The “E” ECHO May 2008
President’s Message Another month has come and gone and we are still around. (that's a good thing) The golf tournament was a great success. Alot of people had alot of fun. Thank you to our committee and to all the players and sponsors. The money raised will be given out at our Oct. luncheon. Your board of directors has put together a proposal to combine the Eugene Assn. and the Springfield board. The proposal will be in your hands soon. We as a board make no recommendations but would like to have your vote on this issue. If you have questions before voting please feel free to contact any one of the board members. Enjoy this great fall weather. . .Rex Ballenger 2008 Board President
CalendarOct 14th, General Meeting Oct 28th, Member Orientation Oct 28th, Executive Board Meeting
Speaker & Events Springfield Board of REALTORS® General Membership Meeting Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 11:30AM – 1:00PM Roaring Rapids Pizza 4006 Franklin Boulevard
Congratulations To New Members Members who Completed Orientation:
Adam Witkin - Emerald Property Management Dona Daubenspeck- Emerald Property Management New Transfer from EAR Patricia Bliss-Gentry - C21 Westover Gail Konrady - C21 Westover
Board News:
The Springfield Board of Realtors Annual Benefit Golf Tournament was another huge success. We raise a total of $2,452 for our charities. SUB "Project Share" will receive $1,226 and Shelter Care "Brethren House" will also receive $1,226. Thanks to all the golfers who attended and supported these great causes. I believe everyone had a great time. I would also like to thank our Sponsors this year - Northwest Farm Credit Services, RMLS, Oregon Community Credit Union, Alpine Mortgage, Countrywide Bank, Keystone Real Estate, Calhoun Services, Smith Barney and NW Natural Gas. I would also like to thank all the people and companies who donated raffle prizes to this great cause. And a special thanks to Bill Medford, Cheryl Criswell, Erin Gangsted, Stacy Landers, Gail Turner, Ronda Prewitt and Greg Stiffler the members of the 2008 Golf Committee who worked hard in making this years tournament a success.
Government Truisms Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you! Pericles (430 B.C.) | Board of Directors 2008 President - Rex Ballenger President Elect - Marlo Nixon Vice President - Ann Ross Secretary - Lori Adams Treasurer - Daren Roberts Director - Dave Marra Director - Judy Hudson Director - Sarah Labrasseur Director - Ronda Prewitt Legislation - Rawlin Westover Past President - Lori Palermo
Ethics & Professional Standards Phone: 1-541-484-3043 Patty Manning, Administrator Oregon Assoc of REALTORS® 1-800-252-9115
Please remember to notify Executive Officer, Daren Roberts, when you make business or career changes as she needs to input changes to the National Realtor® Database System so you will receive your NAR, OAR, and Springfield Publications.
Springfield Board of Realtors Mission Statement: “The Springfield Board of Realtors® mission is to be a viable, dedicated organization that fulfills the needs of its members and the objectives of NAR & OAR. We are committed to promote, preserve and advocate for the personal property rights of our community. We will strive toward educating the community of the benefits the REALTOR® can provide.
Education
SPRINGFIELD BOARD MEMBERS Submit your news worthy items. eo@springfieldrealtors.net
Thank You.
Notice to all offices: We need help in keeping our membership roster updated. Please take a moment to review your office listing to make sure the information is current. Any changes can be submitted to our webmaster. Be sure to follow up with Daren our EO to complete each members registration with OAR and NAR. |
Government Affairs Director Report October 2008 Government Affairs Report Jim Welsh, Shared GAD
Government Affairs Director Report Government Affairs ReportBy Jim Welsh, GAD October, 2008 Public hearing for potential increase to sewer user rateOn Thursday, September 25, the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) held a public hearing for their major capital improvement program (CIP) to meet regulatory requirements and to ensure protection of public health and the environment. This CIP is estimated to cost approximately $200 million dollars, which will be funded in part by revenue bonds. The requirements of the bonds, coupled with a recent significant loss of revenue due to the closure of the Hynix manufacturing facility, is causing the need to evaluate options to address the financial support necessary to provide required wastewater services to the community. Several options related to managing wastewater expenses and revenues will be presented to the MWMC on September 25th. These options will include scenarios for possible increases in the wastewater user rates. The impact of the rate increases in the options to be presented range from 63 cents to $1.10 per month on the average residential sewer bill. A public hearing on the possible regional wastewater rate increases is scheduled in conjunction with the September Commission meeting. Eugene -Springfield residents who pay for wastewater services are encouraged to attend a public hearing regarding a potential increase to the regional wastewater user rate. Additional information is available by calling 726-3695 or online at http://www.mwmcpartners.org. Open House for City of Springfield Draft Stormwater Facilities Master Plan On Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 4:00 - 6:00 PM, at Springfield City Hall, in the Library Meeting Room a draft of the Stormwater Facilities Master Plan will be available for public comment. The plan is a public infrastructure master planning tool. It is a comprehensive look at the stormwater system to identify both existing and future needs for the city. The plan is designed to fill the needs of the City in three general areas: flood control and public safety, water quality and regulatory compliance, and guidance for development. Community residents are invited to attend the open house to provide comment on the draft plan. Additional information and the draft plan is available by calling 726-3695 or online at http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/DEPT_PW.HTM NAR New Ad on Banks in Real Estate Some of us have been asking if NAR could use the current bank bailout situation to work to keep banks out of real estate permanently. While Congress will likely do little other than get this bailout bill passed before they leave for the year (to work on their campaigns), NAR this week, began running ads in all of the Capitol Hill papers to that end. Go to the NAR website or this link: http://www.realtoractioncenter.com/bank_ticker2.pdf to see the latest ad to inform the public and congress how important it is to keep the big banks out of Real Estate. Treasury Bailout You’ve undoubtedly heard about the Department of Treasury’s $700 Billion plan to bail out Wall Street this week. While President Bush and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson have stated that the bailout is necessary to the stability and soundness of the US economy, many on Capitol Hill have balked at its price tag and the cost to taxpayers. Congress continues to work on a plan that will adequately protect the taxpayer while also providing the needed actions to stabilize the markets. Such stabilization is key to the ability of applicants obtaining mortgage loans and lenders having liquidity, and thus to the health of the housing market. To see important information on the proposals available at this time, please visit REALTOR.org at: http://www.realtor.org/gapublic.nsf/pages/gses_conservatorship?OpenDocument. If you have questions, please feel free to contact either Tony Hutchinson at thutchinson@realtors.org or 202-383-1120 or Jeff Lischer at jlischer@realtors.org or 202-383-1117. NAR’s Broker Involvement Program NAR is hoping that you’ve heard about the Broker Involvement Program when they introduced it this year. Based on the “All Politics is Local” concept, they are asking brokers to get their agents more involved in the grassroots. Much like a Call for Action (CFA) goes out from NAR, the Broker Program allows brokers to send broker-branded CFA messages to their agents, encouraging them to respond. The results have been excellent so far, and they have seen response rates go higher than the national average. NAR is now reaching out to the most politically active group of REALTORS®, the broker-owners, to take part? Please consider signing up for this most important program. If you’re not a broker-owner, you can still help! Please ask your broker to sign your office up so that everyone in your office can be as responsive as you are to a CFA. If you’d like more information about the Broker Involvement Program, or to sign up, please contact Ed Lawler at elawler@realtors.org or 202-383-1156, Erin Murphy at emurphy@realtors.org or 202-383-1079 or Jackie Zaporowski at jzaporowski@realtors.org or 202-383-1091. NAR Testifies at RESPA Hearing A short while ago, FPCs participated in a Call For Action to get Congressional House Members to sign on to a letter to HUD, urging them to reconsider their burdensome proposed RESPA rules. Close to 240 Members of the House signed on to that letter, yet HUD is insisting on going forward to implement its new proposal. The House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on September 16 to look into HUD’s moving forward with this ill-advised proposal. Anthony Lindsey, FPC for Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC), testified on behalf of NAR and did a fine job representing NAR’s concerns with how the proposed rule would add burden to real estate closing procedures. To see the press release on Anthony’s testimony, please visit REALTOR.org. National Flood Insurance Program Expiring On September 30, The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will expire. Even though both the House and the Senate have passed bills (you may remember the Call for Action on H.R. 3121 last year), they’ve never come to conference to finalize the bill for the President’s signature. In 11 days, this program will expire if Congress doesn’t do something immediately. The effect will be further instabilities in the housing market. On September 18, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, introduced legislation to allow for a seven-month extension of NFIP so that it doesn’t expire. If passed, the extension will allow the House and Senate to continue to work together for a re-authorization and also assess the implications of the 2008 hurricane season. Additional information on the NFIP is available on REALTOR.org. If you have questions, feel free to contact Austin Perez at aperez@realtors.org or 202-383-1046.
SBOR Meeting Minutes for
Springfield Board of Realtors® 2008 Committees ChairpersonsEducation: Lori Palermo 746-3498 Judy Hudson 746-3498
Legislative: Rawlin Westover 747-9971 ORPAC Marlo Nixon 747-9971 Erin Gangstad 913-6995 Ann Ross 342-4200 Budget: Daren Roberts 988-0200 Judy Hudson 746-3498 Sarah LaBrasseur 342-4200 RMLS: Lori Palermo 746-3498 Public Relations: Amy Grand 741-9977 Sheryl Waters 342-4200 Erin Gangstad 913-6995 Cheryl Criswell 225-8582 ECHO: Dave Marra 744-1994 Realtor of the Year: Judy Hudson 746-3498 Affiliate of the Year: Stacy Landers 741-1981 Judy Hudson 746-3498 Ronda Prewitt 543-6022 Golf Tournament: Bill Medford 988-0200 Ronda Prewitt 543-6022 Stacy Landers 335-9971 Erin Gangestad 485-3588 Cheryl Criswell 225-8582 Gail Turner 521-6433 Jon Bonynge 988-0200 Greg Stifler 342-3661 Daren Roberts 988-0221
Christmas Party: Laurie Adams 744-1994 Lori Palermo 746-3498 Sarah LaBrasseur 342-4200 Mary Palermo 746-3498 Ronda Prewitt 543-6022 Barbara Newman 683-2400 Ann Ross 342-4200 Gail Turner 521-6433 Stacy Landers 335-9971 Cheryl Criswell 225-8582 Christmas Parade: Ronda Prewitt 543-6022 Stacey Fribertg 747-9971 Erin Gangestad 485-3588 Cheryl Criswell 225-8582 Dawn Aquino 741-9971 Picnic: Sarah LaBrasseur 342-4200 Erin Gangestad 485-3588 Ronda Prewitt 543-6022 Dawn Aquino 741-9971 Sheryl Waters 342-4200
A special thanks to all that serve our members! If you would like to serve on one of our committee's please contat Judy Hudson at 744-1994
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS A LOOK AHEAD- 2008
Corrections & additions can be submitted to eo@springfieldrealtors.net |
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