Users Forum Comments 2003 Accomplishments

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Users Forum Comments 2003Accomplishments
Solutions 2003Plans 2004
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station
2
Users Forum Comments 2003
Accomplishments Solutions 2003
Plans 2004
3
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Staff
• Staff was helpful and mature.
• Kitchen worked well and the food was good.
• Scott was very helpful with maintenance and
  repair of scientific equipment but he had other
  daily responsibilities. Additional help was
  requested.
• Having EMT in camp, and having HazMat assistance
  during most of the summer was very helpful.
• Altogether, these staff improvements are a huge
  accomplishment.

4
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• Staff
• Add additional maintenance support staff member
  so more time is available for scientific support
  assistance.

5
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Scientific Liaison (Senior Scientist)
• Current system is working well

6
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• Scientific Liaison (Senior Scientist)
• Continue with current system 1) Preassignment
  of position.
• 2) Posting of names on web site and in office.
• 3) Defined role, real responsibility and
  authority.

7
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Management
• Management did a better job of responding in a
  timely way to user needs this year.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Management
• Clarification of defined lines of management
  structure posted on the web and Your Stay.
• Site visits every two weeks.

9
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004Management
• Site visits every two weeks.
• Attend users forum

10
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Users Forum
• The users forum worked well. Users appreciated
  have upper management present at the forum, and
  appreciated management presentations by Mike and
  Brian during the summer.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Users Forum
• Convocation of Users Forum once a month.
• Management attended to listen and answer
  questions.
• Notes posted on Web Site and sent to users via
  e-mail.
• Follow-up on action items sent to users via
  e-mail.

12
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• Users Forum
• Convocation of Users Forum once a month.
• Management attends to listen and answer
  questions.
• Notes posted on Web Site and sent to users via
  e-mail.
• Follow-up on action items will be sent to users
  via e-mail.

13
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Shipping Receiving
• Shipping is better this year the
  shipping/receiving tent and the system of lab
  stickers were big improvements.
• Problems with freight items that needed to be
  kept warm froze during early season.
• There is no way to track outgoing packages
  between Toolik and FedEx.
• Users requested TFS supply shipping supplies and
  more detailed shipping instructions.

14
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Shipping Receiving
• Lab delivery stickers.
• Shipping and receiving tent.
• IAB purchase shipping supplies and positioned
  them in the shipping/receiving tent.
• Users can FAX/Call IAB and have staff track
  package upon arrival in Fairbanks.
• Added more shipping information on the web based
  handbook.

15
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• Shipping Receiving
• Continue to request funding for Web based
  tracking system /- 26K
• Increase Fairbanks staff to assist with shipping
  and receiving function.
• Do not freeze stickers tote
• Expand how to ship section in Your Stay.

16
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Fairbanks Support
• Users requested 24-hour access to a freezer for
  frozen samples in Fairbanks and Toolik.

17
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Fairbanks Support
• New chest freezer positioned by the Fairbanks
  logistics trailer is available for samples 24/7.

18
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• Fairbanks Support
• New IAB logistics facility Oct 2004
• Increase support staff.
• 1) Tracking shipments
• 2) Updating reservations
• 3) Tracking local orders
• Standardize cooler size (50 qt) for shipments.-
  1) Set up old silver kitchen freezer to hold
  coolers.
• - 2) Coordinate shipments with camp manger

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Your Stay at Toolik
• Your Stay at Toolik was a useful addition to
  orientation materials.

20
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• Your stay at Toolik
• Update and print 150 copies for field season.1)
  Station map2) MBL truck policies3) Quick guide
  to HazMAt4) Quick guide to shipping5) Sat phone
  inst.
• Post on web site.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• General Use Lab Equipment
• Users requested additional drying ovens. Ovens
  were not funded and users asked for a solution
  during the May users forum.

22
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• General Use Lab Equipment
• IAB re-programmed funds and purchased a large
  drying oven for Lab 2.
• In September 2003 VWR sends duplicate drying oven
  order. IAB negotiates with VWR for 2nd oven ½
  price no shipping. Oven is shipped to TFS.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• General Use Lab Equipment
• Install 2nd large drying oven in Lab 4

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Food Service
• Kitchen worked well and the food was good.
• Users have long requested that IAB move from
  using paper plates to using regular tableware.
• Crowding in the dining room was a strong concern
  of users in past years.
• Richs new drinking water system in the dining
  hall was a big success.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Food Service
• Expanded the service line 1) Hot food table
  slots
• 2) Real china plates (2nd dish washer)3) Richs
  Multipure filtered drinking water (water lady
  gone)
• Installation of 2nd dining tent. Management team
  noted that both tents were full during peak
  season, and there were no complaints about
  overcrowding during meals.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• Food Service
• Instant hot water for tea.
• Fine tune staff assignments so more staff are
  on-site during peak periods.
• Attend food shows to explore wholesale vegetarian
  products.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Herbarium
• Users expressed concern about access to the
  Herbarium, now that M. Walkers ITEX project at
  TFS has ended. Suggestion was made to move
  Herbarium into GIS office.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Herbarium
• After consultation with LTER scientists and IAB,
  the herbarium was moved to the GIS manager
  office. So far this arrangement is working well,
  though in the long-term it might be best for the
  Herbarium to have dedicated space in a new lab or
  with the library.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Housing
• Users have expressed housing was insufficient in
  previous years. Need more beds and furniture for
  WeatherPORTS.
• Users requested that residence WeatherPORTS be
  numbered, so that room assignments may be easily
  found.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Housing
• Substantial completion of dorm unit. Utilized
  during peak population 2003 and by the
  biocomplexity field course.
• Five additional housing WeatherPORTS.
• WeatherPORTS numbered.
• Additional beds

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• Housing
• Additional furniture for WeatherPORTS

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Reservations Room Assignments
• Web posted reservations where not always
  current.
• Beds were not assigned in advance and some people
  arrived without making reservations . IF people
  arrived late in the day, they often had to find
  their own rooms. This meant Rich did not always
  know where people were staying, and which rooms
  were empty.
• Camp population was lower this year, never got
  close to running out of beds, but if population
  increases, present system will fail.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004Reservations Room Assignments
• Improve room assignment log map updates1)
  Users ask manager if they can change room
  assignment.2) Staff more frequently verifying
  room availability.
• Manager posts pre-registered users room
  assignments in office after 900PM
• Need for users to update reservations use the
  online web based registration system.
• Reassign Fairbanks staff to more frequently
  update and post reservations.

34
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Workshop
• Users requested a shop with tools they have
  access to, which is maintained by the camp staff,
  so tools are replaced when they disappear.
• NOTE Staff tools were moved out of the shop
  into a secure locked area. General use tools in
  the shop disappeared over the course of the
  season.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Workshop
• IAB purchased 5 general use tool kits.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• Workshop
• IAB will purchase additional general use tool
  kits.
• IAB will replace tools as needed.
• Staff assigned to clean-up shop areas.
• Expectation that anyone using the shop areas will
  clean-up their mess and return tools after use.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Haz-Mat Instructions
• Worked well when Josh was in camp, did not work
  well after he left.
• Need to identify alternate person or location for
  paperwork and chemical disposal information when
  HasMat person is not in residence.
• Clarification is needed about what can or cannot
  be put into gray water tanks.
• Clarification on rinse water disposal methods.
  LTER does not want to continue historic disposal
  of water on the pad.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004Haz-Mat Instructions
• Simplified guide to chemical use and disposal at
  TFS.
• More signage 1) Sinks what can and can not be
  dump down drains. 2) Quick reference information
• Consult with users, lab rinse water disposal
  problem, so IAB can develop a rinse water
  disposal plan.
• Define quantities of disposal water so suck truck
  can be scheduled to empty holding tanks.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Laboratory Safety
• Ventilation in Wet Lab.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Laboratory Safety
• UAF visit to site by Environmental Health and
  Safety

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Lab Safety Concerns
• All safety issues are administered by the
  Environmental Health and Safety Department, UAF

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Laboratories

• Users are feeling overcrowded, particularly in
  Lab 1.
• When scientists arrive during the shoulder
  season, there is no place to put stuff that has
  been stored over the winter in the science labs.
• Existing WeatherPORTs that are used for storage
  need to be set up earlier in the season.
• Plumbing, waste water tanks and cabinets in the
  Wet, Dry and Winter lab are still needed.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Laboratory Space
• Lab 4 changed to Hotel space assignments. 100
  of project supplies must be removed after use.
• WeatherPORTS set up before arrival of most users.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• Laboratories
• Temporary space for over-crowded assignments
  1) Additional WeatherPORT Lab tents
• 2) Temporary space in Lab 4
• Purchase more CONEX boxes for science storage.
• Purchase better shelving for current boxes.
• Early set-up of WeatherPORTS.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004Laboratories
• Define with user input Wet/Dry/Winter cabinet
  upgrades.
• Scope what plumbing water supply for Wet and
  Dry labs.
• Budget for two overflow lab WeatherPORTS.
• Continue foundation and design work on the
  Science Support Building.

46
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Outhouses
• Smell bad
• Insufficient cleaning during peak periods.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Outhouses
• Engineering review of problem1) Wind driven fans
  installed
• Staff assignment schedule (better than 2002)
• Pumped more often than 2002

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004
• Outhouses
• Install AC powered in-line fans in vent tubes.
• Hire 4th field assistant to help with routine
  cleaning tasks during peak periods.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Vehicle Motor Support
• TFS does not have a weather/oil spill protected
  area or parts supply room to support repair work
  on vehicles.
• Project scientific personnel are spending a lot
  of time dealing with vehicle, boat, and small
  engine maintenance.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Vehicle Motor Support
• Scott other camp staff were able to offer
  limited assistance with vehicle, boat and small
  engine problems.
• Camp staff assisted with emergency tire repair.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004Vehicle Motor Support
• Vehicle repair, other than simple headlight or
  broken fan belts will be outsourced to Prudhoe
  Bay service providers.
• Outboard motor will be sent to factory trained
  service providers in Fairbanks.
• Small engines will be sent to RODS small engine
  repair in Fairbanks.

52
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Winter Support
• Improved facilities for winter work and the
  collection of winter radiation data are needed.
• Year-round power to keep instruments functioning
  is required.

53
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Winter Support

• 125 kW portable gen set purchased.
• Winter quarters upgrade projects.

54
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 200XWinter Support
• Preliminary plans to covert one generator module
  into winter capable continuous power supply for
  the station.
• Continue foundation and design work on the
  Science Support Building.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Field Safety
• Instructions needed on how to use sat phones.

56
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Field Safety
• Josh gave classes on Sat Phone use.
• Field radios available. Worked with VPR to get
  all radios on same freq.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004Field Safety
• Satellite Phones (SP) Need to do a better job
  of informers users you cant just turn on a SP
  and make a call.
• Provide list of people who can assist with Sat
  Phone training.
• Post instructions in Your Stay and box.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Users Forum Comments 2003
• Other Issues
• Incinerator smell and particulate with secondary
  exhaust burner.
• Aluminum recycling.

59
Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Accomplishments Solutions 2003
• Other Issues
• Reprogrammed incinerator controls.
• Staff training on pre-heat cycle.

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Management Operation Issues, Field Season 2004,
Toolik Field Station

• Plans 2004Other Issues
• Budget for new incinerator with secondary exhaust
  burner.
• Aluminum recycling. Blue totes for cans.