of the year and can get some changed out.)

I know several forum members have reported that due to budget cuts that computers will not be replaced this year unless they break.

Some but not all.

And, yes, I would definitely inquire around October-November if funds are available to replace computers that were cut from previous budgets.

mtomm wrote:The stake and ward computers should be replaced on a 5 year rotation. Sometimes FM Managers will not want to do this.

This is true, but most FM managers lost their budget funds to do this, and so there were no replacements last year in many stakes, and limited replacements scheduled for this year, as well. Each FM manager had the option to handle the lack of funds the best way they could, so different things happened in different FM groups.

Davis 1st Ward Building for Cleaning are running out of chemicals. The phone number listed is no longer listed. Please update contact list for the FM Group in the Vernal, UT area. We won't be able to clean the bathrooms if this continues to be a problem as supplies begin to run out.

jkkmbebaumgarten wrote:The phone number listed is no longer listed.

You have a high councilor in your stake who is the physical facilities representative and who can get you a valid telephone number for the FM Group that supports your meetinghouse.

If you do not know which high councilor has this calling, a member of your bishopric can find out for you. Your ward clerk can also look up the telephone number of the FM Group in the Church Directory of Organizations and Leaders (CDOL).

No one here can update the contacts list to which you refer. This is a user-to-user forum where (mostly) technical problems are discussed and experiences traded.

Isn't the FM telephone number printed on the meeting time signs posted at each meetinghouse main entrance?

drepouille wrote:Isn't the FM telephone number printed on the meeting time signs posted at each meetinghouse main entrance?

Not on any buildings in my stake. Perhaps that's a convention in areas where you have lived, but it's certainly not universal.

aebrown wrote:Not on any buildings in my stake.

Ditto. Sounds like a good idea, but I've not seen that.

I have been surfing the internet for HOURS trying to find an address to the FM group that services our Branch building to no avail! I live in the Iron Mountain Branch of the Green Bay, Wisconsin Stake. Why am I unable to find even a mention of FM groups anywhere on the internet? Do you have the name of the Manager and the address of the FM Group who services our area? It would be most helpful to have this information. Thank you.

UPRockHunter wrote:I have been surfing the internet for HOURS trying to find an address to the FM group that services our Branch building to no avail!

The clerks and bishopric has access to a "interanet" site (CDOL) that gives contact information. FM is not generally contacted by the church members at large.

UPRockHunter wrote:Why am I unable to find even a mention of FM groups anywhere on the internet? Do you have the name of the Manager and the address of the FM Group who services our area? It would be most helpful to have this information.

The FM Group works for the Office of the Presiding Bishopric and supports the stake president. They both know how to make contact. The stake president usually maintains liaison with the FM Group through one of his high councilors, the stake physical facilities representative (PFR) mentioned four posts before yours.

With regard to one of my callings. just this morning I contacted the stake PFR. He contacted the FM Group and the issue will be resolved this week.

If you are responsible for your meetinghouse, get to know your stake PFR.

lajackson wrote:If you are responsible for your meetinghouse, get to know your stake PFR.

I can find my "Stake Physical Facilities Representative" in the Directory, under stake/other callings.