Is Rivers & Rockies attempting to replace any association?
Emphatically NO! We’re merely another option in the industry, created to fill needs which members and non-members brought to our attention through Mary Arlington in her role as the Executive Director of three separate state associations. The ideas were primarily echoes from the three states, but it didn’t stop there. Park owners and business leaders outside of those organizations had their issues, concerns, questions, and scenarios.
In formulating our basic foundation, the Board of Directors from the Colorado Campground & Lodging Owners Association and from the South Dakota Campground Owners Association each chose to embrace this umbrella organization to preserve their programs, to assist them in long-range preservation of their organizations, and to expand benefits to members.
Is Rivers & Rockies replacing CCLOA and SDCOA? Are state associations a thing of the past? Is the state association closing its doors?
(Some day I’ll clean this up, but here’s dump of insight to ensure we cover it all.)
CCLOA & SDCOA each chose to gain support from Rivers & Rockies as a means of planning for another 50-some years of service to the private sector of outdoor lodging in their respective states, and then they opened the doors up to the surrounding states which haven’t had the pleasure of the wide range of support that CO & SD members have had for all those years.
The associations aren’t being swallowed up and they aren’t going away. They will continue to operate in an administratively streamlined manner. The members in one state will determine the position on that state’s legislative issues, and they’ll determine who serves on their state Board, and their Board will determine who serves on Rivers & Rockies Board.
Rivers & Rockies allows for more focus on the programs the members want and less focus on managing the affairs of the association itself. The programs continue, and more are being added. Same goals, and with the resources to add even more. It’s streamlined to allow the members to see more value.
State associations can offer enormous value so, if we want them to be able to offer another 50-some years of service to owners and managers of outdoor lodging businesses, then they need to be supported. Yet, it’s tough to manage small associations. Rivers & Rockies provides administrative support to CCLOA & SDCOA, and the larger combined membership enables us to negotiate more benefits.
The Directors recognized the value of each state association and the 55 years of history they each carried. We believe this new direction actually stabilizes the future of CCLOA & SDCOA. We will assist the state association’s Legislative Advocacy Committee at the community, county, state, and national level. When working with the public, the elected, and the media, the voice shared will be from within the state association.
Is Rivers & Rockies going to be controlled by Colorado and South Dakota park owners?
Initially, yes, because it was their processes we evaluated and morphed, so we need to ensure we get the kinks worked out now that it’s all blended for the greater good of everyone. Those directors invested endless hours of insight, thought, and negotiation, and their associations bore the risks.
Ultimately, no. In time, after we have evolved a bit, we see two outdoor lodging businesses serving on our Board of Directors per state in which we have two or more members (in addition to up to three Professional Partnering members are also eligible for Board seats).
Through it all and on into all the years ahead, SDCOA and CCLOA will each have their full Board of Directors serving in their state, per their respective bylaws.
If several outdoor lodging businesses from one state join us and want to form a state association, we will gladly guide them through it, although the daunting task of forming one is not a requirement.
FAQ: Why is Rivers & Rockies launching its membership year on 10/1, and running its membership cycle from October to September?
It was decided that this cycle worked well with the work-cycle of the outdoor lodging businesses, the support businesses, and the non-profit itself. It was an obvious win/win/win.
Why launch now? Why not on 1/1?
The camping “off season” (autumn & winter) is when the association itself has a full plate (legislative sessions, educational sessions, income taxes, etc.). Choosing 1/1 would be like asking parks to switch front office programs on 7/1.
We didn’t do this blindly, though! In addition to unanimous support from those on the CCLOA & SDCOA Boards of Directors, In the spring, they asked for member input. CCLOA & SDCOA each received positive input. They also received silence, as is very typical of in-association surveys. And SDCOA received one negative response. Based on it, the Boards each chose to proceed.
Is the CampColorado / CampInSouthDakota marketing going away?
Definitely, no! CCLOA & SDCOA members will still receive their robust listing on the respective consumer-driven website, and the social media programs will still be used to reach the camping public. Even the marketing materials will still be in Welcome Centers, RV dealerships, attractions, and so forth (they might even show up in more places).
What happened to my association’s elected Board of Directors?
They’re still in place and always will exist (one who resigned did so for reasons at their business rather than over the changes in association management). These directors also each stepped up to serve on our Board of Directors for the foreseeable future, to ensure we work out the kinks and grow the association.
What happened to our online portal, The Hub? OR Why Can’t I Log in to The Hub?
The CCLOA portal (the Hub) has been merged with SDCOA’s and relaunched under RROLC, which members can access through buttons on:
• SouthDakotaCampgroundOwnersAssociation.org
What else is impacted?
Most all things, and yet Mary and your Board of Directors have had it under control throughout the process. Feel free to ask us specifics and we’ll do our best to explain it. What a story we’ve lived!
We held two Town Hall Meetings to explain things and to address member questions. For those who didn’t catch one of them, we’ve been accepting one-on-one phone calls to explain things. So now, if this FAQ doesn’t address your question, please call 605.999.4947 or email admin@rrolc.org.
Didn’t I see an AmeriGas discount in earlier posts?
Yes, you did, listed as “expected to sign by 10/1”. They were all set to sign in late September, but we learned on 9/18 that AmeriGas has backed out. Suburban Propane and Ferrellgas have stepped up with Cost-Savings Opportunities for you. We know this pains some of you. We deeply regret we cannot offer it (all we’ll say is it was no fault of ours or our negotiator), and we are proud of the other two for appreciating of the businesses of our members. (And this is not the end of the matter.)