Message from the President
Mike Berriochoa
January 2009
Dear CPCOA members:
We’ve received some wonderful news from the National Forest Homeowners Association which has been working so hard on our behalf to bring equity to the appraisal process and assessment of permit fees to those of us who own cabins on Forest Service property. Thanks to the efforts of cabin owner associations such as the NFHA and the Chinook Pass cabin Owners Association, the Secretary of Agriculture has directed the Forest Service to halt the proposed fee increases and assess 2009 fees at the 2008 level, plus 2% for inflation. This is done with the expectation that congress will address the issue in 2009. If congress fails to act, the original fee adjustments will take effect.
This decision shows the impact we have had on the process but it also clearly shows us the work we still must do if we are to block the unfair appraisals permanently.
If we are to gain the fairness that Cabin Users Fee Fairness Act was supposed to ensure, every one of us will have to take action this year. This means writing letters or sending emails to our congressional delegations and it means being involved with the Chinook Pass Cabin Owners Association (CPCOA) where your money will be used to help make our case in Congress.
Dues for CPCOA are $50.00 a year with $35.00 of that amount going to the National Forest Homeowners Association whereby you automatically become a member. And $1.00 per year is sent to the state organization. The remainder stays with CPCOA. If you were to join NFHA on your own the dues would be $40.00 so joining CPCOA gains you a modest savings and helps fund programs locally as well as nationally.
In addition, joining COCPA supports a number of summer field trips and other activities that enhance our enjoyment of our cabins. You will also receive our newsletters and be kept up to date on actions and activities that impact all of us.
Please make joining CPCOA one of your New Year’s Resolutions. It will be an investment in your future. You will find membership information on our Web site at www.CPCOA.com . You will also find sample letters on the Web site that you can use when writing your congressional delegation. Please act now.
Best wishes,
Mike Berriochoa, President
Chinook Pass Cabin Owners Association