Welcome to West Ottawa’s Building and Grounds Department

Department Contacts

Tom Swifney, Maintenance and Custodial Supervisor
Phone: (616) 738-6972

Irma Tibbits, Building Services
Phone (616) 738-6970

Rick Jurries, Grounds Supervisor
Phone: (616) 738-6974

Department Overview

West Ottawa Public Schools is located in Holland, Michigan. We became a district in 1958 and currently have 13 school buildings (1.6 million square feet) located on 420 acres of land spread out over 75 square miles. Our department’s role is to make sure that every student has a safe, clean environment in which to learn. The staff of 23 custodians, 6 maintenance people, and 3 grounds people help to assure this is achieved every day.

Custodial Responsibilities

Our custodial staff is responsible for cleaning and maintaining our buildings. In our larger buildings, we have also implemented team cleaning as a way to keep costs down and quality up.

Maintenance Responsibilities

Our maintenance staff handles all phases of maintenance from preventative maintenance for the entire district to carpentry, locksmith, painter, energy management, security systems, and the list goes on.

Grounds Responsibilities

Our grounds department takes care of all formal lawns, playgrounds, and athletic fields district-wide, plus all the department equipment. They are certified in pesticide application with the State of Michigan. They are also responsible for snowplowing in the winter.