At some point, I think we all have looked around the Harbour and wondered, "Who's that Guy" when we notice someone trimming a bush, laying sod, putting up a sign, or doing other maintenance activity. That guy is more than likely one of the Fairfield Harbour Property Owners Association Maintenance Crew led by Maintenance Superintendent Will Caudle.
Will grew up in Tarboro and did summer jobs at local golf courses. He started school at Eastern Carolina University, majoring in Art, but he changed his major to turf management. He later transferred to Wayne College, where he received his BS in Turf Grass Management. Will started working at Fairfield Harbour in 2011 when he took a job as an assistant groundskeeper at the Harbour Pointe Golf Course. He left in 2014 but returned to Fairfield Harbour in 2016, not to the golf course but to be the maintenance superintendent for the whole community. He has been here since.
Will married a local girl from New Bern, Amanda. They have 6-year-old and 18-month-old boys who keep Will and Amanda busy at their home in Cypress Shores. Will is a musician who started with drums but switched to guitar (the drum set wasn't welcome at ECU). His hobbies include photography, playing the guitar, and working with his hands. He enjoys spending time with his family and visiting garden centers on weekends.
The Maintenance Superintendent is an enormous responsibility, and Will takes it very seriously. Keeping Fairfield Harbour beautiful is Will's charge, and he has done an incredible job. Will is not alone in this endeavor.
He leads a crew of seven professionals to do all the necessary tasks to make Fairfield Harbour stand out. His team, shown above, can be found all over the Harbour at any given time, whether cutting the grass, mulching yard waste, painting, installing, repairing, or many other necessary tasks. Will says that His team is an excellent mix of talent, and they go above and beyond the call of duty, probably because they like working together so much.
Will indicated that he had watched Fairfield Harbour change since 2011. Over those 12 years, it has grown into one of the prettiest places in Craven County. I asked Will what his favorite project in the Harbour was. He stated, "Grass."
That prompted a question I've seen bantered about, "What is the green stuff on the grass around the entrance?" The answer was surprising. Will said, "It's not a fertilizer; it is an old golf course technique. One convention is to put down Rye grass seed to come green quickly, which can stifle the Bermuda grass from growing. Instead, Will used pigment on the brown grass to look good while giving the Bermuda grass time to come in without any competition.
Fairfield Harbour Maintenance Crew
Thomas Mantlo – Assistant Maintenance Superintendent
Steven Smith – Grounds Keeper
Jason Grimsley – Grounds Keeper
Ron Karbowsky – Grounds Keeper
Chase Coppedge – Grounds Keeper
Robert Hobbs – Mechanic
Malcolm Macsee – Building Maintenance Tech
It is rare to find Will in an office as he seems to be constantly outside improving the Harbour. He always has a friendly wave and a big smile. So if you see Will or his crew out and about, give them a wave and a big smile, and I am sure they will return the gesture.
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