16939 Hwy. 70N, Monterey, TN 38574​

Website:     www.cumberlandcovepoa.com​​

E-Mail Address:  [email protected]

Cove Security Phone: 931-261-8950

Welcome Center: 931-839-2926 M-F, 9am-1pm

Welcome Center Office Staff: Dawn Kulisek & Denise Yates

​Newsletter Editor: Gregg E. Brickman

A pdf of the newsletter is available on the website.​

By Debbie Melgar, Cumberland Cove POA President

The wild hogs have returned to the Cove after their winter sleep. Since they seem to be coming from the adjacent properties around the Cove, it was suggested that we contact the landowners and see if they would be willing to have the TWRA and Wildlife officer trap them there. Our covenants prohibit the firing of firearms within the Cove so this could possibly be an option to consider. If you see the hogs, send an email to [email protected] with the location and pictures if possible.

At the March Board meeting open forum, we invited the Cumberland County and Putnam County Road Supervisors to speak with the residents about our road conditions. Also in attendance were Wayne Nabors, Putnam County Clerk and Larry Bennett, Putnam County Commissioner for Monterey. The Road Supervisors are aware of the conditions of our roads and talked about what they have planned when the weather gets better. Scott Blaylock from Cumberland County talked about paving the main entrances into the Cove and repairing potholes on the side roads. Randy Jones from Putnam County talked about repairing the potholes and tar and chipping the other roads. Both counties were given books mapping the roads that need attention along with pictures of what the roads look like. The supervisors said the books would assist them in determining where to start. The Roads Committee and residents worked together to get this information for the counties. Thank you to everyone who contributed in gathering this information.

Happy Spring and let's hope we have seen the last of the snow. At least until next Winter!

Please see the following section, Cove Activity/Interest Groups, for routine meeting times and contact information.

Red Hats

April’s Red Hat luncheon will be at Mama Rosa’s in Cookeville on Wednesday, April 11 (12:00 noon). Hostesses are Linda Jensen and Gail Massey.

Book Club

The Cumberland Cove Book Club meets the third Tuesday of every month at 10:00 am at the Welcome Center.

The book for April is The Devil Amongst the Lawyers by Sharyn McCrumb.

The Book Club is open to all residents. If you are interested in joining, please call Valerie Sizemore at 839-2830 or [email protected].

Activities Committee

On March 17^th, approximately 100 people enjoyed a Saint Patrick’s Day dinner of corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, Irish soda bread, and desserts. A trivia game followed, and 2 lucky tables/teams won shamrock plants.

There will be an Earth Day celebration on April 21. Beginning at 9 a.m., we will meet at the Maintenance Shed for a plant exchange--bring any plants that you would like to share with neighbors. Volunteers will spend a couple of hours cleaning roadsides, parks, etc. and then meet for a soup/sandwich lunch provided by the Activities Committee. Please join us and take this opportunity to help maintain the beauty of the place we all call home.

Our next meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 19^th at the Welcome Center.  Everyone is invited to attend.

Late Bloomers

Hey, Covite Gardeners, our April meeting will include Mona Hitch, who will teach about growing year round with Hydroponics. I met her in Nashville at the lawn and garden show, and she made me a lettuce wrap from lettuce and cabbage grown in a PVC pipe using grow lights. She is worth coming out for because we all need to keep up with an easier way to grow our vegetables all year round.

Grow and Sow, Ginger

Couples Golf Scramble

There will be an organizational meeting at the Welcome Center on Tuesday, April 24th at 10 a.m. for the Couples Golf Scramble. The group plays a best ball scramble each Tuesday morning from May until October at Cumberland Cove Golf Course.

Each team consists of one man and one woman and uses a handicap format. New players are welcome to join the group. For additional information, please contact Pat Robbins at 931-265-1384.

Dining Out Bunch

The Dining Out Bunch meets the third week of every month. The restaurant choice, day of week and time are chosen by the host and/or hostess for that particular month. Everyone is welcome! It can be lunch, a late lunch or dinner. The decision is made by the host based on restaurant capability. If you would like to be added to the mailing list for this function, please email Martha and Tim Schmidt at [email protected].

Our Dining Out for March will be hosted by David and Judy Webster. We hope you can join us at Stagecoach Place Café in Crossville. All details will be provided by email at the beginning of the month.

Hope you can join us!

Easter Services

Sunrise services will NOT be held at Eagles Flight Park this year.

(Welcome Center unless otherwise noted)

Morning Coffee--Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8:00-9:00 AM                       

Activities Committee--3^rd Thursday,10:00 AM, Social gatherings.

Contact: Jan Litke and Dawn Kulisek through the Welcome Center

Bible Study--Wednesdays, 7:00 AM, Non-denominational,

everyone welcome. Contact: Elton Warren, 839-8866    

Book Club--The Cumberland Cove Book Club meets monthly (except

January) on the third Tuesday of the month from 10 am to 11 am at the

Welcome Center, and is open to all.

Please call Valerie Sizemore at 839-2880 or e-mail at 

[email protected] for more information.

Bunco-- 2^nd & 4^th Thursday, 1:00-3:00 PM, 

Simple dice game. All welcome, couples/singles 

Contact:  Judy Webster, 839-3516, [email protected] 

or Dorothy Jones, 839-6308, [email protected]

Chicken Foot Dominoes--1^st Thursday and 3rd Friday at 10:00 AM, 

Contact:  Judy Webster, 839-3516 or [email protected]                                              

Couples Golf Scramble--Tuesday mornings (seasonal, May-Oct.)

Contact:  Pat Robbins 931-265-1384 or Pauline Robbins 931-265-2189

Dining Out Bunch--Third week of  the month

(Day, time, and restaurant to be announced) 

Contact:  Martha & Tim Schmidt, 839-2859 or [email protected]

No meetings in January or February of 2017

Firewise--Firewise Co-Chairs James Schaffner & John Brasseur [email protected]

Game Nights--2^nd, 4^th, & 5^th Wednesdays,  6:30-9:00 PM, 

Poker, Dominoes & other card games  

Contact:  Pat Robbins 931-265-1384

Late Bloomers--Last Wednesday, 11:00 AM,  February through October.

Discussions of gardening, plant selection; guest speakers; field trips

Contact:  Ginger Arthur, 839-2820 or [email protected]

​Parks & Trails-- Contact:  Butch Barnd, 561.329.1197 or 

[email protected]

Poker--3^rd Tuesday,  5:00-9:00 PM Contact: Joe Zunino, 931-839-3838

Plateau Sassy Stitchers--2^nd & 4^th Monday, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, 

Contact:  Barbara Griffiths, 839-8943                                                                   

Red Hat Ladies--2^nd  Wednesday, 11:30 AM, except December and

January 

Contact:  Gail Massey, 901-734-9237

RV Social Club--Contact:  Dennis & Sheryn Ward,  839-8620 or

[email protected]                                                                                                                                                           

Wildflower Study Group--No regular meetings.   

Database maintained and shared with all 

Contact:  Connie/ Ed McSweeny, 839-9669

[email protected] or [email protected]

By Walter Barndt

Winter is getting the last few days of cold out of her system. With that, spring will be here and a time for great hiking.

We are very privileged to live where we do and have access to the beautiful areas in our neighborhood. The volunteers on the Parks and Trails committee has been getting everything ready for you to hit the trails, experience a great time, and get some good exercise.

Each park now has a new picnic table. At Stillhouse Park, we were able to salvage the old table, so each overlook at that park has a table with a view. Overlook Park's table can be found in the large open area by the parking area. Eagle Flight's table is on the main overlook that has the protective rail on the bluff. The picnic table at Icy Cove can be found at the end of a ten-minute walk to the bluff. We have cleared a flat, shady area adjacent to the bluff. Each table was placed with the thought of easy access for the great majority of our residents. These picnic tables are a good size with the seats and table surface made from a composite material so they will last. The surfaces should not warp and won’t send splinters home with you after a great day out.

Coming soon is a new project to hopefully involve more residents and leave a lasting legacy on our trails. More to come on that in the coming months.

By Elton Warren, Chairman, ECC

The ECC has recently completed a process to be approved by the POA Board of Directors which will greatly enhance our ability to control the construction of non-traditional homes in Cumberland Cove. We invite everyone to read the new provisions which will be published on pages 5 and 6 of the ECC Red Book as soon as the Board approves of the new process. The actions we have taken are directed at preserving our property values, the beauty of our forests, and our roads.

Another area of concern has been the extended construction time we have experienced with owner-builder projects. In order to ensure that ECC permitted construction proceeds in an orderly and time-sensitive manner, we have proposed new procedures which will give the ECC a much-improved ability to assess progress according to an owner-provided schedule including milestones toward completion.

In addition to these accomplishments, we have continued to monitor and encourage compliance with our Covenants regarding RV and equipment parking in the Cove. Please help us by ensuring that neighbors who may be considering selling their home or property know that they must advise their realtor of all the Cumberland Cove Covenant requirements concerning usage and maintenance of property in the Cove. This information must be included in their realty marketing agreement and any resulting sales contract.

At present the ECC is fully staffed, however, we invite residents to attend our meetings. If interested in joining, please advise an ECC member, and we will arrange an interview. Our process, approved by the Board of Directors, allows us to maintain a list of qualified candidates. As openings develop, the candidates will be recommended to the BOD in the order of their date of listing.

By Jon Brasseur, Firewise Committee Co-Chair

Greetings residents of Cumberland Cove,

There have been some minor changes to the Firewise committee within the Cove.

Al Singleton has stepped down as committee chair and will continue as board liaison for the Firewise committee. Al has been great with keeping up this program and should be commended for a job well done.

A few months ago, Jon Brasseur and James Schaffner became the new Chairs for the Firewise committee. Both are career Firefighters (retired) and look forward to picking up where Al left off.

Cove residents can pick up Firewise literature at the Welcome Center adjacent to the front doors. There are multiple printed pieces showing how to protect your home from wildfires. CDs are available upon request.

Remember that fire permits are still required until May 15th if you wish to burn yard debris in both Cumberland and Putnam counties. Water backpacks are available for loan to Cove residents who need them when burning. You can contact Jon Brasseur, James Schaffner, Al Singleton or Cumberland cove security, who carries one in their security vehicle.

Recently, Cumberland Cove lost the fire (brush) truck due to its poor condition. It was located at the Maintenance shop at Eagle flight park. Forestry has provided a pickup truck in return, which is a work in progress. Putnam County still has an unmanned fire station in the Cove on Goodson Trail.

We are in the process of updating the Wildfire Responder call list. The persons on this list would be called in the event of a report of a wildfire within the cove to help with a wildfire mitigation in conjunction with local fire departments and Division of Forestry. This program was set up in 2003 as part of the wildfire hazard/risk assessment for Cumberland Cove. The Division of Forestry initially taught classes and participants who passed the class were added to the phone tree call list to be used in the event of an emergency. Class participants received a certificate (S-190), which was required to be a Wildfire responder. If Cove residents have this class and want to be part of the wildfire responder group, please email us at [email protected]. A copy of your certificate(S-190) along with contact information is needed.

As events or items of interest pertaining to Firewise come up, I'll add these to the monthly newsletter. I also add articles to the Cumberland Cove Bulletin Board and Cumberland Cove Neighbor Watch Facebook pages.

Daffodils in Bloom

By Bev Beers

Does everyone on the Plateau have Daffodils blooming right now? I have to assume so. One day about a month ago, I could barely see them poking green shoots up, and the next sunny day they had grown three inches! They started blooming on the east side of my yard. I hadn’t seen any that I thought I remembered planting on the west side. Then one day lo and behold, they started popping up over there as well. Now, as some start to fade, and even with the cold snap, I still have lots all around. If for no other reason, we should all plant them just to see this amazing event of nature. Really, there are so many reasons to plant daffodils. Always high on everyone’s list of attributes; they are easy to grow and they bloom early in the year when not much else is around. Deer do not like them and neither do rodents such as voles (although they may dig them up and leave them laying about where they very well may take root again). Once planted, they will come back year after year unless disturbed and last longer than most of us, which is why they are found at old and abandoned home places throughout the Smoky Mountains.

Daffodils should be planted in October, or when the soil has cooled, or any time until the ground freezes. Most root growth occurs in the fall and early winter. They will grow in light shade but do better in full sun. Deep shade keeps them from blooming. When sold, a good bulb has a flower in it ready for autumn planting. Bargain bulbs from other than reputable dealers are not bargains. Never buy or plant a soft daffodil bulb because the softness usually indicates basal root rot or other disease. Discard these bulbs and do not put them in a compost pile as the disease can spread.

After blooming, do not cut the leaves from your plants since they are essential for building next year’s flowers. If you need a leaf or two to go with some flowers in a vase, cut a leaf here and there, but never all from one plant. Once the foliage has yellowed or dried up, you can remove it.

Daffodil bulbs divide, and over time, one bulb becomes a clump of bulbs. This is the main reason I love them so much; they naturalize! I have planted mine along the tree line around my house and they just continue to spread and look like they really belong there. They love the mulch formed by the falling leaves, which tend to warm the ground during winter. The species is actually native to meadows and woods in southern Europe and North Africa, but that was literally millions of years ago, and they now are grown all over the world and will grow in every state in the USA. 

Try growing them, and like me, you will be smiling at a time of the year when you have cabin fever or are just plain tired of all the rain and gray skies when they bloom next spring!

Bev Beers, CCMGA Communications, [email protected], Plateau Discovery Gardens, 320 Experiment Station Road, Crossville, TN 38558 phone: 931-484-0034

By Mark Hendrixson, MD, VP-FOCCAS

Hello to our friends in the Cove. Spring is literally just around the corner,[[ and FOCCAS is back hard at work on our activities. We participated in Trash & Treasure at Fairfield Glade this past weekend. It is a small indoor yard sale held bi-annually. Vendors, local Crossville, and FFG residents set up in their Community Center. We were offered the anchor booth as the Not-for-Profit of choice this year. We had many items donated to this half-day event, and with sales and donations,00 we garnered a little over $1700. The leftover items were donated to Habitat for Humanity thrift store. Sgt-Maj Bryan Hudgins also sold chances for his latest creation—a handmade wooden storage chest for pet food. This will be at all of our events and at 707 S Main St between the events. $5 for one ticket, $20 for 5 tickets

We also had someone pledge a donation to sponsor another dog kennel at our new building, that is 13 of 23 kennels sponsored. We also have 5 of our 8 cat condos sponsored. We will need more than 8 of those, but that's the ones we have purchased thus far.

We finally have seen some movement on the building. We have our footers dug and poured, and the preparations are underway for the plumbing and pouring the slab. The weather has not been our ally this year, as expected, but the cold and the record rainfall has put all the area contractors behind on their construction projects.

A big thanks to Susan & Chuck Knarr for arranging a complete tour of the Putnam Co shelter for us. We got some jewels and some great ideas to incorporate into our building.

We have a few things coming up: A Pet Food & Kitty Litter Drive on Sat Apr 7, from 7a.m. to 3 p.m. at our office—707 S Main St in Crossville. The food will help us continue to assist the shelter in meeting the needs of the animals there. We have a stockpile of adult cat food, but litter and dog food—adult and puppy—are always badly needed. Anyone donating more than 50# of the above will be entered to win one of 2 sets of Disney Park-Hopper Tickets for 4 (in FL).

We will be co-sponsoring the Stunt Dog Show Experience at Cumberland County Playhouse on Friday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at CCP or on their website. $35 for adults, $15 for children.

We are also sponsoring a Pre-matinee at the Rocky Top 10 in Crossville on Saturday, May 19, time TBA. The movie Show Dogs is rated PG and is a comedy.  Tickets ($5) will go on sale Apr 7 and will be available at 707 S Main St, Best Friends Animal Hospital, Happy Hound Realty(FFG), and on our website FOCCAS-TN.org. They will also be available the day of the show at the theater.

As always, thank you all so much for our support and for loving the animal of Cumberland County and the surrounding area.

Please share this document with Cove friends who may not be receiving it. Send me your email address at [email protected] to be added to the mailing list. You'll find a button at the bottom of this newsletter for removal from the list as well.

Let me know what you would like to see in the newsletter, volunteer to write an article of general interest (no politics, please), or send me wonderful Cove pictures.

Thank you.

Gregg

Safety & Security

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office does vacation home checks for Putnam residents. You need to go to their website: http://p2c.countywide.us/p2c-pcso/ and click on the heading “Security Watch”. It gives you a form to fill out and file with the SO. The watch is not automatic, but has to be reviewed and approved by them. If approved they will notify you by email.

In Cumberland County you call their main number (931) 484-6176 and ask for dispatch. You give them your information and they enter it into their Extra Patrol Log.

Notice for Home and Property Owners

As a reminder, it is very important if you are selling, buying or moving that you contact the Cumberland Cove Welcome Center – 931-839-2926 to provide ownership or address changes.  Without your current address information, all correspondence such as annual statements will be sent to the address we have on file.  This may cause a delay in receiving your statement for your annual dues.  We also keep our Cove phone book updated with this information.

We do not know when you move or new ownership takes place, unless you notify us.  PLEASE do not rely on Realtors, Attorneys, or Title Offices the pass this information on.

We have Welcome Packets for new property/home owners, with useful information in them.  So if you are new to Cumberland Cove, please stop by the Welcome Center Monday – Friday between 9:00 and 1:00 to receive your welcome packet.​

Parking Violations

​RVs, boats, utility trailers, and other equipment

According to the Cumberland Cove Covenants 9.4 Parking – “No truck exceeding one-ton capacity shall be parked, within the Subject Properties overnight, unless the truck is being used in connection with the construction of a new residential dwelling unit. All other vehicles (except automobiles, SUV’s, and small trucks) or equipment must be parked in a garage or hidden from view by neighbors or from the street. Any vehicle parked on a Subject Property must not be a nuisance and must conform to the communities’ standards for sight, sound, and smell.”

For further clarification, please see Appendix G in the Environmental Control Committee (ECC) Red Book.

The ECC respectfully request that all residents with vehicles and equipment parked on their property take the initiative to insure compliance with this covenant requirement.  Please understand that tarpaulins, canvas or plastic RV covers and partial privacy screening do not satisfy this restriction.

For advice on compliance solutions, please contact the ECC Chairman, Elton Warren, through the Welcome Center, (931) 839-2926.................."

Use of Cove Assets and Equipment

Cove Assets and equipment are for official Cove use only.  Chain saws, weed eaters, the tractor, the truck, and any equipment used by committees are for their official use only.  Individuals may NOT borrow the equipment for personal use.

Equipment at the POA office including chairs and tables can only be used on premises...they cannot be loaned for off-site use, per the current WC Usage Agreement.

The Chipper use is administered by Firewise, and is available for use by those who have taken the required training.

Burning in the Cove

From October 15, 2017  to May 15, 2018, it is required by law that citizens obtain a burning permit.

For a leaf or brush pile less than 8 feet by 8 feet, log onto www.BurnSafeTN.org for approval. For a larger burn, call your local Division of Forestry burn permit number. For Putnam County it is 931-839-2328; for Cumberland County it is 931-484-4548.

"Burning without a permit is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine. Wildfires caused by arson are a Class C felony punishable by 3 to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. Anyone with information about suspected arson activity should call the state Fire Marshal's Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017 . . . To report illegal burning, please call 1-888-891-TDEC." Source: Herald-Citizen, Sunday, October 15, 2017. Page A2.

We encourage anyone that is going to burn outdoors to borrow one of our backpack extinguishers. They are very easy to use and they are very effective.

We currently have eight of these at the maintenance shed, and we have submitted to Forestry a grant request for eight more.  You can contact Al Singleton, Roger Bumgarner, or Mike Deonna, who will get one to you.  The welcome Center has their cell phone numbers. 

The Security Vehicle also has one of the extinguishers. Should there be no one available from the Firewise Committee, contact security and they can provide the extinguisher.

It is against our covenants and against state law to leave any fire near a woodland unattended.

For suspected violations, please call 911.

Firewise Homeowner Safety Guide: http://burnsafetn.org/firewise_docs/HomeownerSafetyGuide.pdf

Box Tops for Education

In 1996 General Mills wanted to create a program to help support education and benefit America’s schools  -  and so, box Tops for Education was born.  Initially box tops were only found on select general mills products.  The program was such a huge success that it was expanded to include many other products.  Box tops can now be found on 100’s of products.  Some of the products are cereal, kleenex, green giant and pillsbury just to name a few.  A complete list can be found on the Website for Box Tops for Education.  Today, America’s schools have earned over $719 million.   I collect the box tops for Burks Elementary School.  Anyone who would like to help me collect Box Tops can leave them at the Welcome Center in the plastic box labeled Box Tops for Education.  Thank you, Debbie Melgar

Debbie Melgar, President

Robert Grubb, Vice President

Fred Guinazzo, Treasurer

Al Singleton, Secretary

Cathy Frank

Gail Haggard

Carol Haney

Ginger Arthur

Pat Robbins

COMMUNITY BUSINESS ADS

• Did you know for as little as $15 (3 month ad minimum) you can place your business card here?
• You do not have to be a resident to subscribe so ask your doctor, dentist, chiropractor, favorite shop, etc. if they would like to advertise in our newsletter.
• Please contact the Welcome Center office @ 931-839-2926 for details M-F 9:00 AM-1:00 PM​