News copy from Word doc

Hello everyone.

 Well, this is the week in which the Residential Tenancy Branch decides how to move forward with the owner’s request for a 7.6% pad rent increase for 2015.  Your park committee has been working actively and diligently to fulfil every requirement presented us by both the lawyer and the RTB.

Together with the lawyer Roger Batchelor we have asked the arbitrator at the RTB for the following:

• We are asking the RTB to lower the 5.1% asking price from the owners. In fact we are asking that they remove it altogether, but given that the owners will likely be allowed some kind of an increase because they were mandated to carry out the sewer connection, we are asking for the lowest amount possible.
• We are asking that any sewer upgrade fees be kept separate from the pad fee and given a designated endpoint once our portion has been paid for.
• We are asking that the RTB allow a hearing in person with lawyers and both parties involved versus the “written materials only” approach that is presently set in place.
• We are asking the RTB to order the owners to reveal former costs associated with maintenance and upkeep of the septic field. It is our contention that the savings that the owners will experience with the new sewer connection will cover much of the cost of recent construction.

The RTB is taking this case seriously.  We are a large park and this could generate significant public press.  So it’s in their interest to do this right.

Some of you have been wondering about payment for this coming year.

Park owners are allowed one increase per year & requests for increase in pad fees must have a 3 month lead time.  Therefore we will not likely see any increase until April.  We will wait for word from the arbitrator to confirm this.

NEW! 

For up to the minute information on our sewer/pad fee situation, please go to the web and type in our postal code (V9B4H2.com).  There on the front page you will see “news” or “click here for latest news”.  We will be posting any information that comes from our lawyer or the Residential Tenancy Branch the moment we receive it.  That way you don’t have to wait for one of these newsletters but can receive the very freshest of information when it arrives.  If you have questions please email Wally Schmidt at schmidt.wally@gmail.com.

_____________________________________________________________

 On a different note…

 Opportunity:  Are you creative?  Organized?  Enjoy writing?  We are looking for someone with good communication skills and comfort with the computer to manage our park website.  Tony Hallihan has created the website for us but wouldn’t it be great to have someone give it life, energy, humour and, you know, the latest stuff.  If this is something you might enjoy, please contact someone on the park committee.

Got other ideas?  Something you would like to see happen in the park perhaps and you would be willing to be part of the organizing of that particular idea?  Contact us.

 Got a skill or a service that would be helpful to people here in the park?  Contact us with the details and we will post it on the website.  Several people have contacted us with opportunities and the web will be the best place for it.