JAN 2023 UPDATES

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View this email in your browser STRACC Membership renewal and updates Dear STRACC Member: Thank you for your support over this past year. We would like to update you on recent events, let you know about an upcoming members meeting, and our plan for how STRACC will continue to support STR owners and operators through 2023. Membership Renewal and a Reduction in Dues The STRACC Board voted recently to reduce membership dues from $250 pear year to $100 per year. As explained below, we expect a reduction in litigation and other legal expenses in the coming year, and we believe the $100 per member rate will both align resources with expected needs, and make membership accessible to more members. We encourage you to renew your membership today. As STRACC is a 501(c)(6) tax exempt organization, your membership dues may be deductible against your STR income as an ordinary & necessary business expense (this is not tax advice; consult your tax advisor).  Membership Meeting STRACC will hold an online meeting for members on Thursday, January 26 at 8:00 PM. The meeting will be held via Zoom and the Zoom link will be sent ahead of time. We plan to review events of the past six months, lay out our plan for 2023, and hear what questions and concerns members have these days. Participation in this meeting will be open to all STRACC members with dues paid for 2022 or 2023. Volunteering with STRACC STRACC is a 100% volunteer-led and volunteer-run organization. We always welcome volunteers to help us find collaborative solution among our members, neighbors, and communities. Please contact us if interested! Electoral Update Chelan County voters were fortunate to have two excellent, fair-minded candidates to choose between in the 2022 County Commission election. Although STRACC endorsed Anne Hessburg, it is clear that newly elected Commissioner Shon Smith’s pro-property rights, Christian, Conservative, Capitalist, and Constitutionalist vision resonated with Chelan County voters. We have maintained a positive dialogue with Commissioner Smith before and since the election, and look forward to working with him and the rest of the BOCC to make improvements to the STR code as we approach the two-year mark since code adoption.  STR Permitting Update We have learned that 15 permitted STRs were denied when they applied for their 2023 permit renewals. We encourage all STR operators denied a renewal to evaluate legal options, move quickly if necessary to keep avenues of appeal open, and keep STRACC in the loop. Additionally, we understand that some 67 STRs permitted in 2022 did not even reapply in 2023. We are working to understand better where these numbers have come from and why so many would have declined to reapply. Plans for 2023 With avenues for legal challenges now closed many STR owners, STRACC expects to focus our efforts in 2023 on political and community engagement strategies to maintain and improve the environment for STRs in Chelan County. We would like to hear from you in our upcoming meeting about the issues of greatest importance to you. So far, we have identified several opportunities that we may need to prioritize: supporting local industry groups in working with the BOCC to identify a qualified, fair minded, permanent Director of Community Development; working with the BOCC to clean up, clarify, and improve the STR code, particularly issues related to parking, bedrooms, and occupancy; working with the Sheriff to develop guidelines for dealing with guests who are violating county codes and/or the terms of their rental agreements; and opportunities to build goodwill through support for community organizations. We plan to talk more about these, and want to hear your feedback, in our January 26 member meeting. Thanks again for your continued support of STRACC, and we hope to see you on Zoom on January 26! Thank you,  The STRACC Executive Board   STRACC Facebook Page STRACC Website Email Us Copyright © 2019 STRACC, All rights reserved. https://www.straccwa.org Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

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