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Red Fox
Volume 38
Tale
No. 5
Winter 2013
Call for Board Members
Want to make a difference, build a stronger community…here’s your opportunity.
Become a member of the Red Fox Cove Homeowners Association Board of Directors. Three twoyear term positions are up for election in April 2014. The Board meets monthly, except for December. It’s approximately a five hour per month commitment.
Homeowners are encouraged to serve on the board. It’s the best way to get to know your neighbors.
If you want to be more involved in helping manage the Association, consider running for the Board.
All are welcome and encouraged – old and new residents!
If it weren’t for the volunteers, Red Fox Cove wouldn’t exist the way it does today! All the volunteers
are what keeps this neighborhood beautiful, close knit, and the dues at a minimum. If you have never
served on the Board, why don't you consider it this upcoming election. If it’s been some time since
you’ve served, maybe a fresh perspective is what you could contribute.
Do you have an interest or talent for finance? The treasurer position currently held by Rob Tryon will
be available. Rob can be contacted directly if you have questions about the treasurer responsibilities.
If you are interested in running for the Board and would like to discuss further, please contact any of
the current board members. All contact information is located on the back cover of the Tale.
1
On The Horizon
December - No Board Meeting.
December 25 - Merry Christmas.
January 1 - Happy New Year.
January 14 - Board meeting at 7:00 pm. Tryon 11325
February 11 - Board meeting at 7:00 pm. Berglund 11231
March 11 - Board meeting at 7:00 pm. Bakken 11811
April 8 - Annual meeting.
Chocolate Chews
Recipe by Pam Kummer
This recipe comes from Joseph’s Grandma Gwen. She would make these yummy melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chews
every year during the holidays and it was one of his favorites. She would always sneak him extra when his parents weren’t looking.
The recipe card is hand written and has yellowed with age. It’s splattered with cookie dough and thumbprints. The recipe card holds many years of a Grandma’s love for her grandson. They have a very special relationship that warms your
heart. I am so blessed that she has entrusted this recipe with me.
2 Squares Bakers Chocolate (melted) or 6 Tbsp Bakers Cocoa + 3 tsp
Shortening
1 2/3 C Sugar
½ C Shortening
2 C Flour
½ tsp Salt
2 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/3 C Milk
½ C Walnuts (optional)
Powdered Sugar
Mix sugar and shortening until blended. Add melted chocolate and mix until combined. Add remaining ingredients and
mix. Place dough in a bowl, cover, and put in fridge to cool (about 2 hours). Remove dough from refrigerator and form
into balls a little smaller than a golf ball. Roll in powdered sugar. Bake 13 – 15 minutes at 350°.
2
The Winter Blues
Yet again, we are socked in for another eternity of winter. Things usually quiet down here in the Cove for
the duration of the season until the sun gets a bit higher in the sky and melts some of the white treasure
away. A few items to remind ourselves about during these long cold months has to do with the inevitable
snow we receive every year. We live in Minnesota, what can one expect?
One of the benefits of living in Red Fox Cove is that our streets and driveways are plowed by professionals. This is an excellent amenity covered by the dues we pay each month. Although it may be covered under the dues, there are still a few things to keep in mind as we huddle in for the next four months. If everyone works together, and understands the benefits, we’ll make it through yet another Minnesota winter.

Be mindful that the snow on your driveway may be pushed on to your lawn. Some areas of the Cove
simply cannot accommodate extra snow in the streets or up the curbs due to the way the lots are designed. Putting stakes up and down the driveway will not guarantee snow won’t be pushed up on to
the lawn. This makes it very difficult for the snow contractor to do a good job for you and your neighbor if they don’t place snow where they can.

Some damage will occur. This is normal for any winter in our state. Grass will be scraped, sod will be
removed, but every effort is made to minimize the damage. In the spring, if you return the sod back
to it’s original spot early, it will simply fill in and disappear. The Board also makes visits throughout
the Cove in the Spring to see if there was any curb or driveway damage that would be considered
above normal wear and tear. You cannot expect the snow plow to keep a driveway that is thirty years
old intact when they scrape the driveway. Especially if the old asphalt is broken and crumbled already.
Again, the contractors are professionals, and will make good on damages that occur that could have
been avoided. Each case is looked at on an individual basis. Please contact the Common Grounds Chair
to help in determining the extent and cause of the damage come April.

Watch out for the fire hydrants. Maple Grove encourages residents to adopt a hydrant in the winter.
Keeping a path up to and around the hydrant could save precious minutes of time in the event of a
fire. Look outside your window. If you have a hydrant in your yard, would you be willing to adopt it
for the season? It could save lives.

There are salt/sand barrels at the entrances to the Cove. These are for your convenience to use to help
you climb the hill if the need arises. Let a Board member know if they get low.

Lastly, drive slow. Children are out playing, people still walk their dogs, and daylight is at an all time
low. Roads are slick and snow covered. Watch out for each other. The mailboxes all now face the
street, so picking up your mail means you have your back toward the on-coming traffic. Watch for
each other to avoid accidents.
Before you know it, it’ll be 95 degrees out, and we’ll be complaining about the humidity again. Sure
seams like a long ways off. Using these tips should help all of us in the Cove not only stay safe, but keep
snow removal costs and damages to a minimum.
3
4
Maybe twenty, maybe more, but it was time
for an update on the street signs. Brought up
last year at the Annual Meeting, the Board
took notice and explored the possibility of installing new street signs. The first phase is
complete. We now have four new numbered
signs that mark the entrances of the cul de
sacs. They are highly reflectorized, proportionately sized, and a proper color to blend in with
the rest of the community. Many thanks to Eric
Berglund and Joseph Kummer for installing the
posts one Sunday afternoon, and thanks to
Marv Conyers and Joseph & Pam Kummer for
pulling out the old ones. A couple of them
took a truck with chains to get out of the
ground! There are still a couple more to pull
out at the main entrances, and the Board is
still looking into a monument sign for the
Hemlock entrance, but hasn’t found anything
that would be in budget, and still look good. In
any case, the new signs will help with guests
coming in to find their way, along with emergency service vehicles, and the all important
pizza delivery driver so the pies don’t get cold
trying to find the correct house number.
Architectural & Community Standards Committee update
After months of meetings, the Architectural & Community Standards Committee has hammered their way
through each individual Standard and made suggestions on updating them to better suit the needs of the
Cove in the 21st century. From here, they are being worded properly, and will be reviewed one more time by the
Committee for any last changes to reflect the said intentions of them. Once that is complete, it will move to the
Board for review and approval. Although there were few
changes, each line item was discussed, and decided upon as
a group. There was a great cross section of residents on
this Committee which helped bring new ideas to the table
as well as explain why certain standards were there all
along. A special thanks to all the participants that volunteered their time in this monumental task.. Committee
members included; Eric Berglund, Craig Romans, Pam
Paulsen, Paul and Cheryl Boehmer, Joseph Kummer, Bill
Beaupre, Mavis Bakken, and the late Phil Jandl. Many
thanks to each and every one.
5
2013 Maple Grove Moments Photography Winner
Rich Moll captured another award winning photograph this year at the annual 4th of July Celebration here in the Cove.
If you remember, the fire truck almost didn’t make it due to an emergency
right here in the neighborhood! With Maple Grove’s dedication, and Rich
Moll’s creative talent, we get to enjoy a perfect summer moment.
Congratulations Rich!!
“One Day I’ll Fit Into Those Gloves”
First Prize, Going Strong category
Find the tail...
The Summer issue of the Tale proved to be a stumper for the residents in Red Fox
Cove. No one wrote to say they were able to find it in the edition. As a recap, there is
a hidden tail somewhere in each issue. It could be anywhere. The last Tale had the tail
on page 15 in the midst of the storm damage photos. A fox tail like the one pictured
on the left is somewhere in this Tale. Have some fun with the winter blues and see if
you can find it! We will put the names in a hat, and draw out one random winner for a
fabulous prize.
Submit where you think the location of the tail is to [email protected] Prior
to the publication of the next Red Fox Tale, and your name could be drawn at random
from everyone that had the correct answer. Good luck and happy hunting!
6
Phil Jandl
Red Fox Cove lost a very dear friend to the community this fall. Phil Jandl,
11821, passed away on October 19, 2013 after a brief battle with cancer.
Phil was well known throughout the Cove for his quick wit, willingness to
help anyone in need, and volunteering to make the Cove a more beautiful
place to
live. Phil served on the Board as
the Archi-
tectural Committee Chair, and was
seen at
every clean up day, every event,
and most
often behind the scenes hunched
over pull-
ing some weed or hacking away at
the Buck-
thorn scourge. You could walk
down to
the pool and see his handiwork
with the
concrete patching around the pool
and in the
basin, or down at the dock either
fixing it,
or getting rid of some noxious
plant
growth so we could all enjoy
Mother
Nature.
He would dish out ice cream to the little ones, and little
big ones at the National Night Out, and serve chicken at the picnic on the 4th of July. If you needed something, he was there, always, making sure the tables were set up, the decorations were in place, or the path
was clear of limbs and debris. His friendly presence in our neighborhood will be felt with all the projects
completed by him. Everyone was impacted by him just from the simple task of shoveling out the mailboxes
each time it snowed. If it had to get done, he just did it. He will be sorely
missed.
A memorial fund has been set up to erect a bench in his memory to be installed somewhere in the Cove next summer. Donations can by made to
Laura Kruth (11354) who has graciously volunteered to head this project.
Jandl, Phil age 69, of Maple Grove, passed away of cancer on 10/19/13
surrounded by his children. He touched many lives with his generosity
and friendship. Preceded in death by father, Frank; and wife, Mary Jane.
Survived by son, Greg (Gail) daughter, Jennifer Witherspoon, and their
mother, Eleanor; grandchildren, Ian and Halle; mother, Regina; siblings,
Terry (Don) Hoffman, Helen (Larry) Black, Barb Wenisch, Tom, Carol
(Stan) Beckstrom, Steve (Barb), Jan Van Eps, Louise (Dan) Noble, Jerry
(Chris), Mary (Ross) Rieke and Mike; special friend and companion, Mavis Bakken; many other
family and friends. Wrestling was an important part of his life. He was inducted into the SCSU
Athletic Hall of Fame for wrestling and was for many years a Gopher wrestling season ticket
holder. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred. Interment Glen Haven Memorial Gardens. Visitation Friday 4-7 PM. Service Saturday 10:30 AM, with visitation one hour prior, all at:
www.Washburn-McReavy.com
Glen Haven Chapel 763-533-8643
5125 W. Broadway, Crystal
Published in Star Tribune on October 22, 2013
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Red Fox Cove Fall Cleanup
The annual Fall clean up was held on October 12th
after being postponed from October 5th due to wet
conditions. About fourteen residents joined together to undertake several needed projects.
The wind storm on June 20th took down many large
branches and uprooted numerous trees in the Cove.
The amount of wood that needed to be chipped was
significantly more than in previous years so it was
good to have many volunteers to help with that
task.
Wood was chipped in five areas where Red Fox
Cove suffered extensive damage. Piles of branches
were chipped near the pool and playground, behind
11600, near the dock, and behind homes in the
11664 – 11680 area, and finally on common ground
near 11301. As a result of all of the chipping, there
was a huge amount of woodchip material available,
which was used to cover and upgrade two trails.
Brad! Get your hand out of there, it’s not that bad!
I man... like loud
noise... smelly machine... make me
feel macho... pick up
log... feed machine... work well...
Overall, it was a successful workday. It was cool,
but ideal for working outdoors. Thank you to the
following volunteers for your great help; Eric Berglund, Alberto Catarino, Marv Conyers, Brad Feuk,
Rick Fischer, Earl Gulczinski, Jeremy Harincar,
Matt Haupt, Vadim Mirkin, Lynn Merkwan, Irina
Petrokova, Mrs. Petrokova, Rob Tryon, and Lindy.
If anyone was missed, we sincerely apologize and
thank you as well. More was accomplished than
anyone had expected. The day was finished at 2:45
pm. Tired, but with the feeling of a job well done.
Raindrops started to fall again at 3:00 pm…whew,
we made it!
And you thought it was all man’s work!
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SPOOKY
WALK
Rainy weather threatened to
cancel the spooky walk, but
the ghosts, ghouls, and goblins prevailed and made an
appearance on Saturday, October 19th. Despite the weather, there were 74 people in
attendance.
Numerous volunteers helped
to make this year’s event a
success. A posse of people
made an assembly line in Mavis’ home. Bill Kuras retrieved
the boxes from the crawl
space, handed them off to Joann Hansen who passed them
to Pam Paulsen. Sue Petty
and Mavis took the boxes from
Pam and carried them up the
stairs to the front door. From
there, the decorations were
loaded into Sue and Pam’s
vehicles and delivered to the
lake where 13 Girl Scouts
were waiting. The volunteer
Girl Scouts enjoyed the task of
decorating. They had a great
time performing short skits
during the trail walk. A
‘fortune teller’ was onsite too.
The children had a wonderful
time…and so did the adults.
Many thanks to Marv for mowing weeds, hauling woodchips
to the trail walk, and chopping
wood for the bonfire. Joe
Pickar helped retrieve tables
from the pool house and deliver them to the lakefront. Kelly
brought items too. Joann
Hansen grilled the hot dogs
and placed them in crockpots.
The Spooky walk would not
have been a success without
the generous giving of time
and talents by the residents of
Red Fox Cove.
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Tales from old…
Excerpts from past issues of the Red Fox Tale
5 years ago 2009… As a reminder, the NEW single sort recycling
will begin in February...
10 years ago 2004… The Board approves $16400.00 for new tile
around the pool to be completed this summer… Dues were raised
to $60.00...
25 years ago 1989… A motion to accept approval of rental of a
safe deposit box at Norwest Bank… The printer used for the Red
Fox Tale needs to be repaired at a cost of $122.00...
10
The Toolbox
With the new year fast approaching, what better time is there to make a few adjustments to your
maintenance schedule and start the new year off more organized, and better apt to keep your home in the
best possible condition both for you, your neighbors, and visitors. Every so often, I’ll
share a short article on home improvement tips. If you have a tip, or a topic that
you would like addressed, drop a line to [email protected] Here are my top
ten tools to be more efficient and organized throughout the new year.

Use a calendar. Every office supply store has them for half off right now. Get one
you can write lots of notes in. When you have an actual calendar you can hang
on to, you can carry it with you and jot down notes as they come up rather than
waiting until you can pull out your phone, PDA, or sit in front of a computer. There are even aps on
your smartphone that utilize a calendar feature.

Use a computer. Yes, sounds like a contradiction from the first tool. Using a program such as Outlook,
or an online calendar, can help remind yourself of important events that are up and coming. Changing
batteries or filters, a drain cleaning, or gutter cleaning. It also gives you date stamps so there is no
question if the need should arise when you chore the tasks off on the kids.

Get a camera. Sometimes, you can’t write a thousand words fast enough to describe what you’re looking at. That’s what pictures are for. Better yet, most phones, and digital cameras even have video on
them. Use it often, and the shutter button is your friend. An organized folder in your computer or
phone will make trying to remember that brand of filter you need, or a model or serial number.

Start maintenance programs. It’s the first of the year. If you have never put your home on a maintenance schedule, now is the time. A regular diet of visits and viewing the condition of your home, winterization, preventative maintenance, improvements, upgrades, and modernization. Set those in your
calendar, and stick to them.

Put some money away. Probably the hardest thing to accomplish and the one tool that is most scarce.
Starting a savings account for those big ticket items like carpet, furnaces, appliances, and cabinets.
When the emergency arises, you’ll have the stash to cushion the blow.

Safety first. More important than just preventative maintenance. Making your home as safe as possible
to avoid accidents and/or insurance claims. Items like smoke alarms and peeling paint need to be addressed... yesterday. Doing a safety inspection can save you money, headaches, and lawsuits down the
road.

Make more time. Let’s face it. We are all strapped for it. Sometimes, this tool is even harder to find
than money. There is never enough of the precious commodity in today’s world. Even a simple walk
around the house can tell you a lot on how your home is being kept up. Keeping in touch with the family members on little maintenance items can save thousands down the road.

Look through your tools. You know that screwdriver you broke last July? Or the three drill bits you lost
when the case fell out on to the ground? Have you replaced them yet? How many times are you under
the sink, and by the time you’re done, you’re frustrated it took as long as it did, and you throw everything in the bucket and leave. It’s time to take all those tools and get them organized again. Everything in its place, and knowing it’s there.

Have a supply stash. Much the same as your tools. It doesn’t hurt to replenish that material list you
should have. It saves trips to the store, shortens the time spent disrupting your leisure time, and works
very well in emergencies when the store is closed.

Educate your family. Our most overlooked asset in maintaining the property is the residents themselves. Go through the home on a regular basis teaching them and showing them what to do in case of
an emergency, demonstrating how things work, where things are, and how it operates will keep your
house from more damage, and help you strengthen your family unit by spending quality time with each
other.
11
Red Fox Cove Board Meeting Minutes
September 10, 2013
Present: Joseph Kummer, Rob Tyron, Eric Berglund, Earl Gulczinski, Pam Kummer, Paul Berndt
Opening Notes
 Meeting called to order at 7:07 pm.

Committee Reports
Social Events/Community Affairs



Spooky Walk is scheduled for October 26, 2013
Mavis was absent no report.

Finances
 Rob reviewed the August 2013 financial reports.
RFC is on budget overall with costs for the summer
season. Because of the drought there was less
mowing of the common grounds and had a little reduction in costs. Motion made by Rob second by
Eric to approve August financials, motion passed
unanimous.
Common Grounds









Earl reported the following:
The swing in the playground has been repaired.
The dock has been repaired.
Weed killer was applied to some weeds on the center islands
Sweeping was done and the rock was swept up on
the streets.
Eric will be working on the canoe storage sometime
in the future.
Fire Hydrant maintenance including painting is
scheduled by the city for 2014.
Mailboxes are proceeding/ progressing with new
keys and future install sometime this fall.
There was a short discussion about attaching RFC
notices to the mailboxes. Rob said nothing is supposed to be attached to the mailbox. Installing
more weather proof kiosks will be explored. Earl
will be following up and report to the board as to
costs and numbers needed.


Tree trimming and what to trim was discussed. Eric
and Earl will mark and get ready for the October 5,
2013 cleanup.
Joe discussed renting a U Haul for the October
cleanup. Easy to clean and will work well when doing chipping. This is better than a trailer and will be
easier to spread the chips in areas.
Buckthorn problem can be worked on until the end
of October.
Fall cleanup date set for October 5, 2013 and alternative date of October 12, 2013
The refuse hauler for RFC will continue to pickup
leaves at curbside until mid November.
Architectural
 11325 requested a color change and painting for
home, approved.
 11961 requested a fence but is still working with the
city on this.
Old Business
 Flag pole is coming for the north cul-de-sac. When
completed there will be a future dedication ceremony.
 Joe said he will research reflectorized street signs
and the costs and report back at a future board
meeting.
 Rob and Eric continue to work on the documents of
the by laws and covenants.
New Business
 Eric brought up doing a property line survey for the
common grounds however the board felt because of
the cost it would be better to do this as needed.
Closing Notes
 Meeting adjourned at 8:37 pm motion made by
Paul second by Rob.
12
Red Fox Cove Board Meeting Minutes
October 8, 2013
Present: Pam Kummer, Joseph Kummer, Mavis Bakken, Earl Gulczinski, Rob Tryon, Paul Berndt, Eric Berglund
Opening Notes
Old Business


Meeting called to order at 7:02 pm.
Committee Reports
Social Events/Community Affairs

Mavis said the Spooky Walk date was changed because of
a lot of other community events going on in the community. The new date is October 19, 2013. Mavis will get
the notices out for the date change to RFC.
Finances






Rob reviewed all the financials with the board and said
we are on target for the budget.
Rob said the accounting firm is currently working on our
audit.
A short discussion on the replacement fund was explained to new board members. The work on the basketball court this year was an example on how this fund is
used.
Rob reviewed past due accounts for the RFC. Rob continues to work with homeowners behind on their association dues.
Motion made by Rob, second by Eric; to approve the September financial reports. Passed unanimous.

New Business

Common Grounds


Earl is getting the equipment ready for the annual fall
cleanup on October 12, 2013. This starts at 9 am at the
basketball court area.
Eric said he has been working on the canoe rack storage
issue and now has an inventory. There are a few canoes
that do not have current licenses on them. Residents are
reminded that they must have a current license on their
canoes. More reminders will be in the RFC Tale and in
the yearly packets that are distributed in the spring.


Architectural

11701 requested a color change. The home is to be
painted. Joe said this request was approved.
Eric is still working on getting the covenant documents
from the county for all RFC properties to ensure RFC is up
to date in our records.
Discussion on covenant and bylaw documents and time
table for completion of the architectural and community
standards review was discussed. Target date of January
or February 2014 was agreed to. This will allow the Architectural committee to present the new standards at the
meeting.
A property line question was discussed regarding the location of the Comcast cable line that runs behind the
houses on the 11900 blk. A resident was concerned
about possible damage to the cable line. Eric checked
with Comcast and was told the cable line is not in danger
and is well protected We will pursue a possible survey of
the area to determine the location of the cable in relation
to common ground.

Joe finished his research on new reflectorized street signs
for RFC and presented to the board his recommendations. The current signs are very old and are not reflectorized. The concern is that visitors and emergency personnel might have difficulty finding a house on the cul-de
-sacs in the dark. These can be replaced at relatively low
cost.
Motion made by Pam, second by Eric to replace the current signs and posts at a total cost of about $400. Vote
was unanimous. Motion approved.
Joe finished his research on new kiosks for RFC mailbox
locations. This will ensure RFC postings are protected
from the weather and not be damaged. Also, it will end
the practice of posting notices on the mailboxes, which is
against Postal regulations. Some locations have old kiosks
and these will be replaced. Motion made by Paul, second
by Eric to approve up to $1,500.00 to purchase these. Earl
abstained. Motion passed.
Pam reported she is working on New Resident packets so
RFC information is complete and up to date.
Closing Notes

Meeting adjourned at 9:06 pm.
13
Red Fox Cove Board Meeting Minutes
November 12, 2013
Present: Pam Kummer, Joseph Kummer, Mavis Bakken, Earl Gulczinski, Rob Tryon, Paul Berndt
The minutes for the November Board meeting will be available in the next edition of the Tale.
14
The back page...
Many years ago, I began my career in the working world as a paper
boy. Every morning, up at about four, no matter what the weather,
year ‘round, to compliment everyone’s morning coffee. Right
around Christmas, my brother and I would hope for the worst possible snow storm because the Christmas tips were directly proportional to how deep the snow was. Later, as I matured, I graduated
to the world of being a milkman, and the same theory existed. Only, I had to get up at about midnight. In the between times, I had
the opportunity to work on the farm, milking cows. I crowed at the
rooster to get him out of bed. Unfortunately, the closest thing to a
tip in the barn were the ladies kicking over the milk can. I’m getting
to the point, really. The one thing all these jobs had in common,
were that they all demanded I get up very early. I longed to be on
the milk route Christmas morning, because there was a totally different atmosphere that can only be experienced. Not
to mention the chief elf stopped by a few times and I would trade him milk for cookies. By the way, he’s partial to chocolate. The lights in the sparkling snow, the quietness, and just knowing that all was calm. The darkness of night was
pierced every December, and it made for easier deliveries as the neighborhood paper boy. All these years have passed,
and I only remember one thing getting up way too early. The gift of silence. Not just any silence. It was the holiday silence. It was the one thing I looked forward to every year. Going back
centuries, even armies laid down their arms one day out of the year, and
encased the earth in an austere silence. I still get up early to enjoy the
quietness of the
morning. This holiday season, I
wish you the one
memory during
this busy time
that brings about an inner peace to you, and your loved ones.
zaphnathpaaneah
May your holiday be filled with joy and peace.
Merry Christmas
15
Red Fox Cove Board of Directors
President
Architectural & Community Standards
Eric Berglund 763-559-0330
Joseph Kummer 612-735-2362
[email protected]
[email protected]
Vice-President
Common Grounds
Pamela Kummer 612-986-5041
Earl Gulczinski 763-559-7167
[email protected]
[email protected]
Secretary
Community Affairs
Paul Berndt 763-557-9685
Mavis Bakken 763-559-0340
[email protected]
[email protected]
Treasurer
Rob Tryon 763-557-5172
[email protected]
Red Fox Tale
Published by the Red Fox Cove Homeowners Association
Editors: Joseph & Pamela Kummer
[email protected]
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