National Forest Homeowner - 2012 Election Endorsements
Dear Cabin Owner,
The National Forest Homeowners (NFH) is at a critical crossroads as efforts are made to
replace CUFFA with the Cabin Fee Act (CFA) of 2012. We were moved to join the NFH
Board of Directors to help with this effort to sustain the Recreation Residence Program
that was being threatened by CUFFA. We had assumed NFH was protecting our cabins;
however we found that NFH was not as actively involved in the CUFFA legislation, as we
had believed. CUFFA’s lead sponsors, Senator Craig and Congressman Nethercutt, in
introducing CUFFA said their intent was not to get a fair market value for the land but to
get a fair market value for the use of the land. As the bill went forward the Forest Service
made dramatic changes to CUFFA.1 Unfortunately, our NFH leadership and staff involved
with this legislation at that time mistakenly considered the changes to be minor.
Additionally, the Board of Directors was not involved to the extent required and certainly
a novice at the game of politics. As a consequence NFH was not sufficiently involved to
protect the original bill. At the very least, NFH should not have supported its passage.
Hence, we have CUFFA. We cannot allow a recurrence with the implementation of the
CFA.
As CUFFA was implemented it became apparent that NFH was not the politically active
and aggressive organization needed. Hence, we sought to become Board members to help
change NFH into a more proactive and politically astute organization that would better
serve to protect our cabins. In 1965, there were approximately 20,000 cabins, while today
there are now about 14,000. Six thousand permits are now gone along with their cabins
1
There is a comparison of the original Senate Bill and the changes made to it when it was passed into law available for review on either www.cabinownernews.net or www.wyomingcabinassociation.org . The House Bill was identical to the Senate Bill. Also available is a summary and Senator Craig’s introductory speech from the floor of the Senate. that were occupied by someone like you. Will your cabin be next? When the Cabin Fee
Act (CFA) is hopefully behind us, a steady stream of new issues will come forward to
challenge and possibly threaten the cabin program.
A revitalized NFH needs to be
prepared to assume a stronger political roll in confronting those issues in order to sustain
our cabins.
In our view, major changes in NFH leadership and policy are needed. In the past, the
Board of Directors was largely uninvolved. The President and the Executive Director
conducted most of the work. However, the bylaws prescribe that the Board of Directors is
the NFH governing body. That was not happening. More recently a majority of us on the
Board have worked together over the past two years to change that.
Initially, we worked to increase the Board’s participation by meeting more frequently. In
the past, the Board only met three times a year, far too seldom to effectively deal with the
myriad of diverse and complex issues the Board needed to consider. The Board now
meets every month, three times in person and nine times via conference call. This has
provided the Board with the platform on which to enhance NFH’s advocacy role in support
of cabin owners and the Recreation Residence Program. Examples of increased activities
and program improvement include: 1) the resurrection of the Government Liaison
Committee which is now more active politically and strengthening partnerships with the
Forest Service and Congressional staff in working on issues related to the Recreation
Residence Program; and 2) the establishment of Centers of Excellence comprised of
knowledgeable cabin owners to serve as resources on issues of importance to cabin
owners; and 3) the initiation of a membership drive based on personal communications to
better understand the needs of cabin owners and to educate them on the benefits of a strong
cabin owner organization; and 4) working to improve our website member-services
2 functions such as on-line membership renewals, dues payments, and convention/forum
registrations; and 5) providing education and informational forums in the smaller regions
as well as participation for their members to serve on the Board. Progress in these areas
continues as work-in-progress.
Many longstanding members on the Board do not accept there is a need for many of these
changes and resist a more involved and proactive NFH Board of Directors as well as
membership. These folks sincerely believe in their status quo view of NFH. However, we
believe NFH must continue on this path of transformation to be a more proactive
organization to properly defend and advocate for the Recreation Residence Program.
The election of new Directors in the coming election in March will be very important if the
progress achieved to date is to be sustained. Also, the election to establish the Nominating
Committee for next year’s election is equally important. The slates of candidates for these
positions are excellent. For those offices in which there are multiple candidates for the
same position we know that the candidates listed below share our vision and commitment.
Therefore, we encourage your support for the following candidates:
Directors:
Nominating Committee:
Brad Aspell
Barbara Bailey
Doug Gann
George Cardinet
Jay Tripathi
Fran Filer
Jane Van Dyk
Al Molineux
Bill Williams
3 Your vote counts. Did you know that most often less than 10% of our NFH membership
votes each year? This means only 4% of all cabin owners have an active voice in the
future of the Recreation Residence Program. If you are not a member, please submit an
application and join prior to March 1st so you can vote in this year’s election. If you
are already a member, your ballot will arrive via first class mail in early March and we ask
you to vote for the candidates we believe will strengthen NFH. The National Forest
Homeowners needs new energy; PLEASE be a part of it!
PLEASE VOTE!
Signed:
Brad Aspell, NFH Director, 2010-2012
Barbara Bailey, NFH Director, 2011-2013
Pete Bailey, NFH Director, 2005-2011
George Cardinet, NFH Director, 2010-2012
Barry Davis, NFH Director, 2010-2012
Ted Filer, NFH Director, 2007-2012
Sally Goodin, NFH Director, 2009-2013
Brian Gordon, NFH Director, 2008-2012
Paula Hoiland, NFH Director, 2011-2013
Sharon Karr, NFH Treasurer, 2010-2012
Al Molineux, NFH Director, 2011-2013
Bill Williams, NFH Director, 2011-2013
Sunday, February 12, 2012
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