Retiring facilities director reflects on accomplishments

By Tim Puet
Catholic Times Reporter

Bruce Boylan, director of the Facilities Office for the Diocese of Columbus, is retiring effective Friday, June 5 after six years in the position. He will be succeeded by the office’s associate director, Bob Sisson.

Boylan, 68, said his retirement was for health reasons and that the timing was right. “I was diagnosed with lymphoma last year, but it was discovered early enough that it was obvious I was going to survive, and I’m now in remission,” he said. “It’s not something you get cured from, but it’s not eating me up and is a condition I’ll always have to be aware of.

“After receiving the diagnosis, my wife and I realized we were doing well and wanted to spend more time together traveling and going to the cottage we have on Lake Erie. So I really don’t see a downside to this,” he said.

“This has been a great job, and I know I’m leaving things in good hands with Bob Sisson, (associate director) Rob Schorr and (project manager) Sheri Rogers.”

As facilities director, Boylan has served as a consultant on construction and maintenance problems, working with pastors, school principals and construction committees on building and inspecting parish projects. His role is not that of a contractor, but he works with contractors to make sure construction projects and established buildings comply with building codes.

Boylan said he has been involved with about 150 projects during his time with the diocese and that his office dealt with about $50 million worth of work in the past year.

His last major project was an extensive renovation of Danville St. Luke Church, which this year is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the parish and the 125th anniversary of the current church building. Work began early in the year on the improvements, with Masses being moved to the parish hall.

Father Mark Hammond is pastor and Father Daniel Olvera is parochial vicar for the parish and for Mount Vernon St. Vincent de Paul Church.

“St. Luke’s has been well-maintained throughout its history by dedicated volunteers who appreciate its heritage, but a 125-year-old building is bound to have issues,” Boylan said. 
“Father Hammond and Father Olvera wanted to spruce things up. They knew boards were creaking and paint was peeling, and we looked at the church with them to define what could be done in an affordable manner. This included a complete repainting, installation of new flooring and new pews, lighting improvements and other minor changes.

“Once the parish building committee agreed to the changes and the bishop signed the contract, the Facilities Office shepherded the process through, mostly with Rob Schorr and me examining what the contractors and painters had done and keeping an eye on the budget,” he said.

“After the coronavirus hit, the workers followed distance guidelines, so the job took a little longer than anticipated, and we had a lot of Zoom meetings. I think my life has been centered between my living room, kitchen and bedroom these last few weeks because I’ve had to keep an eye on all our jobs from home. Usually I’m on the road four days a week.”

Boylan said one of the most satisfying aspects of his job in recent years has been the formation of a diocesan creation care team dedicated to putting into practice the principles of Pope Francis’ 2015 environmental encyclical Laudato Si’. One noticeable improvement has been the conversion of 37 schools and 27 parishes to LED lighting since summer 2017. This change will save more than $700,000 annually on school and parish electric bills.

The office also has been installing retention ponds and pipe systems designed to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff from church and school parking lots and has established a state-of-the-art asbestos management process for diocesan buildings.

These efforts have earned Boylan and his staff the 2019 Energy Efficiency Champion Award from AEP Ohio, the power company serving most of the diocese.

Boylan joked that before coming to the diocese his career “mostly involved closing Air Force bases.” He worked with the transition of the former Newark Air Force Base in Heath to the control of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority and the transformation of the former Rickenbacker Air Force Base in Columbus to an airport dealing mainly with large cargo planes.

 “Before that, I worked in steel mills and aluminum mills all over the place as a maintenance person who could fix just about anything,” he said. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say the job I’ve had these past six years was designed just for me.”

He and his wife, Linda, have two daughters, a son and three grandchildren and are members of Reynoldsburg St. Pius X Church. Asked what he would miss most about his job, he said, “I’ve enjoyed the people I work with. They’re pros, they get it, and I get to lead them. I can assign them any project, and I trust they will get it right.”

Sisson and Schorr have been with the diocese for about the same amount of time as Boylan. Rogers has been with the diocese for two years, but has been involved in facilities management for about 15 years.

Sisson said he had been a self-employed home improvement contractor for 20 years when the diocese hired him. “I wasn’t sure how well I could work with a supervisor, but by the end of two months, Bruce and I were very close, and we have stayed that way,” he said. “Bruce has been a great blessing as he has taught me how to keep the diocesan buildings running in the same way he did.

“When we hire someone new, we will be looking for someone Rob and Sheri can train in the same way,” Sisson said. “Their experience and temperament are good for what we do, and we’re all determined to maintain the great relationship Bruce built with the parishes and schools.”