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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JULY 2020 19 Canine Corral Council The Canine Corral Council has been working very hard to ensure that all pieces are in place for a smooth and successful opening of the Canine Corral off-leash area. We still have a lot of work to do, so we will do our best to answer questions that come up and to explain what steps are still needed. At the June Board of Directors meeting, we requested acceptance of a bid for the Corral fob system. This will provide secure access to make sure only members who have completed the application process will be able to enter the Canine Corral. Access will be with the same fob used to access other amenities. Our management staff will be able to activate and deactivate the Corral access. For example, if a Corral member has been found to have committed a violation of Corral rules, their fob access may be turned off. Also, the management staff will be able to turn off access when needed for maintenance of the area, or during inclement weather. A frequently asked question is regarding the hours of operation of the Corral. There will be no additional lighting, so access will only be allowed during daylight hours. We will be proposing 7 am to 7 pm and winter hours 7 am to 5 pm. If you have any input, please join us at our meeting July 2 at 10 am. How does a resident, and their dog(s), become a member of the Canine Corral? There is a thorough application process. The resident pet parent will need to provide documentation for all vaccinations or titers, spay or neuter status, city of Beaumont license, current clear photo, and liability insurance. They will be required to sign a document agreeing to abide by all 23 Canine Corral rules and agree to assume all risk and liability. In addition, before a dog is given their official Four Seasons Canine Corral dog tag, the resident owner must attend a seminar ensuring they understand all of the rules and that FirstService Residential and the Four Seasons Homeowners Association are not responsible in any way for injuries of any kind to dogs or humans. This will be a self-funded amenity supported by fundraising. There will be a non-refundable membership fee and an annual renewal fee. Stay tuned for exciting opportunities to participate in our innovative fundraising plan. We meet on the first and third Thursday of the month at 10 am via Zoom. Residents are welcome to attend and we still have openings on the Council. Meeting announcements will be published in the Daily Report. ~ Sandra Butler-Roberts, sandirae@icloud.com Just in case: Check with your committee chair to confirm meeting place, date, and time. WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE BUT WHAT AM I TO DRINK? During an emergency the residents of Four Seasons may lose their utilities. Modern conveniences like electricity, natural gas, and water may no longer be easily available. You can avoid being a victim of pandemic type hoarding with a little pre-planning. I will give you nine possible sources of water. INDIVIDUAL PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES are convenient but you must keep them in a cool dry place. Studies have found that over heated plastic bottles may leach harmful chemicals into the bottle. Glass storage containers are good but you must use new ones because used ones are too hard to clean. Stainless steel containers are the best but they are heavy and expensive. LARGE 55-GALLON WATER BARRELS are good but they require a pump and the container must be made of food grade plastic. Plastic containers are marked with a triangle with a number inside of it. Plastic containers numbered one, two, four, and seven are recognized as food grade. ONE HUNDRED GALLON INFLATABLE WATER BOB that can be stored in your bath tub. This would probably be used only for personal hygiene but you would want to purify it before using it to cook with. There are three popular ways to purify water: Boiling, bleaching or distilling. Boiling or distilling require heating the water which could be done with natural gas or propane. If you use household bleach you must use 5 to 6.5 percent chlorine and the bleach must be regular not scented. It takes sixteen drops of bleach to disinfect one gallon of water. WATER TANKS are a great source of water but they are not practical in an urban setting because of their size and expense. SWIMMING POOLS OR HOT WATER HEATER TANKS are also good sources of water but you must have a filtration or purification plan. STORE BOUGHT INDIVIDUAL WATER BOTTLES are an option but they must be diligently rotated. CITY WATER is your best option but only after it has been cleared for use. Excerpts from different Internet websites were used in writing this article by Michael A. Mendoza, EPC chairman. The Emergency Preparedness Committee meets on the third Tuesday of the month in the RCN Conference Room at 10 am. This will be July 21, depending upon COVID-19 requirements. ~ Michael A. Mendoza, srmendoza@verizon.net Emergency Preparedness Committee

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