My conscious got the best of me, and in February I volunteered my services to the FIA Board. I was assigned the responsibility of ACCORD Representative. ACCORD??? Maybe I should go back to my hole in the ground.

As the ACCORD Representative, I believe everyone has a right to know a little bit about who I am. I am married to Verna and we have been married a long time. We have four children, all married and living away from home. My employment background is airline management and bankruptcy management. I presently do bankruptcy consulting work, when I can find it. My wife, Verna just retired. The ACCORD position takes two people, Verna and me. I get the byline and the credit and she gets the behind the scenes work. Why is it men get the credit and wives get the work?

The Arapahoe County Council for Organized Responsible Development, otherwise known as "ACCORD".

ACCORD's purpose is to provide a coordinated and collective forum for individual local civic and homeowner associations, who are properly recognized members. ACCORD will serve as an information processing organization, with established communications with Arapahoe-County officers and ACCORD may publicly proclaim in favor of or against public proposals that concern member organizations. ACCORD shall not affiliate with any group identification or with any political party. I don't understand what I just wrote, so I'll try without being technical.

ACCORD meets the first Monday of each month. The membership is composed of Home Owners Association, for the most part. Information is dispensed from different parts of County Government, County Commissioner John Brackney, Arapahoe Sheriff's Office, Arapahoe Library District, South Suburban Park & Recreation District, Fire Districts and Arapahoe County Administration Departments. Then development projects are reviewed and our objections, if any, are passed on the County. In some cases, the developers request to make a live presentation to the ACCORD or the ACCORD body requests the developer to do so. We do not see party politics or road and street construction.

Now that I've been to five meetings of ACCORD, what do I have to pass on? We live in unincorporated Arapahoe County at the present time. There is a teenage curfew law on the books and the Arapahoe Sheriff's office will be adding summer patrols to enforce it.

By the time Foxridge residents read this you have seen the traffic mess at I-25 and Dry Creek. As I understand it, this will continue until fall and maybe until Christmas. When exiting off of I-25 at Dry Creek and going west, it is going to get worse. At commute time, beware.

Arapahoe County has no "open space" policy. We are told Arapahoe County, is the only county in the metro area with no "open space" policy. The county wants to get into the mix, they say they are going to! In the western part of Arapahoe County we have South Suburban that handles the "open space" issues and taxes. The county says there is no "open space" in the eastern part of Arapahoe County. Right now it looks like we will have some sort of tax increase for "open space". How the increased tax distribution will be made to South Suburban Park & Recreation District, if at all, has not been determined.

At some point in the past the Fire Districts were looking at taking the non-emergency calls off 911 and implementing a new 311 line for non-emergency calls. The Fire District has dropped this project. However, it may still occur with the utility companies carrying the ball. Life in the big city!

Arapahoe County is expanding facilities and in some cases moving the present facilities into new quarters. New facilities will be in Aurora and around Centennial Airport. The county commissioners have stated that they didn't think this would require additional taxes.

The counties and water districts in the state have formed Colorado Water Partnership to mitigate the water situation along the Front Range. I have included this because of what it doesn't say, maybe the situation is worse then we can imagine.

Arapahoe County doesn't have a storm water drainage system. What piecemeal drainage there is, is worn out. The county has a project for developing a storm water drainage system. To correct the problem will be costly. The "Bruce Amendment controls tax increases," thus the county is thinking of a "utility fee". This bypasses the constraints of the "Bruce Amendment".

We have been told the Southeast Corridor LiteRail construction will start sometime after January 1, 2001. As I understand I-25 is going to be a mess, both north and south. I-25 is to be widened, LiteRail construction west of I-25, parking construction, on the east of I-25, and construction of bridges over I-25. I can only suggest that if you commute on I-25, try a different route.

Wow, I have finished this article! I wonder if I can get a Pulitzer for this? LD

Questions and Observations from a long-time Foxridge resident

By Lee Davis FIA Board

Verna and I are both originally from Montana, towns of about 5,000. Verna has a rural background and I had an urban background. Now our mindsets are just the opposite. Anyway, at the time we grew up a town of 5,000 was good sized in Montana. It also had a community spirit of people pulling together for a common cause and that I hope is where I am going with this article. My kids generally think I am a "Hick" or a "fuddy-duddy" and sometimes the guy that talks to me when I shave thinks the same thing. So after reading this, it is okay if you think the some thing.

I live at 7754 S. Niagara Way and I want to know why I have such wonderful neighbors all around me?

Why do the people that live on my street and the cul-de-sacs off of it make everything so beautiful in the summer? Did you ever see so many flowers?

Have you looked at our area during the Holidays? I wonder why so many people care enough to make everything so pretty?

Did you know that Foxridge used to have a wonderful Garden Club? What ever happened to it? Is it possible to find someone to start a Lawn & Garden Club?

Wonder why someone couldn't start a Craft Club? Wonder if I could keep my wife at home if we had one?

Did you know that Arapahoe was Colorado's first county? Did you know that Arapahoe county was big, very big, before other counties started forming and taking pieces of it? I wonder if some Foxridge student, Jr. High ( middle school now ) or High school could do a research project on county history for school and then publish their findings in the Foxtales?

I don't know a thing about Hanukkah. I guess I am a "Hick". Do you think someone might put an article in Foxtales to enlighten me?

What ever happened to the Foxridge Bridge Club? Verna and I can't play on the third Saturday of the month but we can play any other night. Are there others like us?

Wonder if we could have one or two community Christmas trees?

What about some Frosty Snowmen in the parks after a nice snowfall?

Do you remember when we use to have a kids Easter Egg Hunt in Foxridge Park?

I remember a summer Block Party about 20 years ago. Verna and the kids went. I thought I should neglect my family and work. Wonder why I was such a fool?

Why did you choose to live in Foxridge?

Do you like the sound of children's laughter?

Do you hear the wonderful sounds of neighbors talking to each other in the summer?

Do we live in an area where there are rows and rows of houses where we sleep and store our goods? Or do we live in a community where the houses are homes and the neighbors share a common bond of goodwill to each other

From around Foxridge:

We are looking for community member(s) to step forward to chair a social committee, we're looking for one person to coordinate a "Fall Festival" of some sort to be held at the park and people to organize bridge, card, chess etc. clubs in the neighborhood. Call Katie Barrett at 303-721-9280 if interested.

Curb Cuts

We will ask the county to put in missing "curb cuts" throughout our neighborhood, ask for people to make suggestions where a curb cut would ease access. Call Katie Barrett at 303-721-9280 with suggestions.

Quality design work for your home or office at competitive prices. Custom window treatments, blinds and shutters; all types of remodeling, flooring, furniture and accessories. Call Kathy Rice at KR Designs for an appointment today!

KR Designs: 303-779-6920

Call PRO-DISPOSAL AT 303-791-3827

Monday pickup. Recycle cans, glass, newspaper and plastic 1 & 2. Prices:

0 - 24% FR homes: $11.50 trash, $13.00 trash and recycle

25 - 49% FR homes: $10.75 trash, $12.00 trash and recycle

50 - 100% FR homes: $9.75 trash, $10.75 trash and recycle

Need Landscaping? For tree and shrub trimming, removal, aerating and most of your landscaping needs, call bill at 303-779-6744. I’ve been a Foxridge resident for over 20 years.

Teenager or young adult needed to watch

10-year-old girl after school in Homestead Farms II neighborhood. One to four days per week, about 12 hours total. $5 per hour. Car helpful but not necessary. Call Lesley at 303-804-0659.

Piano or drumset teacher wanted for 5/6 year olds. Call 303-220-5591.

Mail ads, with payment, to:
Foxtales, C/O Publisher
6635 E. Jamison Ave.
Englewood, CO 80112
Questions? Call 303-221-5819

By Anita Joseph-Conkling

In my experience, there seems to be 3 main items which homeowners dues usually fund. The first is maintenance of common ground areas. We are a very lucky group of resident s because we are classified as a GID (general improvement district) reimbursement recipient. This means we can get a reimbursement on any work or services performed to enhance common planting areas, signage, watering, etc. Last month’s Foxtales gave you a good idea of how that money is budgeted … Landscaping, watering, weed control costs were projected to be $10,037. All of this amount should be reimbursed from GID fund.

The second large concern is a community pool and tennis courts. We have the Foxridge Swim and Tennis which is a voluntary association and not supported at all with Homeowner dues.

That leaves the third usual issue of Covenant enforcement. About $11,600 has been allocated in the 2000 budget to protect and deal with enforcement. Consider this a $13 per year per community insurance policy. This enforcement allocation is not intended to take people to court for planting a tree without permission, and is intended to deal only with major issues requiring legal advice or intervention of some kind. Most of us can resolve the minor stuff with a neighbor-to-neighbor conversation, but what about the issue that you can’t resolve? The FIA Board gets to do the really ugly work. Just think of a few of your worst nightmare neighbor scenarios … now, when those become a reality, what can you do? The FIA is a voluntary association and all board positions are strictly voluntary. Most of us joined because we thought "the good ole days" with block parties and a bridge club sounded pretty good and we would like to get it going again. But the reality is that it will be board members who have to go knocking on doors when there is a problem. Sometimes we need legal advice before pursuing a major infraction. And really big problems mean that a board member – trying to help a neighbor -- may end up a victim of stalking, harassment, or even a lawsuit. More legal help may be required.

Now, add on the additional need for communications … the Foxtales newsletter, mailings about dues and changes in covenants, posters announcing meetings. And what about when we do get the bridge club going again or have a block party? Communications are not terribly expensive but they do add up. Now, some people say the newsletter should be advertising supported. Yes, there is some ad revenue coming in, but it doesn’t come close to covering costs, and it won’t without a paid ad sales person … same cost, more hassle. Of course, there may be a way to help. If you have access to Email, it will someday be a lot cheaper to send you an electronic newsletter than one that is printed and postage-d, (and paid ads may be able to cover the remaining costs). And perhaps those who don’t have email would be willing to ask a neighbor to print a copy out for them. This could really help increase communications. OK, so this could be looked into and maybe dues would be able to stay at $25 per year.

QUIZ: what can YOU do to help?

ANSWER: 1) if you haven’t mailed in your $25 dues, please do so … it IS a good cause; and 2) send or email (preferable) your comments about dues and covenant reforms and making dues mandatory to me so I can keep the board updated on YOUR OPINIONS. PLEASE include your name or at least your address … I’m very small and I’m too busy to come to your home with boxing gloves! Thanks. [Email: [email protected]]

By Terry Riester, FIA Covenants Control

With summer upon us, we are now plagued with the usual violations that come with the hot weather. Yes, I’m referring to the big toys; the boats, trailers and motor homes. The covenants are VERY CLEAR concerning these violations. Please, do not force us into the roll of the big bad mean board. Put them along side your house behind the fence or in a storage lot where they belong.

Yards for the most part are really looking good. Just remember weeds in your yard effect your neighbors yard as well. There are only a few who are falling behind with their mowing and another handful who are forgetting to water now and then.

The majority of complaint calls lately concern cars. Cars under covers, cars on the gravel landscaping, cars on blocks and yes, even some cars on the lawn. If you happen to be someone who has fallen into this habit or for some reason had to temporary store an extra vehicle in the aforementioned manors; I urge you to correct the situation within the next few weeks. This will become a matter of attention. Thank you Foxridge residents! TR