Mad as HELL? ... Not gonna take it ANY MORE?

If you are a MRFHA cabin owner and you just got your lot appraisal/fee notice for 2011 and you're THRILLED about it there's no reason you'll wanna read this post. But if it makes you want to sell or scream...or something....well...here is something you can do. Oh, don't tell us you already did this once. Hey, if you didn't get the response you wanted obviously ONCE was not enough.

Visit the NFHA Site and read about 'Cabin Coalition 2'...and stay informed. There may be something we can do to make cabin ownership affordable again.

Survey participants needed! Read this post!

The National Forest Homeowners Assoc is doing an important survey and your participation is very VERY important. Data is being gathered regarding CUFFA rules and the Cabin Coalition's efforts to alter the rules to comply with their intent...and to NOT push cabin owners out with crazy exorbitant fees that miss the intention of the program altogether.

If you are a cabin permittee please take a second and follow this link to complete the survey on line...
NFH Cabin OWNERS Survey

Thank you...you'll be glad you took the time.

New Appraisal results starting to arrive....

Some members are beginning to report they are receiving results of the latest lot appraisals conducted in 2008 on the Metolius Cabin tracts. If you got yours we'd like to hear from you. Be sure to include the appraisal amount and your Tract and Lot # and lets us know if you are expecting us to contact you.

At least ONE member in Tract O received notice that the market value of their leased lot is $90,000. The past value 10 years ago was 55,000. Since that was the HIGHEST value 10 years ago we'd expect that 90k is the highest we'll see. That'd be a 63% increase over the last appraisal.

A $90,000 value brings a $4,500 annual permit fee in 2011, when the new fees are expected to go into affect, assuming CUFFA law isn't altered. That's about $1,300 MORE than was JUST billed in 2009, about a 36% increase.

If you aren't happy with your fees then you had better explore what you can do to support the national group looking to apply pressure to re-examine the fairness of the Cabin Fee Fairness Act. We can help put you in touch with those folks if you Email us at info@mrfha.org

Update on Fees - There seems to be NO end to it!

The FS has notified us that

1. Despite the Under Secretary of the Interior's direction to charge 2008 fees plus 2%
2. Despite all the Press saying we homeowners are 'cutting a fat hog', because fees aren't being implemented per CUFFA
   
3. Despite the fact the the FS has already collected fees at CUFFA rates from most (if not all) of us

The FS NOW maintains that there was 'inefficient authority' to charge anything LESS that what CUFFA provides for; thus, our fees as billed and paid stand...at least for the time being.

The matter will be referred to the NFH Association for guidance. So if you are a periodic reader of this site AND a permit holder, stay tuned and keep reading this blog. We'll post any chages when we're made aware of 'em.

So what's NEW?

Well, what's NEW is that the OLD battle for the right(s) to build Destination Resorts in the greater Metolius Basin goes on and on, ad nauseum. People are lining up, taking sides, making friends (and enemies) on this hotly contested issue. Even the Governor seems to finally be waking up to the issue and making plans for action. It's just hard to tell from those plans which side of the issue (and of the Basin) he is on.

Just a clue: It's NOT about Betsy Johnson..or the Johnson Family Trust or any of that diversionary stuff. It IS about water, property rights, public interests and truth, justice and the American way. Stay tuned. Or contact your legislators if you want to know REAL confusion on the issue.

One click-able source of information (and hey, ALL sources have a bias, so don't beat me up) is Save the Metolius

Another on the other side of the issue might be The Metolian

Or, if you like fantasy, anything written by the Bend Bulletin but ESPECIALLY this piece :Metolius basin may become off-limits


Bottom line? Form your own opinion(s) and let them be heard. This is an issue that WILL impact the users of the Metolius, even if we can't all agree on just how.

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Something OLD in the news department would be the lack of clear direction on the over-billing - over payment of lease fees for most if not virtually ALL of the Metolius tract. We wait...but we don't LIKE it. Good thing for the FS that interest rates are so low.


...

HOT OFF THE PRESSES from the NFH

"It is now official: the Department of Agriculture, at the request of Congress, has ordered the Forest Service to temporarily suspend the increase in 2009 fees.

On January 5th, 2009, the Secretary of Agriculture sent the Chief of the Forest Service a directive that cabin owner fees due in 2009 are to be the same as the 2008 fees, with a 2% inflation adjustment. The Washington Office is now working on a directive to this effect to send to all the regions.

The directive will clearly state that this action is being taken in expectation of Congressional action in 2009 to revisit and revise/reform/replace the Cabin Users Fee Fairness Act (CUFFA).

If Congress does not take action regarding CUFFA in the next twelve months, the 2009 fee increases are to be collected retroactively by the FS.

In response to the question, Undersecretary of Agriculture Mark Rey said that any cabin owner who has already received a 2009 fee bill should ignore it and wait for a new fee in accord with this policy.

We still do not know what will happen to those whose fees were set to go down. As to those who have already paid their fees, we anticipate they will probably get a credit. The prospect of a refund in the current economic environment is unlikely unless Congress directs it in new legislation.

Those whose fees were scheduled to go up were to be billed on the basis of appraisals that were performed before CUFFA became effective.

As we understand it, no fees based on appraisals performed post-CUFFA were set to go into effect in 2009. Unless Congress fixes the fee setting issue, those fees will be implemented in the billing cycle that falls after one year has elapsed from the acceptance of the appraisal. So many could see fee rises in 2010 without the help of Congress. "

Fees 'Rolled Back'

With NO announcement or notification from the Forest Service and AFTER the 2009 Fees had been billed at the NEW rate (an 85% increase for the Metolius Tracts) our research tells us that 2009 fees will be 2008 level, plus 2%. That would seem to mean that lot permittees who payed the billing they got in mid December are due a return for over-payment.

Can all this be right? As of this writing we are a little confused ourselves. Aubrey King, NFH association representative in Washington, DC tells us he checked and the correct rate, FOR NOW anyway, should be 2008 rate plus 2%. We'll be verifying this soon with the Sisters Ranger District and post a followup for if it IS correct the FS owes some folks some money (plus interest).

'...Curiouser and curiouser....'

New Fees...

All the Metolius Cabins have their new fee by now and it's a bit of a hefty boost. We'd expected it, and dreaded it...but here it is.

The FS is just following procedure....and the rules of CUFFA set the formula for fees, so we're sort of stuck with it unless the rules can be changed. You're encouraged to support the CUFFA II group which seeks to modify CUFFA rules. If you need to know more visit the NFH link at this site or at the www.mrfha.org site for the NFH link.

And be prepared. It's gonna get worse...probably by 2011...That's when the NEW appraisals that just were done go into affect.

Permits ISSUED!

If you are a permitee on the Metolius you should have just revceived your 20 year Permit renewal. For god's sake read it right away and read it carefully! If you see anything that gives you trouble and you want the MRFHA Board to know about it send us an e-mail or call 503-530-6623 and ask for Mark.

This is the most important thing you've done about your cabin in the last 20 years so give it the importance it deserves. No surprises is OUR motto.