Issue 69 Campground

LARKSPUR, Colorado & JACKSON CENTER, Ohio, Oct. 14, 2009 – The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) and Thor Industries, Inc. have launched a strategic partnership to provide rental-lodging products at special prices in an exclusive promotion for ARVC members.

“Three of Thor’s companies, including Airstream, Breckenridge, and Keystone, now offer unique lines of park model

cabin and travel trailer units that have been specially designed to meet the durability needs of private park operators who are anxious to expand their offering of rental accommodations,” said Shane Ott, Thor’s director of campground relations.

Ott, who was previously president and COO of Kampgrounds of America (KOA), joined Thor last summer and developed the company’s rental accommodations initiative with ARVC.

Units from all three manufacturers will be on display Nov. 11-12 at ARVC’s annual InSites Convention & Expo in Orlando, Fla. “We welcome this partnership and feel that the favorable pricing and unique designs of these units will be very enticing for campgrounds, RV parks and resorts as they continue to diversify their business base with rental accommodations,” said Linda Profaizer, ARVC’s president and CEO. Continued Page 3

Oh well, you can't will them all!

Last week we reported on a new resort in Harrisburg, PA. In fact, this resort is in Harrisburg, OR. Apologies for the error and thanks to the readers who pointed it out.

TACO members get a hayride at their annual Fall Parks on tour meeting: Story Page 6

Editor

depending on the level of private park interest.

About one third of the nation’s commercially owned campgrounds, RV parks and RV resorts offer rental units to accommodate families and other travelers who don’t have an RV, but want to enjoy the Great Outdoors – and the numbers are growing.

“Private parks have long seen the merits of investing in park model cabins for use as rental accommodations, and now they have a chance to invest in both park models and travel trailers for on-site rental use at special prices that are exclusive to ARVC members,” Profaizer said.

“Many travel trailer owners already leave their units at campgrounds and RV parks and use them as getaway cottages,” she added.

Ott said this partnership, the first of its kind involving ARVC and RV manufacturers, has enabled Thor to develop unique units using the input and experience of campground owners across North America.

The ruggedized features along with a variety of floorplans and cozy design elements offer campground owners

The world’s largest RV manufacturer, Thor has a long history of financial stability and annual growth.

Linda Profaizer: President and CEO of ARVC

Shane Ott: DirectorCampground Relations Thor Industries, Inc.

durable units built to withstand the rigors of high occupancy usage.

and one 25-foot Airstream travel trailer.

The lodging units featured in the promotion include four Breckenridge park models ranging from 22- to 36-feet; two Keystone travel trailers, including one 29- and one 37-foot model;

Ott added that while the initial promotion involves Airstream, Breckenridge, and Keystone, additional Thor companies could become involved in the promotion in the future,

The Jackson Center, Ohio company and its subsidiaries currently produce 30 percent of the RVs and park models produced in the United States, which Ott said should assure ARVC members of a mutually beneficial and stable business relationship.

In a clear value add for qualifying ARVC members it has been announced that Wells Fargo will serve as a finance partner for the joint partnership.

ARVC, for its part, is the largest association of private parks in the world, representing more than 3,600 commercially owned campgrounds, RV parks and resorts across the country.

The association is based in Larkspur, Colo.

For more information on the Thor-ARVC accommodations partnership, please contact Shane Ott at (406) 670-7181 or sott@thorindustries.com or Linda Profaizer at (303) 681-0401 or lprofaizer@arvc.org.

The August collapse of Ventura-based Affinity Bank appears to be just one blow in a string of troubles for its owner, Stephen Adams, whose highly leveraged business empire faces more than $746 million in debt payments in coming years.

The Montecito businessman and philanthropist controls Ventura-based Affinity Group, a media and directmarketing firm that targets recreational vehicle owners and employs more than 1,600 people nationwide.

Between 2007 and 2008,

On September 14, 2009, Affinity Group Holding, Inc. (the “Company”) received consent letters (the “Institutional Consents”) from certain institutional holders of its 10 7/8% Senior Notes Due 2012 (the “AGHI Notes”) holding in the aggregate $65,835,969 principal amount of the AGHI Notes outstanding and consent letters (the “Other Consents” and collectively with the Institutional Consents called the “Consents”) from certain non-institutional holders of the AGHI Notes holding in the aggregate $46,555,946 principal amount of the AGHI Notes outstanding.

Affinity Group swung from a $6.3 million profit to a $125.3 million loss, part of it an $81 million hit from writing down to zero an interest in a business that sold and financed recreational vehicles.

Affinity Group has missed interest payments on more than $114 million in debt for nearly two months, and Standard & Poor’s gave the bonds a junk rating. The Ventura firm is in talks with creditors to refinance or restructure its debts.

Full story: www.pacbiztimes.com Subscription required

The aggregate principal amount of the AGHI Notes outstanding is $113,648,603 so the holders executing the Consents held 98.9% of the outstanding principal amount of the AGHI Notes.

The Company has engaged in discussions with the holders of the AGHI Notes regarding a refinancing or restructuring of the indebtedness of the Company and its subsidiary, Affinity Group, Inc. (“AGI”). As part of those discussions, the Company did not pay the interest on the AGHI Notes that was due on August 15, 2009, but the indenture governing the AGHI Notes

provides a 30 day grace period for the payment of interest that was to have been paid on that date.

Pursuant to the Institutional Consents, the Company has agreed to pay the legal fees for a law firm to represent the holders who signed the Institutional Consents in connection with such discussions and has paid a $150,000 retainer to that law firm. In addition, the Company has paid a consent fee equal to ¼ of 1% of the principal amount to the holders who signed the Institutional Consents or an aggregate of $164,600. The Institutional Consents extended the most recent interest payment date on their AGHI Notes until October 1, 2009. The Other

Consents extended the most recent interest payment date on their AGHI Notes until October 29, 2009 and no consent fees were paid to those holders.

As of October 16, 2009, the holders who signed the Institutional Consents have agreed to extend the interest payment date on their AGHI Notes to October 23, 2009.

On September 14, 2009, the Company paid the interest on the remaining $1,256,688 principal amount of AGHI Notes that are outstanding and for which an Institutional Consent or an Other Consent was not obtained.

Source: Securities Excange Commission Report

The Havasu Springs RV Resort in Havasu, Arizona has opened its gates and is officially ready for RV campers from across the nation. This state of the art RV campground in Arizona features some of the finest amenities of any park in the country. With multiple campsites available.

Campground amenities include pull through RV spaces, tennis courts, heated pool, and golf course.

For those interested in watercraft activities the Havasu Springs Resort offers a boat launch, making it easy to get boats and personal watercraft in and out of the lake. The Colorado River RV campground also offers the luxury of nearby boat rentals, allowing everyone the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon on the lake.

Visitors will enjoy the idea of a sporting goods store, daily planned group

activities, and on-site laundry facilities in case of any spills or accidents.

The nearby attractions make this RV resort one of a kind. The park is conveniently located on the shores of Lake Havasu with access to both Arizona and California, via Interstate 40.

The marina is one of the most visited locations at the resort, offering a cocktail lounge, restaurant and boat launches. The resort boasts an exquisite 18 Hole golf course, wet suit cocktail bar and luxurious dining room for a formal night out.

The opening of the park is the latest in a solid line of RV campgrounds in the Colorado River Adventures Family. For more information on the Havasu Springs Resort, visit www.coloradoriveradventure s.com/cra/resorts_havasu_s prings.html or call 1-866217-8111.

On Sunday, October 19, 2009 TACO held their annual Fall Parks on Tour at Rustic Creek Ranch http://rusticcreekranch.com/ in Burleson, TX. Approximately 65 attendees spent a few hours looking over every aspect of this magnificent property. The recent addition of dozens of RV sites, beautifully appointed cottages and fabulous meeting halls were the highlights. Just prior to the park tour, guests were treated to an outstanding collection of vintage Corvettes, Camaros and muscle cars at a nearby collector.

The association unveiled the look and feel of a significant rebuild of their consumer website – www.TexasCampgrounds.com

The new site will be very visually appealing, extremely content rich with very robust search capability. Changes to member park information can be made immediately on the new site which goes live at the end of the year.

The new site will continue to garner visitors featuring 400+ private campgrounds.

During a CPO-approved marketing round table discussion 60% of owners indicated that their business had grown steadily over the last three years. Approximately 30% indicated they were flat over the same period, while 10% have seen a slight down turn in the last two years. Most owners indicated they employed a well-rounded marketing approach of print media, online advertising various word-of-mouth programs to promote business.

Approximately two thirds of the group said they had expanded their facilities or upgraded amenities over the previous year and half of the parks have expansion plans for this year. All attendees confirmed significant increases in operating expenses – leading the way were property tax increase ranging from 20% to 200% over the last two years.

An award was presented to the host park – Rustic Creek Ranch. Also, board service awards were presented to Carolyn Brown of Boone RV Park (Lampasas, TX) and Terry Cagle of Little Creel RV Park (Chama, NM) for six years of serving on the TACO board. A slate of directors was presented and approved for the 2009 – 2010 TACO Board.

TACO Fall meeting general session kicks off

Park Host Award to Rustic Creek Ranch

TACO members visiting the vintage cars TACO Fall meeting general session kicks off

Carolyn Brown receiving her service award

Members touring the Rustic Creek Ranch grounds

Productivity is all about getting the maximum amount of production from the minimum amount of activity. That's why two people doing the same job destroys any pretense of getting value from either person's involvement.

Let's look at the classic example.

You have been planning your day's activities, in advance, as you should.

You have decided that you want a specific person in your organization to perform a specific job and you have also time activated that activity to be done today between 10:00 AM and Noon. All is the way it should be.

You get to work and you relay your instructions to your employee and head off to do what you have planned for the day. After lunch you decide to check in on your employee and see how he did on that task you had asked him to do. A quick glance and you discover a disaster. Not only was the task that you had asked to be done not done as you asked, but your employee had taken it upon himself to do an entirely unrelated task that had not been necessary, in place of what you had asked and expected to be done. What had gone wrong?

First, someone's time was now totally wasted. Either

Tearing your hair out? your time was now wasted, the time you spent on planning, detailing, and organizing the task. Or your employee had just wasted two hours doing a task you had not wanted done. This is the classic productivity waste when two people decide to do the same job and in the end, the job is not done and everyone has to start from scratch.

In this case, when you approach the employee and ask them why the initial job was not done, he or she will invariably start off with the rationale of "I thought ..." detailing their reason why not doing what you wanted and replacing it with a job of their choosing makes more sense. I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard that rationale.

"I thought" has no place in this situation. You, the person in charge have already done the thinking in this situation. The time has been spent on the thinking part of this process; two people do not have to independently think through this task. By your employee taking it upon himself to rethink your decision and reverse it and go off on his own, makes your entire management decision function redundant. How does it feel to be made redundant?

Every time this happens in your company, your business, your day to day living, you are forced to spend at least twice as much time doing simple tasks because you are letting people make you redundant and unnecessary. How often does this happen to you?

You invest your time only to find out that when you hand off the task or project to some one else, it takes on a life of its own. This situation plays out a number of different ways but the end result is, activities take substantially longer to get done because the initial thought process was ignored.

The solution to this problem is simple; decide who is in charge and let that person make the decisions. I said it was a

simple problem, not necessary an easy solution. One person per task, one person making the decisions, everybody does their job, things have a chance of getting done on time and in a reasonable time frame.

It sounds so simple but the reality is, very few companies, businesses or organizations can accomplish it.

In seminars when I caution people about running companies with the "I thought" mentality, they get offended and defensive.

They counter with "people have a right to express themselves and they have a right to have their voice heard". I agree with all of that, except the part when all of this freedom of speech and sharing is suppose to take place. If you want to get a reasonable return on your time, get production up where it should be, you have to start to get your people and yourself on the same page when it comes to setting the course and getting things accomplished.

Someone has to make the decisions and then someone has to carry out those decisions, period. It's not a debating team you are running; it's a business.

By Bryan Beckstead

North Hollywood, CA, October 19, 2009 – A video tour and review article for the Winnebago VIA are now live on RV Buddies Online www.rvbuddiesonline.com The all-new 2010 Winnebago VIA is the first coach to be built on the Sprinter F50 chassis. RV Buddies checked the new coach inside and out, and then took it for a drive around Hershey, Pennsylvania – in the rain no less!

"The new Via is a great down-sized Class A" says RV Buddies Host and Producer Mark Summers.

"With Euro-styling, good fuel economy and an efficient layout, this is a great way to go RVing.

And it handled great in the rain!”

The new format features an RV Buddies video review, plus an accompanying supporting review article. Both the VIA

review article and review video are featured on the home page of the website, and in the "Reviews" section. The video is also viewable directly by clicking "Videos" or "RV Buddies TV" in the navigation bar.

About RV Buddies RV Buddies is an RV adventure-lifestyle show featuring reviews of RVs, accessories and gear. The show chronicles Mark, Elise, Robert and their RV Buddies Toby and Alex as they visit America's most beautiful campgrounds and resorts. The program is distributed as an Internet Television production on its own website, on Apple iTunes™ and through other distribution channels.

RV Buddies films and produces tailored videos for RV manufacturers and suppliers, as well as providing internet marketing and consulting services to the RV industry.

Some park operators have also been investing in improvements at their parks this year, despite the downturn in the economy Improvements range from new landscaping and resurfacing of park roads to construction of new exercise rooms, dog runs, and swimming pool upgrades PHOENIX, Ariz., Oct. 15, 2009 – Advance reservations are up at several Arizona campgrounds and RV parks that cater to snowbirds, according to an informal survey of park operators across the Grand Canyon State.

“We think it’s going to be a pretty good season, certainly stronger than last year,” said Merlin Jones, president of the Arizona Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, adding that most parks are reporting higher winter advance reservation figures than they had last year at this time.

Several park operators have also invested in significant improvements this year, which Jones said should please their returning winter visitors as

well as snowbirds who are visiting their parks for the first time.

Here’s a sampling of sampling of comments from private park operators in Arizona regarding their reservation levels, business projections and improvements they have made in preparation for the upcoming winter season: Desert’s Edge RV Village in Phoenix: Advance reservations through January 1st are up 5 percent for 163 lower-tier sites and down 2 percent for the park’s 50 upper tier sites, said Saundra Bryn, the park’s managing partner. In terms of improvements, the park has invested about $55,000 in several upgrades this year, including new pool decking and new shade awnings in the pool area, a new universal weight machine for the fitness center, new landscaping, and plumbing improvements. The park has also replaced a television set and washing machines and installed a new 10 by 20-foot sign, which stands 45 feet above the ground.

Eagle View RV Resort in Fort McDowell: Advance winter reservations are up

about 5 percent at this 150-site park compared to last year, said general manager Merlin Jones, who also serves as president of the Arizona Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds. “We have had fewer cancellations this year,” he said. “Last year at this time, we were getting phone calls and there were cancellations. This year, they’re still making reservations daily.” Jones added that several snowbirds who canceled their reservations last winter have rolled over their reservations for this coming winter.

Meanwhile, the park has invested in several improvements this year, including a new $40,000 fitness center and a $13,000 dog park. The park has also created a new horseshoe pit.

Mesa Spirit RV Resort in Mesa: Advance winter reservations are up slightly at this park compared to where they were at this time last year, said Jim Beach, general

manager of National Mobile Development, which owns Mesa Spirit RV Resort.

“Last season, we were a little bit worried because of the economy,” Beach said.

“But once it got cold up north, the snowbirds came down in droves. This year we’re expecting a little bit better year.”

Palm Creek Golf & RV Resort in Casa Grande: Long-term winter reservations at this 1,862site park are up 9.9 percent compared to last year’s figures at this time, said Wendell Johnson, Palm Creek’s general manager.

“That translates into about 126 new reservations over last year,” Johnson said, adding that several factors that bode well for the upcoming winter season, including a stable Canadian dollar and “a pretty good rally” on the American stock market. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we hit an 11 or 12 percent increase, which would bring us back to where we were in 2007 and 2008,” Johnson said.

Rincon Country RV Resort

about $150,000 on road resurfacing at Rincon Country East this year.

in Tucson: This resort, which has two locations in Tucson, anticipates a slight decline in its daily and weekly rentals this winter, but an increase in the number of RVers who spend several months at the park, said resort owner George O’Leary.

Rincon County RV Resort has 1,140 sites, while its Rincon County East location has 460 sites.

O’Leary said he has spent

Shangri-La R.V. Resort in Yuma: This park’s advance winter reservations are consistent with last year’s figures, said Debbie Saunders, the park’s assistant manager, adding that the park is working to finish several improvements before the snowbirds arrive. The latest park improvements include new carpeting in the billiard room, card room and library; new decking for the pool area and a new exercise room.

Towerpoint RV Resort and Good Life RV Resort, both in Mesa: Advance winter reservations at

these parks are up 15 to 17 percent compared to last year at this time, said Dan Martin, who serves as general manager of both properties.

Cancellations are also down compared to last year’s figures. “Last year, we had 15 to 20 cancellations at each property. We’ve probably had five or six cancellations at each property this year. I’m hoping that that’s an indication that things are good,” Martin said.

In terms of improvements, about $300,000 has been in upgrades at both properties during the past year, including the remodeling of the health clubs at both Good Life and Towerpoint,

resurfacing of tennis courts and pool hall at Towerpoint and the remodeling of the main hall at Good Life.

Towerpoint has 1,112 sites, 74 percent of which are occupied by park models.

Good Life has 1,156 sites, 72 percent of which are park models.

The Arizona Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds represents private campgrounds and RV parks and resorts across the Grand Canyon State.

For help locating industry sources, statistics and other information about camping trends in Arizona, please contact Merlin Jones at (480) 789-5316 or email him at mjones@fmyn.com.

Additional information on Arizona parks is available at www.azrvparks.com.

The nine-year-old Burleson park, which features 248 RV sites and 37 cabins, is also changing its name to Rustic Creek Ranch “We’ve done this to bring our name in synch with the improvements we’ve made and to better reflect what we’re building, which is a resort.”– Steve Stafford, Manager BURLESON, Texas, Oct. 14, 2009 – When Ronnie Bowyer opened the RV Ranch nine years ago, it had 125 RV sites and not much else.

“There was nothing here at the time,” he said. “We didn’t have any trees. Our office was a trailer. Our ‘park’ was just a plot of land.”

Since then, however, the property has been completely transformed with hundreds of oak, pecan and pine trees.

More campsites have been added, bringing the total to 248, along with 37 fully furnished, luxury cabins that are perfect for a romantic getaway.

And more improvements are on the way.

Bowyer plans to invest about $2.5 million in additional improvements, starting this winter and extending through the next 12 to 24 months. The improvements include installation of decorative paving and curbing of campsites throughout the park as well as construction of a playground; a covered picnic area for family reunions, complete with barbecue grills and electrical outlets for cooking; a dog run; and 150-seat outdoor amphitheatre.

Bowyer and his staff are also planning a host of special activities for their guests this fall and winter, including a harvest festival on Oct. 24th, which will include live music, an old fashioned hay ride and pumpkin carving opportunities. Other activities include a Thanksgiving potluck dinner in which the park provides the turkeys and a romantic Valentine’s Day weekend with carriage rides are also being planned. The park is also planning to go all out on Christmas decorations in December and will serve as a toy collection center Dec. 4th and 5th for Harvest House in Burleson.

“We hope to eventually get to the point where we have activities for our guests every weekend,” said park manager Steve Stafford.

But, alas, there is one

year, partly as a result of rising fuel costs, demand for cottages is up.

other detail: The name change.

As RV Ranch has worked to diversify its business base by marketing itself as an ideal location for family reunions, weddings and romantic getaways, it’s encountered a little resistance with its name.

“When people mention ‘RV park,’ the image of a bare bones, poorly managed park often comes to mind,” Stafford said. “This is particularly true,” he said, among travelers who are not aware of the dramatic changes that have taken place in private parks in recent years as they have worked to transform themselves into appealing vacation destinations that can accommodate RVers and non-RVers alike.”

With this in mind, RV Ranch is changing its name to Rustic Creek Ranch. “We’ve done this to bring our name in synch with the improvements we’ve made and to better reflect what we’re building, which is a resort,” he said.

And while business levels from RVers have declined somewhat during the past

“We started with nine cottages five years ago and kept adding more and more to keep up with demand,” Stafford said, adding that the park now has 37.

The cabins at Rustic Creek are luxury accommodations, with stone fireplaces and handmade pine furniture.

The resort has also developed an interesting architectural look in the cabins by using antique doors as headboards and footboards on the beds. The fireplace mantles are also handmade, and 28 of the cabins have two-person spas with separate showers.

“Each cabin is distinct,” Stafford said, adding that the resort has avoided a cookie-cutter approach with its cabins.

Looking to the future, Stafford says the park is considering building “tree house” accommodations along a river that runs through the park, which could be especially appealing to families with children. “Our imagination is our only limit,” Stafford said.

For more information on Rustic Creek Ranch, please contact Steve Stafford at (817) 426-3479 and visit the park’s website at www.rusticcreekranch.com

By Art Lieberman The 2009 Camping season is fizzling out, according to our available statistics. Our records indicate that while the April-August proceeds from credit cards transactions were very encouraging for the industry, September was much slower than usual, showing an average 12% drop over last year. This is strange considering that Mother Nature seemed to be cooperating weatherwise for the weekends in the northern areas of the US. Once again we must inform readers that these are average statistics and are not specific to any one campground or group of campgrounds in any particular area.

As a word of encouragement to those who have been negatively affected by the season, we remind you that the economy, in general, has not shown large indications that

vacationers are spending a great deal of money on leisure time. But there are signs that people LOVE RV campgrounds as a destination for their vacations. There are of course industries negatively impacted by the economy which include hotels, motels, resorts, and amusement parks. Many of them have been offering huge discounts to entice vacationers. The enticements do not seem to have worked.

Then, of course, there are our brethren in the RV manufacturing industry.

Although it was reported in these pages that attendance at RV shows have increased, sales of RVs have not followed suit.

The good news is that, overall, our industry did more than survive what is considered by many to be the worst economy in 80 years. Most of the campgrounds we have spoken to have had very upbeat attitudes and are happy to have done so well. As we have mentioned several times, some campgrounds are looking to purchase cabins, park models or even rental RVs for next year in an effort to capture the huge portion of the population who don’t own

RVs. Although RV shows around the country are jammed with spectators, RV sales don’t seem to be on the rise. Perhaps attendees at RV shows are demonstrating wishful thinking rather than an intent to actually buy an RV. Hopefully, campground owners will still have some coins jingling in their pockets as they visit the upcoming conventions which have begun. When you receive this issue of the e-News we will be returning from Luray, Virginia. At the end of this month, we’ll be at the CONY show at Hunter Mountain Ski Resort in NY. We’ll be doing our own “reviews” of these conventions to give you an exhibitor’s point of view.

In the past, attendance at these shows is demonstrative of the attitude of campground owners. This year, however may be less relevant, since owners seem to be tired of the constant battle to survive this economy.

But we have had discussions with many campground “activists” who are not only vested in their own business, but in the industry itself. They, at least, have told us enthusiastically how they are looking forward to attending their local shows but also, either a regional show, or ARVC’s Insite.

As I write this article, the weather forecasts for midOctober are also not too thrilling and our northern campgrounds may not have a terrific end to this year’s season.

We sure hope that 2010 will continue to show promise for a healthy industry next year.

Art Lieberman is President of MCPS for Campgrounds, a credit card processor sponsored by Woodforest Bank NA. Art has been in the Credit Card industry for nearly 12 years. Art has been conducting webinars online and seminars on credit cards in many State and Regional Association Conventions. He can be contacted at art@mcpsforcampgrounds.com

The latest product to hit the campground industry is receiving major interest by owners who see these bikes as an opportunity for good revenue by renting them to campers.

The bikes are not only "green" environmentally

friendly but are safe and extremely economical with a battery charge range of up to 25 miles.

Campgrounds can purchase the bikes outright for as low as $1195 ensuring an excellent and fast return on investment.

Speed: Up to 16 mph Range: Up to 25 Miles Motor: 350 watt brushless motor Driving Sytem: Powerful 48 volt front hub drive System built into the front wheel!

Charging Time: 4-6 hours for pennies Battery: 48 volt 14 AH sealed lead battery acid

Battery Charger: 110 volt smart charger, UL Listed Tires: Front 16 x 2.5" and rear pneumatic 10 x 3.5" Color: White and Black (Custom Paint Jobs Also) Size: 40" L x 26.8 "Wx 5.7" H Weight: 93 lbs.

Comes With: headlight, taillight, and horn. (Basket Optional)

FREEPORT, Fla. (Business Wire) The Honorable Judge W. Howard LaPorte, Walton County Circuit Court Judge, has denied a request by Walton County to throw out Jolly Bay LLC’s lawsuit seeking millions of dollars in monetary damages and attorneys’ fees for violation of its constitutional rights in connection with the Board of County Commissioners' denial of its project in September 2008.

The Board denied the project based on an unadopted standard made up

by Walton County after receiving public opposition to the project. The County had argued that, as a matter of law, Jolly Bay was precluded from asserting federal due process and takings claims against the county. The denial of the county’s motion allows the lawsuit to move forward.

If successful, the county, and its taxpayers, will have to pay Jolly Bay’s damages and attorneys’ fees, which are well in excess of the county’s $1 million in insurance coverage.

This key decision against Walton County comes on the heels of the First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee, Florida,

deciding to hear Jolly Bay’s appeal of the Circuit Court’s denial of another lawsuit that was filed to reverse the Board of County Commissioners' denial of the project. Oral argument is scheduled before a three-judge panel on November 17, 2009.

Jolly Bay’s property is located ½ mile from the northeast 331 bridge landing off Jolly Bay Road. The proposed project included an upscale recreational vehicle park, a bed & breakfast, a 73-unit condominium, a boat docking facility and commercial spaces.

Setting this project apart from other local projects, the plans had the project situated on 17 acres of a 60-acre tract of land in order to preserve 43 acres of natural beauty, and to ensure the integrity of, and compatibility with the surrounding area.

“Jolly Bay worked closely with the planning department staff over a two-year period to design the project to meet all Walton County Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code requirements before

submitting its application.

The plan met all requirements and received a unanimous vote in favor by the Planning Commission, only to have Commissioner Scott Brannon make a surprise motion to deny the project after a motion to approve and a second and substantial discussion on the conditions of approval,” stated Ronald Weaver of Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A., attorneys specializing in land use litigation and Bert Harris claims.

Weaver explained, “This is not the first time that Walton County has been sued for making up the rules as it goes along and applying un-adopted standards.” In the 2001 Inlet Beach Capital case, the Circuit Court reversed the Walton County Board

of County Commissioners' denial of a project and told Walton County that it cannot base the denial of projects on its own unadopted subjective interpretations of its land use regulations because landowners must have notice of the conditions that they must meet in order to improve their property. “This time, however, in light of the court’s denial of the county’s motion to dismiss the federal due process and takings claims, the county’s actions in repeating the same error and applying un-adopted standards may cost the taxpayers millions of dollars.

Federal protections are available where, as in this case, the local government crosses the line - especially a line that it has been previously warned about,” Weaver added.

By Larry

The goal of this column has been to reduce and simplify environmental information.

The idea is to boil it all down into chewable bites and manageable actions, emphasizing implications for the RV and Campground industries. Environmental debates (and diatribes) are likely to be part of the conversations that come with the holidays.

The old advice about not discussing religion or politics in social gatherings does not seem to apply in the face of outrage. This year there is plenty of outrage on all sides of the debates.

There is available a web site that gives a counter debate reply to those who maintain that carbon dioxide is causing global warming that in turn dooms life on planet earth: http://co2isgreen.org/.

This site points to information that we are not hearing in the current political arenas. For example:

We inhale carbon dioxide (CO2), taking in 385 parts per million (ppm).

We exhale CO2 at a rate of 40,000 ppm. When we give mouth to mouth respiration 40,000 ppm of CO2 go into the person without harmful effects.

The world is now cooling even though there is no lessening of CO2 in the atmosphere. Sun spots (increased combustion) occur in cycles and account for the warming cycles on earth.

CO2 actually helps plant and tree growth. As carbon dioxide levels have increased on earth the growth rate of plants and trees has also increased.

U.S. submarines sound an alarm when the CO2 level reaches 8000 ppm, a level higher than has ever happened in the earth’s atmosphere for the last 540 million years.

The site is advocating that the EPA not class CO2 as a pollutant because it is, in fact, an airborne nutrient, vital to life. Noteworthy is the fact that the site is not arguing that our air is clean or denying that other, damaging elements are in the air.

What they are getting at is this: if the EPA can succeed in labeling CO2 as a pollutant then the

Congress will have a foundation for justifying the proposed Cap and Trade tax and bad science will have been accepted as a foundation for legislation. This illustrates the fact that there are three kinds of debates going on within environmental discussions: Scientific.

Economic.

Political.

The age of marketingmixed-into-politics has created the temptation to blur and to make

propaganda appear as honest science. Don’t be fooled. There truly are three debates. The political debate involves individual constitutional rights as well as states’ rights versus federal control. The economic debate involves gauging the costs of environmental remedies and the impact of tax policies on the economy. The scientific debate involves a search for the truth about what is actually happening and what could happen.

So: listen with a keen ear!

Cold weather is around the corner. Help our feathered friends survive by providing these essentials: Protective shelter Energy-packed, nutritionrich foods Fresh, ice-free water Provide shelter. Mature trees and shrubs on your property afford birds a natural source of protection from the cold. If mature vegetation does not exist-start planting now to provide shelter in the years to come. Evergreens, with their dense branching and blanket of needles, are excellent for providing refuge. Woody trees will develop large trunks and sturdy limbs to create ideal accomodations for cavity dwellers. An interim solution is to install sheltering roosting boxes that allow many birds to huddle together for warmth. Unlike regular birdhouses, roosting boxes are uniquely designed with the opening at the bottom to reduce heat loss.

Serve winter hardy foods.

Suet is the perfect food for cold weather feeding. With its high fat content suet offers energy-rich nutrition to help birds stay warm.

Serve in a specialty suet feeder, or crumbled up and placed on a platform feeder. We recommend hearty seed blends with nuts and black oil

sunflower seeds. Ask your retailer for advice on selecting the proper foods and feeders for cold weather conditions.

Water. Water. Water. A vital element in your birdfriendly yard is a birdbath-preferably one that is heated or can accept a heater. Birds must have fresh, ice-free water for bathing and drinking yearround. During the colder months, it is particularly difficult for birds to find natural sources of water.

An abundance of birdbaths and heaters is readily available in every style imaginable--from freestanding pedestals to deck mounts and ground levels from heated to unheated. If you already own a birdbath, your retailer can advise you as to whether or not your current bath is suitable for a plug-in heater.

Enjoy your backyard birds.

For the 19th year, the campground's haunted forest and Mortician's Haunted House in Unity Wisconsin are open for the Halloween season.

scary, but it was fun."

Take a ride on a hay wagon through Monster Hall Campgrounds Haunted Forest and there'll be plenty of screams, ghosts and floating heads.

"It's a fun haunted house," said Randy Landwehr, owner of the Monster Hall Campgrounds Haunted Forest and Mortician's Mansion. "A little scare, no gore and just a great time for families."

There is some added spookiness to the haunted house, Landwehr said, because it sits on land once used by undertakers in Unity for building coffins and other funeral-related business.

While the spooky activities are kid-friendly, there are some who get a little frightened by the activities.

"I was totally freaked out," said Tess Frey, 9, who rode through the Haunted Forest. "The guys with chainsaws were really

Walking through the house, visitors can see the mortician's library, kitchen, dining room and laboratory.

"Through the years, there have been certain kids who you can't get to go into the haunted house," Landwehr said. "Because of the sound

effects, they psych themselves out."

Landwehr said the house does boast one of the largest illusions in the country, called The Black Hole, a 30-foot long dark tunnel that gives the effect that it's moving.

The haunted house is wheelchair-accessible and

can take up to 20 minutes or more, depending on how fast people move through the mansion, Landwehr said.

The hay wagon ride through the campground's forest takes about 25 minutes and features a ghost town and a logging and mining camp.

"It's awesome," Landwehr said. "With a group of people, when one person screams, they all scream."

and breakfast are free for attendees on a firstcome, first-serve basis.

"Outlook 2010: Let the Sun Shine" will kick off RVIA’s 47th Annual National RV Trade Show on Tuesday morning, December 1, with a lineup of substantive presentations communicating a strong message of optimism as the industry moves toward a recovery in the coming year.

The free event will begin at 6:45 a.m. with a complimentary sit-down breakfast in the Kentucky Exposition Center’s (KEC) South Wing Mezzanine Ballroom. As always, attendees are urged to arrive early as lines form well before the doors open.

One of the most anticipated annual industry events with more than 1,000 RV dealers and show exhibitors expected to be on hand, "Outlook 2010" will entertain and inform attendees with a combination of insightful presentations and highenergy fun.

Hosted by RVIA Chairman of the Board Jim Sheldon, "Outlook 2010" will feature “Radiant, Relevant, and Ready,” RVIA President Richard Coon’s thoughts on how RVIA has helped the industry weather the

storm and prepare for a new beginning.

In Go RVing: "Spreading Sunshine in '09 and Beyond,” Go RVing Coalition Co-Chairmen Dicky Riegel and Tom Stinnett will be joined by RVIA Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Gary LaBella to discuss how the Go RVing campaign stoked consumer demand in 2009. The trio will also unveil new television spots and innovative website content scheduled for launch early next year.

Following the Go RVing presentation, RVIA Public Relations Committee Chairman B.J. Thompson will team with LaBella to demonstrate how RVIA PR protected the image of the RV industry despite the year’s gloomy news environment in RVIA Public Relations: "Keeping Our Image Bright.”

Appearing at this year's Outlook event will be David Woodworth, noted RV historian and RVIA spokesman, who will be leading the RV Centennial Media Tour next year.

Woodworth will discuss the RV industry's rich, uniquely American history.

The "Outlook 2010: Let the Sun Shine" program

All National RV Trade Show attendees are welcome, and no reservations are necessary. Designed to convey valuable and relevant information as the show begins, "Outlook 2010" is the ideal way for manufacturers, dealers and their entire teams to

start the day on December 1. Show attendees are urged to save the 6:45 to 9:00 a.m. time slot and avoid scheduling conflicting events to enable industry representatives at all levels to attend.

Show badge registration will be available in the South Wing Lobby C Entrance prior to the event.

(Missouri) -- More than 100 Missouri State Parks employees will be losing their jobs in the coming months.

revenue from the onetenths of a cent Park Sales Tax. The Division of State Parks does not get general revenue from the state.

Travis Ford with the Department of Natural Resources says DNR sent a memo to those employees, and held a mandatory meeting Monday.

Ford says it could be a matter of weeks before we know which positions are being eliminated, as each park is now being forced to restructure staffing.

This all stems from a dramatic decline in

About 715 people work for the state's parks.

Keystone Commercial Capital has successfully closed a $2,300,000 loan secured by the South 40 RV Ranch, a Park Model RV Resort located in Tucson, Arizona. Acting on behalf of the property’s owner, Keystone’s Manufactured Housing Group secured the loan through a local bank.

The 5-year fixed rate loan was used to refinance the property’s existing debt that was set to mature in November of 2009. The park model RV resort has 230 home sites containing both park model homes and rolling RVs. In addition, South 40 RV

Ranch offers amenities such as a clubhouse, fitness center, library, pool, Jacuzzi, horseshoe pits, and laundry facilities.

Ryan Nelson, with Keystone, stated, “The strength of the borrower and his property were key in securing this loan.

Financing for RV assets is incredibly difficult in today’s environment and this process required a significant lender search.

We are very pleased that despite the scarcity of available debt for RV properties we were able to arrange an acceptable loan for all parties”.

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. -A fire destroyed two recreational vehicles two months apart, according to Nassau County fire officials.

On Sunday at about 11:30 a.m., Nassau County Fire Rescue responded to an RV fire in the 54000 block of Wanda Way in Callahan.

Fire officials said the RV was used as a permanent home and was destroyed by the fire.

Fire investigator Frank Elkins said, "This was the second RV fire at this property in as many months, both from the use of a burning candle. The tenant said there were nine

dogs housed in a nearby doublewide while she was staying in the RV with her daughter, who was not at home at the time of the fire."

The resident, Deborah Moore, escaped the home without injury. The Red Cross assisted her with food, clothing and a place to stay.

"I moved into this RV after my other one burned two months ago," Moore said.

"I lit a candle this morning in the bathroom and went back to sleep on the couch. I woke up later and saw smoke coming from the bathroom."

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