Last month, six members of the Fort Knox community were appointed to the new Resident Advisory Board formed by Knox Hills, Fort Knox's privatized housing partner.
Elected by fellow residents, the members met earlier this month to get to know leaders who they would be working with to resolve issues and recommend improvements to on-post housing.
Officials from Lendlease, Knox Hills' parent organization, is touting the board as a great step forward in bridging communication among residents, Knox Hills officials and Fort Knox leaders.
"We are very proud of [the RAB program]," wrote Lendlease Marketing Director Meryl Exley, in an email to Fort Knox News.
John Bredehoeft, project director of Knox Hills and Campbell Crossing, said the program is one of many being launched at Lendlease locations around the United States.
The intended purpose is "to give residents the opportunity to help shape their local community, express their concerns, share their ideas and suggestions, and to work directly with our local property management team to develop and implement effective solutions," Bredehoeft said in December 2019.
One of the six chosen to serve on the board, Michelle Gwin from the Oak Park community, said she and her husband moved to the area in May 2019. Her background is in medical research and spirit of volunteerism drove her to apply for the board position.
"I volunteer with the Fort Knox Spouses and Community Club and Red Cross," Gwin said. "I chose to join RAB because I have served on similar boards at other duty stations, and I believe in the ability it has to better our community."
Another board member, Bonnie Manjarrez from the Chestnut Glen community, said she and her family moved into the area in 2018. Listing her husband as one of her biggest inspirations, she praised his desire to become a naturalized citizen in 2011 during basic training and his hard work ethic.
Manjarrez works for other Fort Knox organizations, including as volunteer coordinator for the Scott Intermediate Parent Teacher Organization and committee chair for the Van Voorhis Elementary School PTO.
"I chose to join the RAB due to my strong belief that change can come about through communication and involvement," Manjarrez said. "I see on social media how it is easy to complain and to state that no changes are being made, or their voices are not heard. … I want to be the voice for the community by being approachable and friendly."
Bredehoeft said Knox Hills is already planning a second meeting with the board March 11, where they will work on some of the issues that residents have and how best to address them.
"This group can be an opportunity for residents to work together to make the conditions in the homes and surrounding community an even better place for everyone to live, as well as provide individual residents the ability to use other voices to express their concerns when they may feel they have none or they may not have time to communicate," Bredehoeft said. "We look forward to providing this opportunity to our residents here at Fort Knox."
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Fort Knox housing partner officials prepare to fill Resident Advisory Board seats
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