Contents
Want to know what is happening in your community
Message from the Business Director
The heat is on: Don’t overwork yourself in hot temperatures
June Yard of the Month winners
We want more residents like you!
How to make back to school a success
Hidden hazards: The window blind cord
Want to know what is happening in your community
Your community calendar can help you stay up-to-date on trash, recycling, lawn care, resident events and community activities.
You can even sync your community calendar with a personal Google calendar by clicking on the +Google button on the bottom right-hand corner of the calendar.
Upcoming events
Aug 1, 15, & 29 – 0-1 Baby Fun Playgroup at Corregidor Community Center from 10-11:30AM
Aug 5-6 – Soldier Fest at Sports USA
Aug 12 – Frame and Design Arts Open 10AM-3PM
Aug 14 – Play Morning Playgroup at the Pope Community Center from 10-11:30AM
Aug 18 – Training Holiday Play Morning at the Pope Community Center from 10-11:30AM
Aug 18 – Resident Appreciation Date Night
Message from the Business Director
Hello, and welcome to summer in North Carolina!
Based on feedback on our Social Media sites as well as on having reviewed the last months Work Order Survey responses, I’d like to take an opportunity this month to talk about our work order process as well as to help set reasonable expectations on what to expect when you call in a repair request on your home.
Our work orders are received 24/7 by a call center that collects all the relevant data and then enters the work order. If the work order is an Emergency (this time of year the most common is HVAC failure while temperatures are over 85 degrees), then a tech is immediately notified. The time between our call center receiving the call and the techs response to your door will vary and depends on factors such as number of calls in front of yours as well as the severity of the situation, but typically ranges between immediately and 8 hours. If the call is for a Routine work order, the request goes into the que for the next business day’s review and prioritization to be completed within 6 days. If you have a question as to what the prescribed response time is for your specific request, please refer to pages 14-16 of Resident Responsibility Guide to a quick reference chart on how the different types of work order request are prioritized and what our partnerships goals are for work order completion times.
Our goal is always to provide great customer service while meeting the expected completion times for our work orders as prescribed by our partnership with the Army. To that end, I and my leadership team review our work order statistics weekly as well as every work order and move in survey that are submitted so that we can better understand the areas where we are succeeding and where we need to focus more resources and attention. In tracking the performance and challenges of our maintenance teams, there are a few things that stand out as the most common sources of confusion and I hope to address a few of them here. The first one is regarding HVAC repairs.
Our goal is always to respond within 24 hours to all requests for HVAC repairs (or 8 hours if the temperature is above 85), and to have all repairs completed with your system working to it’s maximum design potential within 24 hours. Historically we are able to meet our Work Order completion goal around 93% of the time – which is great if you are one of those 93%, but not so great if you are in the 7% that we are unable to complete in that time. The most common reason for not hitting this goal is that the entire system or some major component of the system may need to be replaced, a repair that can sometimes take 3 to 5 days. For cases where we cannot meet our 24 hour repair goal, we will always offer to install a temporary window AC unit that will keep a few rooms cool and allow more comfortable sleeping as a temporary fix until the full system is repaired or replaced. One last note on AC’s – the most common cause of AC failure is the simplest – restricted air flow due to clogged and dirty air filters. Please check your filters and either call in a work order if it needs to be changed, or stop by our Neighborhood Center to get a free one and do it yourself!
Another common issue we see is related to scheduling of work orders and our ability to complete work in a home while you are not there. We will almost always be able to complete a work order faster when we have a “Permission To Enter” on file and can enter your home based on our techs ability to fit the repair into their schedule when the opportunity exists. We realize that for some, entering a home to do a repair while you are not there is not an option and we work hard to accommodate those issues but it does cause significant delays in completion times as the process of scheduling those repairs is terribly inefficient from a manpower standpoint, particularly during high volume work order periods as is the case in the summer when our techs are stretched thin.
The last thing I want to communicate is some information about our program in general, specifically the financial challenges we face and what we are doing to overcome those challenges.
Our primary source of income is the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) we received for your home. Since 2014, BAH at Bragg has declined by 5%. In this same 4 year time frame, the funding we are budgeted for through our partnership with the Army to pay for the operations and upkeep of our housing has decreased by over 11% with payroll declining by 8%. All while, the cost of things like parts, supplies, utilities, as well as the cost of living have continued to rise. These factors have put tremendous pressure on our operations, forcing us to find ways to operate more efficiently and fiscally responsibly. To that end, several new initiatives have been launched recently or will be launched in the coming months to bring many of the services we provide “in house” as opposed to paying vendors to do the work. I consider these initiatives a win/win for us and for our residents as it is my belief that we can provide better service in a more cost effective and timely manner by doing so.
Thank you all for your living with us in Corvias On Post Family Housing. Please continue to give us your honest feedback and always feel free to reach out to your Neighborhood Management team with any questions at all.
Stand out in RED
Corvias wants to invite residents to hire a sitter, put on your favorite red date night outfit, and join us for our Resident Appreciation Date Night event on 18 August. Join us for a night of great food and entertainment to include games, dueling pianos, and a comedian. The best part – it is all FREE. Residents will receive an email with their opportunity to RSVP for this great event! If your spouse is unavailable grab a friend to join you so you don’t miss the fun. If you are a single parent please feel free to invite a date to join you.
The heat is on: Don’t overwork yourself in hot temperatures
If you’re working or playing outside under the hot August sun, you know that staying cool can be a challenge. It’s vital to your safety, of course, so take the proper steps to keep the heat from striking you down:
Water- Drink lots of it. Keep a water bottle handy in a shaded location so it doesn’t get too warm, and try to drink at least a cup every 20 minutes, whether you feel thirsty or not.
Shade-Avoid direct exposure to the sun when possible. Look for areas that aren’t already hot from sunlight earlier in the day, and where breezes can cool the air somewhat. Remember your sunscreen.
Break- Schedule regular breaks so everyone has a chance to cool down, get some water, and recover from the heat.
Acclimation- The body can learn to adapt to hot conditions, but don’t force it. Build up your tolerance for heat by gradually extending the amount of time you are in the sun.
Buddies- Keep an eye on your friends and family, and ask them to watch you for any signs of heat-related illness. People often don’t recognize the symptoms quickly enough.
June Yard of the Month winners
We would like to congratulate our June 2017 Yard of the Month winners. We would like to thank you and all of our residents who help keep our community looking great! July Yard of the Month winners will be announced in the September newsletter. Again congratulations to our June 2017 winners:
LTC Joseph and Sarah Bowman
SGT Jorge and Christina Cardenas
SSG Robert and Jeanne Freestone
SSG Trevor and Manuela Hansen
SGT James and Nicole Hemmerly
PV2 Ryan and Yvette Hickey
Isaac and Mary Frances Hutchison
SFC Tobias and Lakeya Maes
SFC Juan and Johanna Maldonado
PV2 Luis and Marissa Mesa
SPC Nicholas and Sarah Piper
SGT Mitchell and Kelly Ramirez
CPT James and Katie Robison
SGT Jared and Debra Rodriguez
SSG Jaime and Sugein Saldana
Douglas and Patricia Snyder
TSgt Andrew and Samantha Spaulding
SGT Anthony and Stephanie St James
SSG Mark Anthonly and Celine Velasquez
PV2 Austin and Jasmine Williams
We want more residents just like you!
We’re looking for more great residents like you! Did you know that if you refer a friend to live on post and they sign a lease, you will receive $100 per referral? Make sure that your referral completes the Refer a Friend form when they sign their lease.
Need a party space?
Looking to host a birthday party, promotion party, or family get together? Did you know that you can reserve part of all of one of the community centers for your event? There is a $100 deposit but as long as there are no damages to the center as a result of your event, you receive your deposit back. That means you can spend your money on your event, not the room reservation.
How to make back to school a success
Where did the summer go? The first day of school is just around the corner. The beginning of the school year can be overwhelming. With a little preparation, you and your family will be ready to begin the new academic year. No one can be fully prepared for the year ahead, but these tips might make it a little easier:
Obtain school information
Most schools websites provide information about policies, teacher links, homework and grading, lunch menus and the year’s calendar. If not, use the old-fashioned method and call. School personnel report to work weeks before classes start, so be proactive. DoDEA serves children of Active Duty Service Members and DoD employees preschool through 8th grade on post. Cumberland County serves non DoDEA eligible elementary and middle school children in addition to all high school students residing on main post. Harnett County serves non DoDEA eligible elementary and middle school children in addition to all high school students residing in Linden Oaks.
Check-Ups and Immunizations
Review your child’s immunization record to ensure it is up-to-date. It’s also a great time to have your child’s physical, eye and dental exams completed before school starts. Remember, students will need a sports physical or signed release form to participate in sport activities. Visit Tricare for more information.
School Supplies
The cost of clothes, shoes and supplies doesn’t have to bust your budget. Most school websites have supply lists posted. Before going shopping, take a complete assessment of what you have and what you really need.
Get back into a routine
Two to three weeks before classes start, have your child go to bed earlier and get up earlier. Increase the time increments every few days and your child will be less resistant to the early morning wake-up calls for school. In addition, have your child lay out clothing the night before. It teaches organization and saves time.
Homework Help
Establishing a homework routine and providing a quiet, well-lit place to complete assignments is important for children. Tutor.com can help too, with tutoring sessions available to children in grades 1-12.
Resources
The Fort Bragg School Support Office has a wealth of resources to help parents and children grades K-12 have a successful school year. They can also help you with both on post and off post schools policy, practices, and enrollment criteria. For more information, visit https://bragg.armymwr.com/programs/slo-bragg.
Another great resource to help parents and children navigate the education system is the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC). The MCEC's work is focused on ensuring quality educational opportunities for all military children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition. For more information visit http://www.militarychild.org/.
Have a great school year!
Hidden hazards: The window blind cord
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), corded window coverings are one of the top five hidden hazards in American homes, with infants and children dying each year from accidental strangling, is window cords. Since these blind and curtain cords are a serious risk for our children, Corvias Military Living wants to remind you and your family on the proper steps to staying safe. Be sure to keep all window cords out of the reach of children. This includes ensuring that all furniture and toys are away from windows and if possible, moved to another wall. Examine all shades and blinds in the home. If your home does not have the cordless blind style, make sure there are no accessible cords on the front, side, or back of the product. Do not place cribs, beds, and furniture close to the windows because children can climb on them and gain access to the cords. Make loose cords inaccessible. If the window shade has looped bead chains or nylon cords, install tension devices to keep the cord taut.
Following these tips will help keep you and your family safe from this hidden hazard. More information can be found by visiting the Window Safety Cord Council’s website, windowcoverings.org.
Green corner
A typical family consumes 182 gallons of soda, 29 gallons of juice, 104 gallons of milk, and 26 gallons of bottled water a year. That's a lot of containers -- make sure they're recycled!
