May 2001

Covenants Consolidation - Open Discussion: We have decided to work with our lawyer first, so you can review our best effort for commentary.� Please look for the document to arrive by mail at the end of May, and we�ll hold the Open Discussion at the end of June. We hope to hear� feedback from everyone!

FoxRidge Garage Sale:� Fri. June 15th & Sat.16th, sponsored by Dan Dawkins of Prestige� Realty.� Call 303 874 1344 to have your address included in the best community-wide spring cleaning event.� its free and Dan will take care of all the publicity.�

Upcoming Meetings:� May 21st (Homestead Elementary)� Special Presentation at 6:30pm from C-DOT about the County Line Road Project.� Regular Meeting will follow at 7:00pm.� June 18th Regular meeting at 7:00pm at homestead elementary.� watch Foxtales or FoxRidge Fast Tracks for the location and Date of the July meeting and join in the fun.

by Paul Conkling - FIA President

Just a note of thanks for the honor of being your association president for the next couple of years. (A bigger note of thanks from the guy who came in second :)

I expect this to be a very successful year for FoxRidge, and I�ll tell you, right up front, that whatever success I achieve in this position is due to the huge efforts of your FoxRidge Board, the ACC, all the various committees, clubs, dues- payers, business sponsors, supporters and critics�. Their names appear throughout this newsletter. Take a little time to read it and become familiar with� their names.� They are the people doing the real work to improve our neighborhood and in some way to improve our quality of life.

My job, as I see it, is to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information so that people smarter than me can be heard and educated decisions can be made. To let people argue and disagree, but to remind everyone that, after the fireworks are over, we�re all still neighbors working toward the same goals.

Please call me on (303) 694-1057 with any thoughts or questions, (C'mon, give me some of those smart ideas!) or to just call to wish me luck.� Thanks.

Covenants Consolidation - Anita Joseph-Conkling

A few people are still confused about the Covenants Consolidation effort.� So, let�s make a checklist of points to consider.

The obligation of the FIA Board, and any appointees, is to uphold� and enforce protective Covenants with equality, while maintaining a sense of community.

The majority of people who pay dues abide by the Covenants.� Most of the significant violations are by homeowners who are NOT dues-paying members of the Association. Therefore, it is the dues-paying members who foot the bill for the non-dues-paying.� Is that fair?

We have 11 sets of slightly different, vague and outdated Covenants. EACH Board has struggled to enforce this legislation since 1981. The large-scale effort in 1983 would have passed easily today. At that time, any change in Covenants required 100% approval by all homeowners to take it to a court hearing, and today we only need 67% approval. Thus, proving that most people DID want change even way back then!

If a �continued violation� is not resolved by talking and written requests, the ONLY next step for FIA is a lawsuit � expensive and not always advisable because the Covenants are open to interpretation on certain issues. A FINE system helps the person who is in violation of the Covenants pay for the administrative work, so we don�t penalize the members who respect our Covenants.

Mandatory Dues would also be allowed as part of allowing Assessments. We want to put a CAP on increases to 2% - 5% in any year and a maximum of 10% over a five year period.� Proposed increases must be accompanied by a budget an be approved by home-owners.� FYI:� Our current organization operates on a budget based on approximately 606 of 931 residents paying only $25 per year. With Mandatory Dues, we would not likely need increases for many years to come.

The Board is here to support the 95% of FoxRidge residents who show great pride in their homes and in our neighborhoods, ... and not to focus on the 5% who will never care.� A Consolidation, with some Updating as described, WILL help us better uphold the goals of� the Covenants and of FoxRidge.

Whom to Contact:

FoxRidge QUESTIONS:

Contact any of the wonderful volunteers below with questions, comments, or to volunteer yourself � or email:� [email protected]

President:� Paul Conkling� 303 694 1057

Secretary:� Katie Barrett� 303 721 9280

County Line Road:� Jamie Debartolomies� 303 779 4933

Centennial Citizen�s Committee:� Mike Sutherland� 303 741 5783

Covenants Consolidation:� Anita Joseph-Conkling� 303 507 6740

G.I.D. Funding:� Bob Bardwell� 303 771 9402

ACC Approvals:� In writing - P.O. Box 4985, Englewood, 80155

ACC Questions or to Report Infractions:� Terry Riester

Terry Riester, Director� 303 773 3162

Ken or Lisa Kwiecien� 303 804 0192

Beverly Bunker� 303 773 2065

John Riggs� 303 528 8602

ACC Appeals:� Any Committee Member

Barbara Fischer, Chairman� 303 694 7385

Bob Bardwell� 303 771 9402

Bob Datson� 303 220 1779

COMMUNITY QUESTIONS:

Centennial City Council Updates:� www.C-Watch-News.com

Arapahoe County Commissioner - John Brackney: 303 795 4630

Traffic Lights:� Jerry Madchka (Arapahoe County) 303 795 4640

Street Lights Out:� 800 895 4999 Have Pole #; best time is early a.m.

Parks and Greenbelts:� Scott Grimes - S. Suburban 303 721 8478

Advice - Trees & Shrubs: Arapahoe County Extension 303 730 1920

Roads & Sidewalks:� County Highway & Engineering 303 792 5016

YIKES!� Imagine taking a walk along one of our lovely paths and being knocked UNCONSCIOUS by a speeding biker!� That�s what happened around 6pm on April 9th.� Paramedics couldn�t find the path and took nearly 40 minutes to respond. Please SLOW DOWN and stay AWARE in recreational areas.

OOPS!� We forgot to mention an important participant in the First Annual FoxRidge Home Show:�

Rising Sun Construction, Joe Mahoney,
303 641 0475.� Replacement Windows.

BOOK CLUB - Meets on Wednesday, May 16th at 8239 S. Kearney St. at 7pm.� We�re reading �The Bonesetter�s Daughter� by Amy Tan.� Newcomers welcome!� Call Caroline Kendall at 303 741 6235

WALKERS CLUB - Still need an organizer for a morning group with strollers.� Call 303 507 6740.

COUPLES BRIDGE CLUB - Contact Dee Barcus at 303 773 2633 for more information.

BABYSITTERS DIRECTORY:� Email your name, age and phone to [email protected]. Free listing.

Alexandre Scott, 14, Red Cross Certified
303 779 1210.� Also House & Pet-Sitting

POOL MEMBERSHIPS:� Contact Foxtales to sell your pool membership. For info about Family or Adults-only pool rates, call Cathie Mullins on 303 290 6454. Sorry, but the pool is not part FIA.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ENVIRONMENTALLY SAVVY MOM who lets her child clean up trash around FoxRidge instead of punishment.� (For families with really bad kids, we�ll let them be a Board member for a month!)

THE ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL COMMITTEE THANKS ALL THOSE WHO SUBMITTED WRITTEN REQUESTS FOR EXTERIOR CHANGES (PAINT, WINDOWS, SIDING, OR CONCRETE WORK).� ALL WERE APPROVED WITHIN DAYS!

Residents Speak Out!

From: Tom Tedesco of� 6786 E. Kettle Av.� �I have lived in FoxRidge for 23 years, and never attended a board meeting until two years ago. I was content to know there was a board of directors and they seemed to be doing a good job. Two years ago the board got my attention with talk of mandatory membership in the homeowners association and new covenants for the neighborhood. I was against the covenant change attempted in 1983 and still do not support mandatory membership in the association. The present board is only supported by about 50% of (dues-paying) homeowners in FoxRidge, this should tell them something. I believe most homeowners are happy with the way things are now -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The board sent out 900 plus question sheets and got back 130 replies. Using fuzzy math, they now tell us 77 % of the homeowners are in favor of raising the dues, having new covenants, and mandatory membership. HOW DO THEY KNOW THAT FROM 130 REPLIES, THEY NEVER HEARD

FROM THE OTHER 700+ HOMEOWNERS !!� Our present covenants are working, and have worked for over 20 years. WE DO NOT NEED NEW COVENANTS.�

RESPONSE:� Sorry, Tom, but it is broke, and has been for many years. Homeowners want the Board to better enforce the Covenants, but we can hardly afford even 30 hours per YEAR of legal advice to help. Most on-going violations appear to be committed by people who don�t pay dues. Shouldn�t the Board be responding to the needs of those who support the FIA?

From:�� Annie Ollada of 6051 E. Mineral Dr.� �I�� would like to bring issue with the idea that any community that has mandatory dues will automatically raise its value (which I have been reading and hearing among the homeowners of our community). I have seen NOTHING that supports this assumption.� What I have seen is that those communities with covenants that are upheld and complied with DO have higher values, on average. The money issue and the covenant issues should not be mixed.� We have covenants, (although they may need to be consolidated) and it is not a necessity to have mandatory dues in order to police the covenants. I would support a reasonable ($50-75/yr) dues provision that would not increase without a vote from the homeowners. We MUST draft the covenants in such a way to protect the homeowners from a runaway board, although we would hope we'd never be faced with one. �

RESPONSE: $25 per household would be sufficient to� enforce Covenants and we would not need an (homeowner-approved) increase for some time.

Submissions are encouraged � name, etc. req'd. We edit for length & do not print defamatory articles.

P.O. Box 4985, Englewood, CO 80155-4985 OR
FIA_Board@hotmail� (be sure to use the underscore)

SAVE THE DRIVEWAY

Concrete drives and walkways look nice when they are new, but over time they chip, crack and crumble. Regular maintenance will prevent the need to replace the existing driveway, and usually requires up to a half day to complete (depending on the condition and size of your repairs).

1. Clean the crack by removing all loose dirt and chunks of concrete with an awl, hook, or a mallet and chisel to loosen them, and then a stiff brush to remove them. (Make sure to wear eye protection.)

�2. Then spray the crack with a high-velocity garden hose spray.� If there is oil in the crack, use detergent to scrub it out, then rinse well.�

3. Allow all surfaces to dry COMPLETELY before continuing with the patching procedure.

4. Cracks that are less than �" are generally filled with sealant that come in a caulk gun tube and Cracks that are larger than �" should be filled with pre-mixed concrete which come in 60 or 90 lb. bags. Squeeze the filler into the crack until it begins to overflow. Then smooth it out using a metal or plastic scraper. Ensure that you are filling the crack completely. Let the mortar set up for about an hour before using a trowel to remove any excess.

5. Curing the Repairs. Allow the repaired areas to dry completely, which may take several days. Make sure to keep it moist by lightly misting the area with a garden sprayer and keeping it covered with a plastic sheet. A slow cure will result in stronger concrete. When the concrete has cured, apply a water seal with either a roller or a sprayer.

COMMON MISTAKE: Do not try to feather the edges when patching with cement. When dry, the feathered area will crack and flake off.

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

I would like to recommend a sprinkler service. It is JKJ Lawn Sprinkler, Inc, 5616 S. Himalaya Way, Aurora, Co 80015, 303-766-0775. Joe DiBlasi is the owner's name. He used to be a mailman for our street and then retired to run his sprinkler company full time. He replaced my entire sprinkler system last year and I am very pleased with the results. He arrives when he says he will (amazing!) and does a high quality job. He made arrangements for a great plumber to redo the valves and replaced my entire sprinkler system in two days. He also does repair and winterization.

Lynn Butler,� 6490 E. Mineral Dr

I have had good experiences with Downpour Sprinkler (303-206-3660) for repair and maintenance of home sprinkler care. I had one station on my system that I couldn�t repair to save my life (and I do most simple repairs myself). Mark came out and though it was a difficult challenge even for him - he got the station working! We're very happy with his work and would refer him to anyone else in the community.

Bryan Kramer, 5975 E. Nichols

REVENUE ( based on 65% Dues Collection�)	+ $15, 129
EXPENSES
Administration	- $ 3,695
Covenants Enforcement�	- $ 14,488
Communications, Postage & Foxtales� (after Ad� Revenues)	- $ 1,745
Maintenance (after GID reimbursements) & Miscellaneous�	- $ 630
Balance Carried Forward�	+ $ 5,432
NET	+ $ 2

Good Schools = Higher Property Values

Good schools mean higher property values.� So, if you live within Littleton Public School District (LPS), you need to know you�re not getting equal state funding, and this affects all of FoxRidge property values.

LPS is considered a �no growth� school district because we do not have open space for new housing developments like Jefferson County, Douglas County and Cherry Creek school districts� � which receive State and Student funding of $3,000 per new student.� 2000 new students in Douglas County will net $4 million in additional revenue, and LPS has no chance of such.� Over time, disparate State funding will continue to cause a loss of excellent teachers, the older building to crumble, and the loss of student programs in the LPS districts ... and our property values will go down!

You can help.� State Senator John Andrews represents both LPS and Cherry Creek School District, and he needs to know that YOU are concerned about the differences.� Call him at 303-866-4883, home: 303-770-8215, or andrewsjk�@aol.com.� Our State Representative, Nancy Spence, can be reached at� 303-866-2935, home 303-690-5106, or [email protected].

To review LPS�s report District Accountability Committee and Colorado Legislators March 2001, please call Karla Langton, School/Community Relations & Communications at 303-347-3387, or me, Beverly Bunker at 303-773-2065

CLASSIFIEDS

FoxRidge HOME FOR SALE by Owner.� Home has been Well-maintained & Updated. Total Sq. Ft is 3,622.� This includes: 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, loft & a finished basement.� Extras: 3 car garage, Hardwood floors, New master Bath, 900 sq. ft. Deck & More.� (303) 771 2540 for Details.

PALM PILOT IIIxe links with Outlook and can check your email.� I got frustrated waiting on a long back-order and now have two.� Still in the box!� Originally $300, and will sell for $249.00� (303) 694 1057.

Centennial City Council meets every Thursday at 6:00pm for study sessions on issues that affect YOU.� On the 1st & 3rd Thursdays, the regular Council meetings will follow at around 7:00pm. Citizen commentary is welcome at regular Council meetings.� For agendas, updates, straw polls and other info, visit:� C-Watch-News.com

Careful Eyes Spot Good Fruit

Let�s not get specific about which fruit tree grows better than another, and talk about how to spot the GOOD fruit tree.� Nurseries are well-stocked, but buy smart.

Many fruit trees are grafted. This allows popular heavy-bearing varieties of apples, peaches, pear or plum where they would never make it otherwise.� The root stocks are much hardier and can survive poorly draining, alkaline soil. Grafts also dwarf the tree to a more manageable size.

The graft union � where top meets bottom � needs to be strong, well-healed and reasonably straight up and down.� Locate the graft point and let�s shop.

Roots:� If the roots are growing next to the graft, it means the tree has been planted too deeply.� If there are only a few roots, cut them off before planting.� If the roots are excessive � pass on this one.

Trunk:� Look at the trunk above the graft.� A pronounced curve can turn into a weakness as the tree matures and puts heavy weight stress on the graft when full of fruit.� The trunk should be healthy and un-scarred.� Curvy trunk � just say �no�.

Branches:� Check to see how the main branches are attached to the trunk.� Narrow crotches are undesirable because they are naturally weak and can crack or break with heavy loads.� Look for crotch angles close to 60 degrees.� It�s tough to get a perfect specimen, but the main scaffolding needs to fit this pattern.� It not only solves the weight problem, it also allows light into the center of the tree which provides bigger and better fruit.

Form:� A well-formed fruit tree will have 3 or 4 main branches close to 90 degrees apart in a spiral pattern going up the trunk.� If your selection has nearly everything else in its favor, but the scaffold is unbalanced, try pruning and branch selection to straighten things out.

Size:� Full size Apples can reach 18-25 feet. Semi-Dwarfs can reach 12-14 feet and Dwarfs can be pruned to about 8 feet, all with ample harvests.

Whatever your selection, fruit trees are worth it!

Selection from Dale Langford for Rocky Mountain New

Careful Eyes Spot Good Fruit

WHAT�S INSIDE

With our Deepest Sympathy

County Line Road Improvements