Almost ten years ago, an idea was born to communicate to a mass audience what was happening within our company and the property management industry. The idea was simple: launch a monthly electronic newsletter that shares industry and company information, highlights our goals and accomplishments, and educates our readers. 

Our first issue of the eNews Monthly was issued in January of 2004.  Take a look at that issue here.

The look of the eNews has changed quite a bit since then, but the goal to send you news that you find useful and interesting has remained the same. 

Over the years we have provided knowledge, celebrated new clients, announced achievements, and shared memories.  We have welcomed new employees and communities and said farewell to some very treasured people. We have revealed many exciting changes to our company through our eNews, such as the openings of new office locations, promotions of employees and the launch of our new website.

This month, we are excited to present you with the 100^th issue of the C.I.A. Services eNews Monthly.  Without you, our clients and partners, the eNews Monthly would not have a purpose and for that we thank you. We look forward to sharing many more exciting updates with you in the issues and years to come!

We hope you enjoy our 100^th issue.

We are pleased to again present seven seminars throughout the year - each at three locations for a total of 21 training sessions. Click here to read the seminar descriptions and see the schedule.

• Board Member Orientation
• Advanced Topics for Board Members
• Meeting & Records - The Legal Requirements
• Understanding Collections & Financial Reports
• The Super Budgeting Process
• Practical Deed Restriction Management
• Essentials of Architectural Control

Each two-hour seminar begins at 6:00 pm and we provide dinner in case you come straight from work.  You’ll leave with a wealth of practical information and a notebook for future reference.

And if that is not enough, our seminars are free!  Make a point to attend these seminars.  You’re sure to have a fun evening of learning!

Practical Deed Restriction Management

Deed restriction management is one of the most difficult tasks handled by homeowners associations because it involves subjective decisions, homeowner’s property and emotions. This seminar covers the steps in deed restriction management and how a process can contain “intelligence” and common sense. We discuss the relation between deed restrictions and architectural guidelines and give you examples of well-crafted guidelines. Practical deed restriction management requires clear communications and reasonable requirements.

Essentials of Architectural Control

Your governing documents provide authority to regulate design and appearance of any construction, improvements or alterations within the community. This is a powerful authority with an obligation that it be used sensibly. This seminar will explain the range and limits of this authority, demonstrate the role of architectural guidelines, describe the interplay between deed restrictions issues and architectural issues, and touch on handling the tough problems.

Legends Run Success Story

At C.I.A. Services, we pride ourselves in being a good global citizen.  We also encourage our clients to discover what they can do.  This is good not only for the environment, but for the Association’s bottom line.  One exceptional example is the Legends Run Homeowners Association. 

Legends Run is a community of about 1200 homes located in Spring.  In 2010, the total the Association spent on water for common areas was over $94,000 which was an increase of about 50% over the prior year.  The trend to increase continued and in 2011, the water costs jumped to $143,000!  This is not only a significant amount of money out of the community’s budget, but it represented a vast amount of water being used.  It was clear that the community water bills were going up and there was no end in sight.  

C.I.A. Services began exploring solutions to this problem.  With water conservation being the best solution, we contacted companies that provide “Smart Water” management solutions.  A proposal from WaterLogic that predicted a significant savings in water usage was presented to the Legends Run Board of Directors.  The proposal met all of the Board’s criteria for cost and water savings.  After a meeting between representatives of Water Logic and the Board of Directors, the proposal was approved.

With a capital investment of $12,898.00, Legends Run installed the Water Logic “Smart Water” Technology solution in October of 2011. The results were immediate!  The 2012 total water cost was $76,000; almost half the cost from the prior year.  The amount of money saved in water bills was well over the capital investment for the Water Logic system!

Part of Water Logic’s program is to provide ongoing monitoring, maintenance and reporting.  According to the latest quarterly reports, the Legends Run Homeowners Association has reduced their overall water consumption by 7,747,000 gallons!  This represents a financial savings windfall of $86,463.00.  And the numbers keep growing.  Legends Run is very happy with the decision they made to work with Water Logic. 

“Smart Water”ing has many benefits including: Saving Money, Conserving Water, Creating a Healthier Landscape, and a great Return on Investment!  C.I.A. Services will continue to support conservation; not only throughout our company, but also in the communities we serve.

Quail Green South's Tarawa Simples
by Gina Victor, Community Manager

Mrs. Tarawa Simples has served as president for the Quail Green South Community Association since its inception in 2004 and has dedicated an enormous about of time to her neighborhood.  She has planned and chaired all of the events in the neighborhood including lawn care seminars, National Night Out, Halloween treat bags for the children, yard of the month, and the holiday decorating contest. 

She was instrumental in the construction of the park and entry bulletin boards for Quail Green South.  As Communications Chair, she has also published several newsletters for the residents for those unable to attend the meetings.

Her husband and family are very supportive and encouraging when it comes to assisting her in the community. Prior to becoming a board member himself, her husband, Jerrell Simples, worked as her "personal assistant" and the coordinating companion, as well as the setup guy.  Rain, sleet or mosquitos he’s there helping her to make sure the community has what it needs to be a very enjoyable place to live.

We are so pleased that we get to work with Mrs. Simples, our spotlight volunteer for this month and a true dedicated leader of her community.

Pool Season is Here!
by Savannah Brantley, Facilities Coordinator

Summer is finally here, the time we’ve all been so eagerly waiting for! But before the fun can start, it is time for your residents to pick up their pool passes! As each community is different; be sure to advise your members to check out the community web page or contact our office to find out specific instructions for your community such as: cost of the pool pass, office location to pick up your pool pass, on-site pick up times (if available), requirements to obtain pool pass, etc.

Our distribution days and times are as follows:

North office:                                          Southwest office:
Tues & Thurs 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.         Mon - Fri 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Both offices accept checks (some restrictions may apply) or money orders only. Sorry, we are unable to accept cash.  Residents must provide proof of residency to obtain their pool pass.

Meet the Maintenance Coordination Team
by Dwayne Ring, Maintenance Coordinator

It takes a range of skills to manage a community and every member of our company plays an important role.  You work and interact with your Community Manager on a regular basis and get to know them well.  We’ve introduced you to the members of our Customer Service Department.  This month, we are pleased to spotlight our Maintenance Coordination Team.    

The C.I.A. Services Maintenance Coordinators and Assistants are responsible for overseeing the maintenance of community facilities and common areas. They coordinate all maintenance items, from creating bid specifications to managing the awarded contracts, all the way through completion in each community.

With over 100 communities in The Houston and San Antonio areas, the members of this department stay very busy. Our proprietary computer program, RedDog, allows them to generate, track and close work orders for all the services performed outside the scope of a standard contract. In 2012, RedDog generated 3,795 work orders. That is an average of 317 per month and 15 per day. So far in 2013 we have generated over 1,000 work orders and are right on track for another busy year.

Frequently, the maintenance coordinators oversee large one time projects.  For example, Dancing Bear Ranch has redesigned one of the entry areas by installing new gates with a telephone entry system, as well as landscaping using drought and deer resistant plant material.  Riverpark on The Brazos recently completed a full renovation to their clubhouse, including repairs made to the roof that was damaged by lightning and adding a multimedia system for the residents.  Marina Bay and Bay Pointe are replacing about 3.2 miles of perimeter walls. They are also working with Texas Department of Transportation to install a right turn lane from Clear Lake City Blvd to Highway 3.

Heron Nest is nearing completion of a new playground, splash pad and parking area along with new security cameras.  Heather Ridge recently installed 1052 linear feet of new landscaping enhancing their entry to the community.   Legends Run is getting ready to start construction on a covered pavilion.  This is just a small sampling of recent and current large projects!

The Maintenance Coordinators with C.I.A. Services, Inc. are here to help the communities reach the goals of the Board Members and the homeowners.  They are ready and able to handle just about anything that could be thrown in their direction.  And they do it with pride, so the homeowners within our communities have the best possible amenities and facilities.  The members of this department consist of Armando Lazo, Daniel Harris, Dawna Woods, Dwayne Ring, Edward Barnett, Harry McDaniel, Mary Casas, Patrick Sheffield, Paula Lunsford, Robert Pampell, and Rhonda Culbreth.

Welcome!

We are pleased to welcome Robert Pampell. Robert joins our North Office as a Maintenance Coordinator.  It’s great to have you on board.

Career opportunities are always posted on our website (About Us > Careers).  We are currently looking for our next great Community Managers for our Bandera and North offices, Customer Service Specialists at our North office and Administrative Assistants for our Southwest office.

Anniversaries

• Congratulations to Renea Miksch, an Executive Vice President, stockholder, Branch Manager and Community Manager at our North Office, on her 28th anniversary with C.I.A. Services.
• Congratulations to Laura Tate, an Executive Vice President, stockholder and Community Manager at our North Office, on her 20th anniversary with C.I.A. Services.
• Congratulations to Margie De La Cruz, a stockholder at our Southwest Office that provides a variety of administrative support, on her 13th anniversary with C.I.A. Services.

Every month we appreciate the communities that are celebrating their anniversaries with us. Here are the clients that started with us in May.

• Bay Pointe Community Association — 14 years
• Crystal Lake Property Owners Association — 13 years
• Cinco Ranch Residential Association II— 5 years
• Cinco Ranch Commercial Association II— 5 years
• Cinco Ranch Southwest Community Council — 5 years
• Cypresswood Green Property Owners Association — 4 years
• Atascocita Timbers Homeowners Association — 1 year
• Bandera Falls Property Owners Association — 1 year

We are proud of every one of our communities so it is always hard to find just one to highlight. We start by having each of our Community Managers write a nomination for one of their communities. We then read them and take a vote. Here are our most recent selections:

• May - PostWood Civic Association
  North Office - Linda Morris, Community Manager
• April - Community Association of the Highlands
  Southwest Office - Amanda Jensen, Community Manager
• March - Cinco Ranch Southwest Community Council
  Southwest Office - Candace Look, Community Manager
• February - Copper Creek Civic Improvement Association
  North Office - Brenda Ellington, Community Manager

To see the full story on these communities and to see the past winners, visit the Community of the Month page on our web site.

Every month, we issue an electronic newsletter, eNews Monthly, to keep clients informed about Association items, spotlight clients, answer frequently asked questions, and let you know what is happening with the company. Old issues of eNews Monthly are available on our Library page.