Keeping up appearances

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Wesley Wright
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Although it may not feel like it sometimes, summer is officially here and the base housing office is reminding residents that with the new season comes maintenance responsibilities.

"With the new season, we have three major categories of emphasis we want residents to be aware of," said Ricardo Montoya, base housing office facilities management chief.

1. Cleanup:

1.) Remove vehicles from sodded areas.
2.) Remove trash and pet debris from yards.
3.) Rake lawns to remove dead grass and leaves.
4.) Call Housing Maintenance to remove any broken branches on trees. Report any exterior damage from ice and wind to housing maintenance at 727-6174. If you have a clogged or leaking rain gutter or downspout, call housing maintenance for repair.
5.) If you have an infestation of "Dak Rats" in your yard call entomology for assistance at 723-2393.

"Everyone is going to get dak rats," Montoya said. "However, if you have a really bad infestation, or if they're damaging the house, call entomology."

Additionally, yard compost (grass clippings and leaves) will be collected as part of routine trash collection. Housing residents are required to use plastic for compost. Place the bags on the curb and not in the trash bin.

"Some people are finding out the hard way that we are ticketing diligently in housing for pet and trash debris left in yards," Montoya said. "We give people ample time to clean their yards, but if it goes too long, they will be ticketed."

The first ticket is given to just the resident and a notice is sent to the residents first sergeant. The second is given to the resident and the resident's commander. The third ticket is given to the resident and may generate a letter to appear before the 5th Mission Support Group commander.

"If an individual receives a third citation, they have to go before the 5th MSG commander and explain why," Montoya said. "And it's quite possible the resident could be removed from housing."

Mr. Montoya stressed, however, the housing office never likes to see residents removed and will work with people on an individual basis to resolve problems.

"We want people in these houses," Montoya added. "So, help us help you."

2. Self-Help and Landscape renewal: NOTE: Self-Help Store is now included in the new Housing Maintenance contract. This store is located at 20 Peacekeeper Place, building 289.

1.) Round-up is available at the Housing Maintenance Self-Help Store.
2.) Residents can obtain fertilizer and grass seed from the housing maintenance Self-Help Store.
3.) Additionally, fertilizer spreaders are available at the housing maintenance Self-Help Store.
4.) The Self-Help Store also has hose-reel boxes available for use.
5.) Treat bare spots on lawns with grass seed and/or topsoil. Topsoil is available from the dirt pile near the Dufrense Riding Stables.
6.) If residents plan to install fences, satellite dishes, trampoline anchors, plant trees or bushes or anything that requires penetrations of more than 12 inches into the ground, they have to stop by the housing office for a work order and a digging permit before beginning. (Fences, satellite dishes, etc, cannot be installed while the ground is still frozen.)

"We encourage people to take pride in their house's appearance and use the tools we give them to make things look nice," Montoya said.

"The Air Force gives you all this stuff free," Mr. Montoya said. "So, treat the house like you own it and take pride in its appearance. The housing office is here to help you with whatever problems you may encounter."

3. Construction alerts:

1.) Residents are cautioned to stay out of construction areas and to ensure children stay out of them as well. Roads will be closed off to thru-traffic in several neighborhoods. Construction landscaping crews will be active in neighborhoods without lawns, hydro-mulching and watering to establish lawns. Expect and watch for increased heavy vehicular traffic as the weather warms up.

Additionally, Mr. Montoya stressed that spouses with a spouse deployed can contact the deployed person's first sergeant to possibly arrange assistance with housing maintenance, such as lawn mowing, snow removal, etc., if the person is not able to do it themselves.

Garage sale signs are available for checkout at the housing office as a convenience to residents. However, these signs cannot be placed on or near Missile Avenue.

For more information, or for questions concerning housing issues, call 723-4660.