Posted on: July 25, 2016 | General News
“Every accomplishment starts with a decision to try!”
Your Whiteshell Cottagers Association has made the decision to try and achieve a membership level unheard of in “not for profit” organizations, a membership level in excess of 90%. We made this decision because discussions with the province about our annual lease fees will resume in September and a strong membership base will be pivotal and critically important to the success of this process.
For those of you who don’t know, here is brief summary of events to date:
In the spring of 2013 the province announced that our annual lease and service fees would increase. Normally operating costs increase each year and it was reasonable to expect an increase. However, calculations released by the province were unconscionable. Many cottagers faced 600% to 700% increases over ten years.
The WCA immediately asked the province to reconsider their approach and during the ensuing two and one half years we had numerous meetings, wrote many emails and slowly turned up the heat be engaging legal counsel, hiring a public relations firm and forming a coalition with cottagers from other Manitoba Provincial Parks. Finally in late December 2015 and under huge pressure, the government made an announcement that they would freeze our lease fees at the 2014/2015 level. They also invited us to participate in a process to create a new method of calculating our annual fees.
The provincial election last April has slowed the process to some degree but we are pleased to announce that meetings with the province will resume this September. With your support we are optimistic we can arrive at a fee schedule that is fair and reasonable for all provincial park cottagers in Manitoba.
The membership spread sheet at the link below lists all the populated lakes in our beautiful park. As you can clearly see, we have a long way to go in six short weeks to exceed the 90% level.
Click Link July Membership Report
Ask yourself what role you play in this? Here is your action plan:
(1) Become part of a united front, make your voice heard, become a member immediately.
(2) Become informed, take ownership, go to our web site and read about issues that affect all cottagers, read the Echo either on the website at whiteshellcottagers.com or have it delivered to your door, go to Facebook, get current, get informed and consider this…..
“Ignorance is a voluntary misfortune”.
(3) Become a strong advocate for YOUR association; educate your neighbours; promote membership and remember……United we stand……..Divided we fall!
We must all start by doing what is necessary, then doing what is possible and suddenly we are doing the impossible…….yes, together as one big team we will hit 90%!!!!!!
Thank you and good luck.
Gary Kennedy & Deborah Seguin
WCA Membership Committee
P.S. – in the coming weeks look for an exciting announcement on the creation of extended membership plans that will make it easier for you to manage your annual membership fee assessment.
