Cheyenne, Wyoming: thoughts of it conjure up images of Elysian fields, yes?
Until earlier this week, I had spent very little time there... mostly just getting gas en route to somewhere else. Everyone I had talked to, however, lead me to believe that our state capital was suspect, at best.
Imagine my surprise when I traveled there this week with TBOR Executive Officer Barb Garrett, TBOR President-Elect Bill Helm, WAR Southwestern DVP Ron Adams, TBOR Political Affairs Committee Chair Ray Elser, and TBOR Legislative Committee Chair Janine Bay Teske. I gotta admit: it wasn’t that bad.
Maybe it was because the weather was nice (or at least nicer than Jackson Hole). Maybe it was because the wind wasn’t howling like I’m told it can in Cheyenne. Or maybe it was because I’ve never been to a Carl’s Jr. for a $6 burger before. Whatever the case, the TBOR contingent’s trip to Cheyenne for the 2009 Legislative Session was not without its charms.
For those of you unaware of the state political process (I was one…), the 60th Wyoming Legislative Session began on January 13th and runs for 6 weeks. Our 48-hour trip coincided with the Wyoming Association of Realtors' Meetings and Reception with our state lawmakers. I know it all sounds very exciting. Please contain your envy.
The high point of the trip for me was when Governor Dave stopped by and spoke to our little group of dirt pimps at a meeting in Little America. God bless the great state of Wyoming. In what other state would the Governor take the time to visit with a group of 50 random salespeople?
Things of material importance to TBOR members, however, probably boil down to three or four items:
- Senate File 110: Designated Agency. I’m hopeful anyone reading this blog would be familiar with this topic;
- House Bill 279: Statement of Consideration. Frankly, this scares the hell out of me. While WAR completely opposed an earlier version of this bill that was shot down which would have moved us away from being a non-disclosure state, this new rewrite creates the opportunity for individual tax payers contesting his or her property tax bill to view the statements of consideration (which includes sale price, mortgage amount and terms) of similar properties in the interest of creating a dialogue with County Assessor. In other words, if my neighbor contests his property tax, he can find out what I paid for my home;
- House Bill 149: Tightens what a Notary can and cannot do. It apparently also increases the required bond to $5000 and prevents a Notary from witnessing a signature for someone within the same company. I haven’t read this nor have spoken to State Rep. Keith Gingery who is sponsoring this bill, but this certainly also raises some immediate concern on my end.
There was also a Cluster Subdivision Bill (House Bill 9) that allows open space in clustered subdivisions to be taxed as agricultural vs. residential provided other conditions are met. Given this didn’t seem to apply in either Teton or Lincoln County, I tuned out whenever the conversation shifted to H.B. 9.
We also were part of a cocktail reception at Little America where all four of our regional legislators (Senator Grant Larson, Rep. Keith Gingery, Rep. Pete Jorgensen, and Rep. Jim Roscoe) attended. Again, another moment of gratitude for the state of Wyoming. While the food was free and the drink tickets were distributed liberally, I was very impressed by the number of legislators who showed up to slum with us after spending 10-12 hours working on the floor of the Capitol.
For me, the visit to the Capitol itself was another high point of my time in Cheyenne... almost like a grade school field trip. Downtown Cheyenne has some very cool old buildings – the least of which is the Capitol – and sitting in the gallery of both the Senate and the House of Representatives was genuinely interesting. Boring and painfully slow, but still interesting nonetheless.
You can also send a handwritten note to any of the legislators on the floor via a runner. I’ve had the pleasure to know Jim Roscoe for the past few years and was tempted to scribble some off-color notes to him. But given Jim is still a freshman rep., the last thing I wanted to do was put him in an awkward position or to get ejected from the class trip for misbehaving.
At the moment, it would seem like all of the above bills have a good chance of getting passed. While this was my first pass at the state legislative process and still am woefully ignorant of some of the finer points of politicking in the state of Wyoming, please feel free to contact me with any questions.
Also, if you’re ever in Cheyenne and need a place to stay, I highly recommend Little America. The rooms are clean and spacious, and they have a great breakfast buffet.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
TBOR Identity Crisis
I’ve been struggling since Diane Nodell’s term as TBOR president came to an end in December on how to continue all the great work she’s spearheaded during her term. One of her signature contributions was a monthly newsletter that was posted on at TBOR.org each month. This is the first installment of a blog I’m hopeful I’ll keep current during my time at the TBOR helm.
While most of 2008 was not a banner year for our industry, the past few months have been particular hard on some of our membership. More than one firm has folded up its tent stakes in this harsh climate. During these hardships, TBOR’s staff and officers have been asked to provide direction or some relief.
On a personal level, I have tried to empathize with the frustration of our members in distress while at the same time tried to impart TBOR’s true role in the local real estate community (which, to paraphrase its mission statement, is “to promote the real estate industry and provide services that will enhance the ability of its members to conduct their business successfully, competently and ethically”).
We all have more important issues facing us than knowing the exact bailiwick of the Teton Board of Realtors and the MLS. But from my recent conversations, it's become painfully clear to me that very few of the 645 Realtors in the TBOR truly understand the scope and purpose of each organization. Here's the spirit of some recent conversations:
(paraphrasing) “I can’t believe so-and-so did (insert any one of a number of questionable acts here). Can’t TBOR revoke his or her license?”
TBOR is a professional organization of real estate brokerages, appraisers and affiliate members in the region. The Wyoming Real Estate Commission in Cheyenne is the only entity that can issue – or revoke – real estate licenses.
You can, however, be a real estate licensee in the state of Wyoming and not be a Realtor; conversely, everyone who is a member of TBOR also is a Realtor and subsequently agrees to adhere to its Code of Ethics. In essence, the idea is that Realtors have a higher level of responsibility and professionalism than someone who is simply licensed.
(paraphrasing) “I can’t believe so-and-so did (insert any one of a number of questionable acts here). I called Barb, Carrie and/or Allison at the TBOR office and asked them to do {insert requested action here)?”
We’re incredibly fortunate to have the depth of knowledge and experience that we do at the TBOR office. Barb alone has been on staff for 25 years (which is probably longer than most members have been licensed). While the TBOR staff is a powerful resource for real estate-related issues, they are not a police force nor an investigative unit for questionable behavior within the membership.
TBOR is a professional organization run by and governed over by its fellow members.
(paraphrasing) “My coworker/broker did (insert any one of a number of questionable acts here). Can I file a complaint against him or her with TBOR?”
No. Your intra-office issues should be covered by your independent contractor’s agreement and/or your office’s policy manual. TBOR is a professional organization to foster communication between offices, not within individual offices.
Each of you paid $920 to be a member a NAR, WAR, TBOR and MLS for 2009. I’d question how many of you, however, have taken the time to read the rules and regs of the respective organizations (available at TBOR.org).
During my more than 10 years of service with both MLS and TBOR, I suspect I’ve served with fewer than 10 percent of the TBOR members. Year after year, it’s a struggle to find people who are willing to selflessly give of their time and to make the professional commitment to tackle the issues we face in a changing climate.
If you have a question about your membership in the Teton Board of Realtors or as a subscriber to the MLS, I’d strongly encourage you to read the rules and regs of each organization available at TBOR.org. If you have additional questions, I’d further encourage you to reach out to your Responsible Broker and, if need be, contact a member of either Board. As TBOR President, I’ll sit on both Boards for the next 11 months and will be happy to answer any questions if you want to email me.
I make this blanket offer knowing full well very few of our 600-plus members will take the time to read this far in this blog (let alone to read the respective rules and regs!). But if you’ve invested the time to educate yourself on your professional organization, I’d also challenge you to volunteer your time and professional insight into one of the TBOR’s various committees.
I'm hopeful this space will serve as a venue to vet issues immediately facing our real estate community in the months to come. While the current climate is certainly presenting its challenges, I'm optimistic 2009 has the potential to be a great year.
Happy New Year and best wishes!
While most of 2008 was not a banner year for our industry, the past few months have been particular hard on some of our membership. More than one firm has folded up its tent stakes in this harsh climate. During these hardships, TBOR’s staff and officers have been asked to provide direction or some relief.
On a personal level, I have tried to empathize with the frustration of our members in distress while at the same time tried to impart TBOR’s true role in the local real estate community (which, to paraphrase its mission statement, is “to promote the real estate industry and provide services that will enhance the ability of its members to conduct their business successfully, competently and ethically”).
We all have more important issues facing us than knowing the exact bailiwick of the Teton Board of Realtors and the MLS. But from my recent conversations, it's become painfully clear to me that very few of the 645 Realtors in the TBOR truly understand the scope and purpose of each organization. Here's the spirit of some recent conversations:
(paraphrasing) “I can’t believe so-and-so did (insert any one of a number of questionable acts here). Can’t TBOR revoke his or her license?”
TBOR is a professional organization of real estate brokerages, appraisers and affiliate members in the region. The Wyoming Real Estate Commission in Cheyenne is the only entity that can issue – or revoke – real estate licenses.
You can, however, be a real estate licensee in the state of Wyoming and not be a Realtor; conversely, everyone who is a member of TBOR also is a Realtor and subsequently agrees to adhere to its Code of Ethics. In essence, the idea is that Realtors have a higher level of responsibility and professionalism than someone who is simply licensed.
(paraphrasing) “I can’t believe so-and-so did (insert any one of a number of questionable acts here). I called Barb, Carrie and/or Allison at the TBOR office and asked them to do {insert requested action here)?”
We’re incredibly fortunate to have the depth of knowledge and experience that we do at the TBOR office. Barb alone has been on staff for 25 years (which is probably longer than most members have been licensed). While the TBOR staff is a powerful resource for real estate-related issues, they are not a police force nor an investigative unit for questionable behavior within the membership.
TBOR is a professional organization run by and governed over by its fellow members.
(paraphrasing) “My coworker/broker did (insert any one of a number of questionable acts here). Can I file a complaint against him or her with TBOR?”
No. Your intra-office issues should be covered by your independent contractor’s agreement and/or your office’s policy manual. TBOR is a professional organization to foster communication between offices, not within individual offices.
Each of you paid $920 to be a member a NAR, WAR, TBOR and MLS for 2009. I’d question how many of you, however, have taken the time to read the rules and regs of the respective organizations (available at TBOR.org).
During my more than 10 years of service with both MLS and TBOR, I suspect I’ve served with fewer than 10 percent of the TBOR members. Year after year, it’s a struggle to find people who are willing to selflessly give of their time and to make the professional commitment to tackle the issues we face in a changing climate.
If you have a question about your membership in the Teton Board of Realtors or as a subscriber to the MLS, I’d strongly encourage you to read the rules and regs of each organization available at TBOR.org. If you have additional questions, I’d further encourage you to reach out to your Responsible Broker and, if need be, contact a member of either Board. As TBOR President, I’ll sit on both Boards for the next 11 months and will be happy to answer any questions if you want to email me.
I make this blanket offer knowing full well very few of our 600-plus members will take the time to read this far in this blog (let alone to read the respective rules and regs!). But if you’ve invested the time to educate yourself on your professional organization, I’d also challenge you to volunteer your time and professional insight into one of the TBOR’s various committees.
I'm hopeful this space will serve as a venue to vet issues immediately facing our real estate community in the months to come. While the current climate is certainly presenting its challenges, I'm optimistic 2009 has the potential to be a great year.
Happy New Year and best wishes!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
