Hertzke Takes Reins of Power at
Winnebago
During a recent Winnebago party the
company celebrated three things: wishing Fred Dohrmann best wishes in his retirement,
congratulating Bruce Hertzke on his new position as chairman and chief executive officer
and celebrating Winnebago Industries, Inc.'s 40th anniversary. Shown above is Dohrmann
(right) as he turns over the reins, as chairman and chief executive officer to Bruce
Hertzke.
Dohrmann said, "We want to celebrate with our fine
employees and the community during this very exciting time. I've been truly blessed to
have worked in this fine organization since 1974. Now is an excellent time for me to turn
over the reins of the organization to Bruce Hertzke and an experienced management team.
Record revenues, a strong balance sheet, no long term debt and a very exciting motor home
lineup make 1998 a very exhilarating and prosperous year for us. I will continue to be
involved with Winnebago Industries as I serve on the board of directors and as I start my
retirement travels in my new Winnebago Minnie motor home."
Washington KOA Owners Named 1997
"KOA Franchisee of the Year"
The Martin family -- Danny, Shirley, Marty and Eddie --
of Lynden KOA, in Washington was honored at the 1997 KOA International Conven-tion in Palm
Springs, CA., with the presentation of the KOA system's highest honor, the KOA
Franchisee of the Year award.
Also, in November of last year, the Martin family marked
the l8th anniversary of signing their franchise agreement with KOA. During those years,
the Martins have invested a significant amount of time and energy into their campground
and, today, Lynden KOA is five times larger than when it first opened.
St. Louis RV Show Attendance Bolstered
By Boomers
The St. Louis RV Camping & Travel Show joined other
RV Shows around the nation in reporting an increase in attendance. It is estimated that
19,500 RV enthusiasts visited the four-day show in March. According to Glenn Thomas, show
chairman, this represents nearly a six-percent increase from last year. He said, "A
large number of families were reported showing first-time interest in the nearly 400 RVs
at the show and the RV lifestyle. According to show manager Steve Lengyel, the 12
participating RV dealers and booth exhibitors were happy with the influx of new customers.
A number of dealers reported record sales with much activity also occurring on the
dealers' lots in the days following the show.
Thomas said, "There was a lot of good interest from
first time buyers, especially among families. The Go RVing campaign is really stirring up
business from first-time buyers that range from retirees to young families. Seeing the
families gives us hope for the future."
The 1999 St. Louis RV Camping & Travel Show will be
January 14-17 at the St. Louis Convention Center.
RV Rental Association Forecasts Another
Strong Year
RV rental companies are optimistic about the outlook for
motorhome and travel trailer rentals this year. According to a new survey of RV Rental
Association (RVRA) members, RV rentals are expected to rise 24 percent in 1998.
To keep pace with the growing number of people renting
RVs this summer, the average RV rental fleet size is forecast to jump an average of 11
percent. This is good news for RV rental customers who will have a larger selection of RVs
to choose from this year.
Type C (mini-motorhomes) continue to be the most popular
type of rental RV, followed by Type A motorhomes, and towables.
Bert Alanko, chairman of RVRA, said, "The results of
the RVRA rental survey confirm that the RV rental business is one of the most vibrant
sectors of the RV industry. The vast majority of rental companies are looking forward to a
prosperous and profitable 1998."
What should prove to be a great year for RV rentals is
also reflected in the number of miles traveled in a rented RV. Rental companies expect a
16 percent increase in total mileage. Total number of days spent in a rented RV is
expected to climb 12 percent. Some other findings of note are that 84 percent of RV rental
companies now rent for more than 10 months a year and RV rentals by foreign visitors are
expected to make up 11 percent of all North America. (Also See Related Story on Page 16.)
Sherrard RV & KOA Provides Wish for
Child Diagnosed with Leukemia
RV News has learned that Sherrard RV & KOA in
Colbert, OK, helped make a Christmas dream come true for 11-year-old Ron Barry who was
diagnosed with terminal leukemia. According to Dale Pugh, Sherrard president and general
manager, Ron, whose family is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Indian Tribe,
wanted to go to a Dallas Cowboys football game. His Christmas wish was granted.
Ron, his father, mother and sister, attended the Cowboys'
final game of the season against the New York Giants at Texas Stadium in Irving, TX.
To make the day was even more memorable, Sherrard RV
& KOA provided the family with a 1998 Monaco Windsor Diesel Motorhome, plus a
chauffeur to take the family to the game. Sherrard even stocked the RV's refrigerator with
sandwiches and soft drinks. Pugh and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Indian Tribe paid for
the tickets and Wal-Mart provided the family with Cowboys' clothing for the game.
"I guarantee you there wasn't a more appreciative
fan at Texas Stadium that Sunday than young Ron Barry," Pugh said.
Coachmen RV Hosts Annual Dealer Council
Coachmen RV Co. hosted its annual Dealer Council at the
company's Middlebury, IN, headquarters in March. Nine representatives from Coachmen
dealers from around the country together with a team of Coachmen management officials
analyzed just-completed dealer satisfaction surveys. The group also reviewed recent
product improvements for the 1998 models that have been added since those models were
introduced last summer. Proposed 1999 improvements as well as potential floor plan changes
and new model plans were also discussed during the two-day meeting. The Dealer Council is
made up of owners or general managers of 12 Coachmen dealers but due to inclement weather
only nine dealers were able to attend.
Canopy Country RV Center Gets New Owner
V&R, Inc., became the new owners of Canopy Country RV
Center, Yakima, WA. V&R president is former sales manager, Craig Carroll.
Carroll said that Canopy Country RV Center will continue
to operate as before under the same name.
Coast Sets Dates For 1999 Buyer's Show
The Coast Distribution System's 1999 Dealer Advantage
Buying Show will once again be at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Dates for the show are
February 9-11, 1999.
According to Coast president Jeff Wanna-maker, one of the
exciting highlights of Coast's 1999 Buying Show will be its move from the Grand Garden
Arena to the MGM's new 300,000-square-foot conference center. Wannamaker said, "This
state-of-the-art complex contains the latest technology in meeting facilities and is
designed to provide both indoor and outdoor environments. With a beautiful exhibit hall of
over 62,000 square-foot and the Premier Ballroom of close to 50,000 square-foot, the new
MGM Grand Conference Center will allow Coast to expand its Buying Show and offer even more
exciting opportunities to its customers."
Dometic Computers Ready For Year 2000
Moving closer to the new millennium makes many business
people nervous. They may be ready for the transition to the year 2000, but their computers
are not.
The Dometic Corporation is one company ahead of the game.
Speaking of the company's efforts to amend computer programs, making them 2000 compatible,
Sandra Smith, Dometic's director of information technology, said, "It is a large
undertaking, but it needs to be done. We had three people devoted to it for six
months."
Smith explained that the problem exists for programs that
process dates and make date comparisons. Computer systems have historically identified a
year by the last two digits only, assuming the first two digits to be 19. Therefore, when
the year 2000 arrives and the last two digits roll over to 00, computers will think it is
the year 1900.
Without correction, some programs will malfunction while
others will process wrong information. Entire computer systems could crash.
To prevent this possibility, Dometic started early to
remedy the situation. The company's entire enterprise-wide system (distribution, financial
and manufacturing systems) is 2000 compatible, as well as its Dometic Partners in
Communication Strategies (DPICS) system for customers and vendors.
Smith said, "The Year 2000 issue is no longer a
threat to The Dometic Corporation."
Transamerica Launches Joint
Inventory/Retail Finance Program For RV Industry
Transamerica Distribution Finance Corpora-tion (TDF) has
introduced the "Power Up! Cash" program that allows RV dealers to earn a cash
bonus on RV's that are inventory financed through TDF and retail financed through the
"Power Up! Cash" program.
According to Dale Hill, vice president of TDF's Home and
Recreational Vehicles Group, there are no wholesale or retail volume minimums required to
receive the bonus, and no sign-up fees to qualify. The program pays dealers' accumulated
bonuses monthly. It also offers competitive retail financing rates and contract funding
within 24 hours.
"With the 'Power Up! Cash' program," Hill said,
"dealers always receive the highest possible cash bonus because there are no minimum
volume requirements. We want to provide our dealers with opportunities to increase their
margins and close more sales. 'Power Up! Cash' not only gives dealers additional income,
it also provides a competitive retail program to help dealers close more sales."
Deutsche Forms Consumer Finance Group
To Serve RV Industry
Deutsche Financial Services (DFS) has established a new
Consumer Finance Group (CFG) to serve the specialized needs of its RV customers. The new
group will be based in Newport Beach, CA.
The CFG, which is under the direction of newly named
group president, Roger Kirwan, will be working closely with DFS' Inventory Finance Group
(IFG) to offer a complimentary product to RV manufacturers and dealers. The combination of
the IFG's inventory programs and the CFG's retail programs provides DFS' customers with a
"one-stop" financing alternative. In addition, DFS will continue offering
value-added products such as extended warranty and service agreement programs.
Kirwan said, "We're confident that our recreational
vehicle customers will benefit greatly by consolidating their inventory and retail
financing with one financial provider. Our goal is to provide our clients with a seamless
and practical way of doing business."
1998 PRVCA Show Dates Announced
The Pennsylvania RV & Camping Association has
announced the dates for it's annual Penn-sylvania RV & Camping Show. Trade only days
will be September 8-9,1998, and the public days run from September 10 to 13. As always,
the show will be at the State Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA. The Life On Wheels RV
Confer-ence which is being held in conjunction with the show will be September 7-10, at
the Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg. For more information, call
800-732-2226.
Winnebago Industries Declares Cash
Dividend
The board of directors of Winnebago Indus-tries, Inc.,
(NYSE-:WGO) have declared a cash dividend of ten cents per share, payable on July 6, 1998
to shareholders of record as of June 5, 1998. The dividend and recent stock repurchase are
indicators of the board's confidence in the company and its continued strength of the RV
industry.
Bruce Hertzke, Winnebago's president and CEO, said,
"Our 1998 products have been well received by our dealers and retail customers. Order
backlog for motorhome production is currently running approximately 80 percent ahead of
last year's orders at this time."
Transamerica Offers New On-Line Service
to Streamline Financing Process
Transamerica Distribution Finance Corpora-tion (TDF) has
introduced Dealer On-Line (DOL), a service designed to improve the convenience and
accuracy of tracking and paying for financing services.
Dealer On-Line offers RV dealers on-line access to their
TDF accounts, permitting them to make payments electronically or by check. The service
allows dealers to view open invoices and pending approval amounts, as well as to check
available credit lines and contact their TDF representative via e-mail with the click of a
button.
KOA Honors Two Franchisees
for 30 Years of Service
Art Peterson, Kampgrounds of America (KOA) Inc. president
and CEO, speaking about the two KOA franchisee's honored recently for 30 years of service,
said, "It takes a special type of person to successfully own and operate a
campground, and a special dedication to do so over an extended period of time. This award
represents three decades of commitment to their campgrounds and their camping guests, and
their successful resolution of the many challenges encountered over those years."
The honorees were Missoula (MT) KOA franchisees Elmer and
Marge Frame and their family, and the Gibbel family-James, John and Henry-of
Lancaster/Reading KOA, PA. The awards were presented at the 1997 KOA International
Con-vention in Palm Springs, CA.
SilverLeaf Introduces VMSII™
MultiCenter™ -- A Driver's Tool for RVers
SilverLeaf Electronics, Inc., a new company founded by
Martin Perlot, formerly national marketing director for SMC Corporation, recently
introduced VMSII™ MultiCenter™, an electronic monitoring system for motorhome
engines and systems with a digital dash display.
In making the announcement Perlot said, "Electronics
haven't fulfilled their promise to the RV industry. Electronic engines are now the
standard in new motorhomes, but we're not getting everything we can from them. If an RV
buyer is going to spend over a $100,000.00 for a new diesel pusher, he ought to be able to
get every bit of value from that engine.
"These new engines can do a lot more than just push
the coach down the road. With the VMSII™, we can tap into the engine ECM (Electronic
Control Module) and get at the hidden features of these engines."
In addition to the sophisticated data from the engine,
the VMSII™ can also estimate arrival time and track performance over a series of
trips. It even has an alarm clock and calendar.
"It's a driver's assistant," Perlot explained.
" It's just plain handy.
"Imagine having sixteen gauges in your dash, all
digitally accurate, and including never- before-available features such as horsepower and
torque output. The VMSII™ maintains constant communication with the engine, and
analyzes the data to provide these advanced functions. Internally. The VMSII™ is a
complete computer in its own right, allowing it to perform some advanced calculations
while you're travelling. It shows the results graphically on a large vacuum-fluorescent
display.
"You can actually watch your fuel economy change as
you change speed or enter the hills. You can watch the horsepower output adjust as you
shift. This is real information you can use to drive better."
The VMSII™ is available for the Caterpillar 3126 and
C-12 engines. Development for other engines, including the Cummins series of electronic
engines, is underway.
For more information call Martin Perlot, SilverLeaf
Electronics, 888-741-0259, or visit the SilverLeaf web site at www.simply-smarter.com.
WDA Announces Program For Annual Summer
Education Conference
WDA - The RV Aftermarket Association will hold it's 7th
Annual Summer Education Confer-ence on June 14 - 16, 1998 in Boulder CO. According to Jim
Stanley, WDA executive director, the Education Conference offers members an opportunity to
attend two days of informative panel discussions and seminars. The conference continues in
the series of superb educational opportunities WDA has afforded its' membership.
Stanley said, "The conference starts with
Distribution Technology and Supplier partnering panel discussions featuring Karl Edmonds
and Bradley Smith, both experts in this field with an impressive list of industry
credentials.
"Following the panel discussions are seminars
conducted by Skill Path. These seminars cover a wide range of topics including; Customer
Service, Project Management, and Communi-cation. Unlike other type of educational
programming, the most important feature of these seminars is the fact that members of all
levels can gain valuable information from these seminars."
The Education Conference will finish with a tour of the
Carefree of Colorado facility.
Alexander & Alexander Announces
Name Change
Effective in April, 32-year-old Alexander & Alexander
(A&A), a company offering RV insurance changed its name to RV Alliance America
after a recent merger with Aon Corporation.
The RV Alliance America (RVAA) program was unveiled as
the result of two of the world's most successful insurance brokers combining forces. Brock
Benn, senior vice president of A&A stated, "We hated to lose the name since it
was so well recognized within the RV industry, but with the merger we had no choice. The
Alexander & Alexander RV program now becomes a division of Affinity Insurance Services
of Washington, Inc., and will be marketed under the RV Alliance America name." As the
new RVAA name is rolled out, a new company logo well be revealed as well.
Benn also noted, "For our RV insurance customers,
the merger will result in a number of positive changes. These include an increase in our
sales and service staff as well as improved telephone and systems technology - all aimed
at improving the level of service to our customers. I want to assure our RV customers that
this is a name change only, and will not result in changes of insurance companies. Under
the new organization, we will also continue our close working relationship with RV clubs,
manufacturers and dealers."
As of January 1998, the RVAA sales and service center,
formerly located in Detroit, was relocated to Bellevue, WA. The new sales and service
center can be reached at 800-521-2942.
SMC Corporation Announces Preliminary
First Quarter Results
SMC Corporation (Nasdaq: SMCC) reports that while it
continues to be profitable, it expects revenues and earnings for the first quarter to be
below analyst estimates.
The shortfall was due to lower attendance at the
company's winter shows due to inclement weather and the continued shortage of Allison
medium-duty transmissions.
Mat Perlot, president and chief executive officer of SMC
Corporation, said, "We believe that the slowdown in first quarter sales reflects
weather-related attendance problems at our winter shows in California, Florida and New
Mexico. Histori-cally, these shows are well attended but this year cooler temperatures and
rain significantly reduced participation. In addition, we are still receiving the Allison
medium-duty transmissions on an allocation basis.''
Cummins Natural Gas Engines Sales
Continue To Grow
Cummins Engine Co. Inc. says that the 1997 sales of its
natural gas engines increased by 32 percent. With higher horsepower ratings and ultra-low
emissions-certified products now available, the 1998 sales forecast is even stronger.
Cummins three natural gas engines offer a total of eight ratings from 150 -300 horsepower.
The natural gas engine penetration of the North America
urban bus market (school/shu ttle/transit) is
continuing at a steady growth. Interest in alternative fuels is also increasing for the
North American urban truck, and international truck and bus applications.
In late 1997 Cummins released the industry's first
dedicated heavy-duty propane gas (lpg) engine. The first low emissions certified B5.9LPG
engines are powering shuttle buses and propane delivery trucks. Including the one quarter
of 1997 B5.9LPG production, Cummins alternative fuel engines sales increased by 38
percent.
Rexhall Industries Reports Fourth
Quarter and Year-End Results
Rexhall Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:REXL) announ-ced that for
the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 1997, the company lost 67 cents a share on revenues of $63
million, compared with a return of 45 cents a share on revenues of $65 million for the
same period in 1996.
The net loss before tax benefit for the year ended Dec.
31, 1997, was $2.9 million, as compared with net income before taxes of $2.1 million in
1996. This loss is due principally to the aforementioned nonrecurring charges reflected in
the restructuring operations and the settlement of the class-action lawsuit.
Revenues at the California facility increased from
$45,524,000 to $52,320,000, an increase of 14.9 percent, from 1996 to 1997. The closure of
the Elkhart production was done in conjunction with an expansion at the Lancaster facility
to accommodate the anticipated production in-crease at the California plant.
Winnebago Reports Record Revenues for
the Second Quarter and First Six Months
Winnebago Industries, Inc., reported record revenues for
the second quarter and first six months of fiscal 1998. Revenues for the quarter ended
February 28, 1998, were $118.7 million, compared to revenues of $105.7 million for the
second quarter last year. Net income for the quarter was $4.4 million, or 18 cents a
share, a dramatic increase compared with a net loss of $3.7 million, or 15 cents a share,
for the same period last year.
For the first six months of fiscal 1998, the company
reported revenues of $244.6 million with net income of $9.7 million, or 39 cents a share.
In comparison, the company had revenues of $219.6 million with net income of $15.5
million, or 61 cents a share for the first six months last year. This included a gain of
$16.5 million, or 65 cents a share from the sale of the company's Cycle-Sat, Inc.
subsidiary. Continuing operations for the first six months of fiscal 1997 resulted in a
net loss of $968,000, or four cents a share.
Holiday RV Superstores Promotes
Students in Free Enterprise
Students in Free Enterprise, or SIFE, is a Springfield,
Missouri based non-profit association committed to promoting an inter-collegiate level
free-enterprise competition.
Holiday RV Superstores president, Newton C. Kindlund, was
chosen as one of this year's judges at the SIFE regional contest in Clearwater Beach, FL,
in April.
Kindlund said, "This competition is all about
students getting other people to really understand how free enterprise works. Quite
frankly, I was amazed at the quality and depth of this year's collegiate level field of
contestants. Our company is proud to be able to play a role in the success of this year's
event."
New Hampshire Campground/RV Park
Association Executive Director Honored
Ronald Brown, executive director the New Hampshire
Campground Owners 'Association's was the recipient of the Northeast Campground Owners
Association's most prestigious award, the Curtis Fuller Award for Service, named after the
founder and publisher of Woodall's.
The award was presented at the annual meeting of the
Northeast Campground Association held in Sturbridge, MA.
In making the presentation Bruce Potter, president of the
New Hampshire Association, and Paul Peterson, president of the Northeast Association
commended Brown for his outstanding contributions not only to furthering camping in New
Hampshire, but throughout the Northeast.
RVIA Chairman Kelly Rose Says
Association Programs Help Industry Prosper
RVIA Chairman of the Board Kelly Rose termed 1997 a
remarkable year for the industry and the association. He described substantial progress in
several areas that will propel market growth into the next millennium.
In remarks at the association's Annual Meeting on March 7
at the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage in Palm Springs, Calif., Rose said that all the programs
RVIA conducts on the members' behalf have the common goal of creating an environment in
which the RV industry can prosper.
He also stressed that RVIA members play a key role in the
association's efforts. "We can all take pride in what we've accomplished in the past
year," Rose said. "Without your active support and participation, we could not
have achieved such a high level of success."
Industry Relations
Rose stated that the relationship between RV
manufacturers and dealers remains the association's top priority.
"Lines of communication with RVDA and state dealer
organizations are open and strong," he said. "Our efforts with these groups have
resulted in a healthy dialogue that has helped identify potential disagreements as well as
areas where compromises can be reached."
He pointed to the proposed manufacturer/dealer dispute
resolution program jointly developed by RVIA and RVDA as an initiative with great
potential.
"This is an initiative that will greatly improve the
manufacturer/dealer business relationship," he said. "It will resolve disputes
quickly, inexpensively and amicably."
Standards and Education
Saying that the standards operation is one of the most
important functions the association performs, Rose detailed several advancements in this
area.
This included Montana becoming the latest state to drop
their RV standards program and the association's work to develop, review and propose
changes to the ANSI and National Electrical Code standards.
"Through the inspection process and educational
standards seminars, RVIA is helping members understand and comply with various
requirements that will ultimately lead to higher quality vehicles for our customers,"
Rose said.
Rose also discussed the great strides made last year in
the industry education arena. "Our industry is well on track toward increasing RV
owner satisfaction by ensuring that their vehicles are serviced by professional well
trained service technicians," he said.
In support of this claim, Rose cited the certification of
the 500th tech through the certification program and modifications to the effort that will
allow qualified techs to become certified more quickly. He also discussed the impact of
the Labor Department's designation of a Standard Occupational Code for the RV tech career
and creation of the NRVTI scholarship program by RVIA and RVDA.
Government Relations
Government relations remains an intense area of activity.
Rose said the association is hopeful that during this session, the U.S. Congress will
consider important measures that address the proper funding of the nation's highway
systems and public lands.
There is also focus at the state level with 42 state
legislatures in session this year.
"Legislation that unfairly regulates our market or
the way RVers use our products can be introduced at any time," Rose said. "As an
association, we monitor legislative activity so that we can act quickly when laws are
proposed that could impact our business environment."
"USA Today" Founder Urges
Members to be Risk-Takers in Next Century
Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today and now head of the
Freedom Forum Foundation, told members that he had a special affinity for RV travel during
his keynote address at RVIA's Annual Membership Meeting, held March 7 in Palm Springs.
Calif.
Neuharth recalled a six-month, cross-country trip he took
in the early 1990s in a bus conversion, writing about his travels for USA Today. The most
frequently asked question from people that he met was, "What is it like to travel in
an RV for six months?"
"It is great and the best way to see the USA,"
was his reply then. "Now you know why RV sales grew so much in the 90s," he
added jokingly.
Neuharth stressed that the world today is indeed a global
village. This presents tremendous opportunities for businesses in the information and
travel and tourism industries, which he forecasts will grow greatly in the next century.
"The more people read and learn -- the more that
they know, they more they want to go," he said.
Neuharth also predicted that over the next few decades,
there will be significant social changes that will result in even more global free trade.
There will be three major trading blocks: Europe, including Russia; the Pacific, including
China; and the Americas. This will open more markets for businesses, including those in
the RV industry, with the vision and desire to capitalize on these opportunities.
"Bold risk-takers have been and always will be the
people that shape our world," he said. "It will be business entrepreneurs that
will impact the next century, not politicians."
Neuharth related two major entrepreneurial risks that he
took during his life that shaped his achievements.
In 1952, he raised $50,000 to begin a weekly sports
tabloid, and within two years was broke. After that, he stayed involved in the newspaper
business, but would often think about why he had failed. "I had an idea, but not a
plan," he said.
Finally, he launched USA Today. As expected, it struggled
for a few years before becoming the most widely-read newspaper in the world with revenues
of $1 billion per year.
There has been much speculation as to why USA Today has
succeeded, including the use of color and the focus on short articles. However, Neuharth
said the most critical factor was a very simple marketing tool -- the blue-and-white USA
Today newspaper box, which was designed to look like a television set.
"We put 2,000 of them across the nation so people
could read the top half of the paper and be encouraged to buy it," he said.
With those two examples in mind, Neuharth urged members
to not fear failure in their businesses. "No-risk management runs no-fun and no-win
businesses," he said.
RVDA Board Revises Strategic Plan
RVDA's board of directors met in Florida and revised the
association's strategic plan. The elements that make up the plan -- the association's
vision, mission, guiding principles, and goals -- will guide RVDA into the year 2000 and
beyond.
The strategic plan focuses on achieving total customer
satisfaction with the RV travel experience through cooperative industry efforts, market
expansion, and encouraging RV dealer professionalism. RVDA remains committed to
professional development and education for RV retailers, equitable member participation,
and industry teamwork.
RVDA Chairman Rick Horsey said, "RVDA's strategic
planning builds on our association's progress and charts an exciting course for the future
of the RV business. The board of directors worked hard to develop a strategic plan for the
national association that will enhance RVDA's position as a driving force for quality and
professionalism within the RV industry."
Key Senator Supports Expansion of The
Land And Water Conservation Fund
U. S. Senator Frank Mur-kowski (R - AK), chairman of the
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, pledged his personal commitment to
revitalization of "state-side" funding -- matching grants to the states -- for
the Land and Water Con-servation Fund (LWCF) before top recreation community leaders. In
recent years, the LWCF, which once supported land acquisition at both the federal and
state level and the development of local and state recreation facilities, has been limited
to federal land acquisition.
"We need to address social needs associated with
inner- city areas," the Senator told the audience at the American Rec-reation
Coalition's Recreation Exchange as he explained the reasons for his strong support for the
program. He added, "We need to help people reach a comfort zone with the
outdoors." He also emphasized that the in-volvement of local interests in the program
-- which he characterized as "people setting their own priorities" -- in
addition to the public need for and appeal of the program, all worked to its advantage.
The Senator announced that legislation would be
introduced very soon to restore program funding. Noting that "money doesn't grow on
trees," he described a plan to fund the program with new revenues from already
authorized off-shore oil and gas sales in areas that can support such activity, like the
Gulf of Mexico. The revenues would be used to fund a Rec-reation Trust with the interest
earned earmarked for state-side grants. He also explained that the trust would be
administered by a new commission that would report directly to the Secretary of the
Interior. Currently, the program is administered by the National Park Service.
He stressed that the use of advanced technologies will
further reduce any adverse environmental impact associated with offshore drilling. In
addition, he emphasized that an increase in domestic oil production would help reduce the
country's dependence on imported oil.
Senator Murkowski acknowledged that previous efforts to
restore state-side funding in both the 104th and the 105th Congress had not been
successful. However, he emphasized that those efforts had laid the groundwork for his new
legislation. He pointed out that last year's full committee hearing on the issue had been
very successful in making members of the Senate aware of the program's value, and resulted
in inclusion of state-side funding in the Senate appropriations measure -- funding
eventually deleted in conference. He stressed the need to capitalize on that success while
encouraging pressure for legislative action from the program's grass- roots supporters.
"We will work vigorously to ensure its passage," he concluded.
RVN
