PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
By Michele Folk, SR/WA, R/W-RAC

Members:

Spring is here, and it’s time for “out with the old and in with the new.” We will be voting on our new Chapter Board at our May luncheon as presented to you when we last met in April. As a reminder, anyone can run for a position from “the floor,” so please contact me at the luncheon (or prior to), if you are interested in any of the Board positions (President, President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary and Professional Development Chairperson) and you have not yet been presented to the membership as a nominee.

June is fast approaching, and registration is still open for the Annual International Education Conference in Atlanta, GA from June 12th – 15th. If you have never attended the annual conference, it is quite the event. I invite you to take advantage of the many educational and learning opportunities as well as the networking events planned every year. With the uncertainty surrounding the future of redevelopment agencies, it would certainly be an opportunity to check out opportunities locally as well as nationally. The conference draws attendance of 800 – 1,100 professionals working in every aspect of the right of way industry each year. For more information on the conference schedule of events and sessions, go to www.irwaonline.org and click on News & Events.

Rick Rayl and I will be in attendance at the conference representing Chapter 67 as your voting International Directors. Please look for a future email where I will present to you the issues on which we will be voting. Since we represent all of you with our two votes, any feedback or opinions are much welcomed.

It’s not too late! May 10th is our annual Spring Seminar. We will have several panels discussing the valuation of mobile home parks and mobile homes, mobile home acquisition and relocation issues and legal challenges and tips surrounding mobile home park acquisition. Please see the seminar announcement and registration form in this newsletter.

Please don’t forget, our regular Chapter luncheon and Board meeting will follow our event on the 10th. We will have two additional speakers, Dave Cosgrove and Mark La Bonte, who will tie together all the great information from the morning’s panel topics with a discussion about a local project involving acquisitions affecting two mobile home parks. Members who cannot attend the full half day event are still encouraged to come for our regular luncheon gathering ($15 for those that RSVP - $20 at the door.)

Please join us at the Santa Ana/OC Airport Holiday Inn, located at 2726 South Grand Boulevard, Santa Ana, CA 92705, and please remember to RSVP to Joe Munsey at jmunsey@semprautilities.com.  Our Board Meeting will follow immediately after the luncheon.

Have a great week, and see you on the 10th!