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Kretz receives leadership award for work on RMAP By NCBI
The Washington Farm Bureau (WFB) presented a Presidential Citation to Joel Kretz at its 84th Annual Meeting in Yakima last month for his outstanding leadership on the Road Maintenance and Abandonment Plan (RMAP). WFB President Steve Appel praised Kretz’s effective leadership around the state and in Olympia that helped provide relief from the costly RMAP regulations impacting small forest landowners. Kretz took a strong leadership role in early 2001 as Okanogan County Farm Bureau President when small forest landowners received enforcement letters that called for costly road maintenance, road and culvert updates or private road closures with yearly work to be performed at the landowner’s expense and reported to the Department of Natural Resources. Kretz organized several RMAP meetings in Okanogan and Ferry Counties, some attended by nearly 1,000 concerned citizens. Kretz also traveled with WFB across the state to help inform the public of imminent RMAP regulations impacting private property owners. Kretz spent countless hours in Olympia working with legislators, landowners and various interest groups searching for ways to minimize RMAP’s negative impacts on family farmers and small forest landowners. The efforts paid off with the unanimous passage of HB 1095 last spring. RMAP is currently in the rule-making process that Kretz and WFB continue to monitor. “To be recognized by an organization so strongly committed to the protection of private property rights and rural communities is quite an honor.” Kretz added, “I look forward to our continued efforts toward those same goals.” Kretz hopes to continue his work for rural families in a new capacity. He recently announced plans to run for the State House of Representatives. The 7th District seat will be open in 2004 as Cathy McMorris runs for Congress. Kretz, a rancher from Wauconda, recently stepped down as Okanogan Farm Bureau President to devote full time to his campaign for State Representative. “Improving the economic climate of rural Washington is my number one priority,” said Kretz. We need to find ways to create jobs and opportunity in the 7th District.” RELATED STORY: Kretz receives leadership award for work on RMAP
Yakima, WA - 12/3/03 -The Washington Farm Bureau (WFB) presented a Presidential Citation to Joel Kretz at its 84th Annual Meeting in Yakima lastmonth for his outstanding leadership on the Road Maintenance and Abandonment Plan (RMAP). WFB President Steve Appel praised Kretz’s effective leadership around the state and in Olympia that helped provide relief from the costly RMAP regulations impacting small forest landowners.
Kretz took a strong leadership role in early 2001 as Okanogan County Farm Bureau President when small forest landowners received enforcement letters that called for costly road maintenance, road and culvert updates or private road closures with yearly work to be performed at the landowner’s expense and reported to the Department of Natural Resources.
Kretz organized several RMAP meetings in Okanogan and Ferry Counties, some attended by nearly 1,000 concerned citizens. Kretz also traveled with WFB across the state to help inform the public of imminent RMAP regulations impacting private property owners. Kretz spent countless hours in Olympia working with legislators, landowners and various interest groups searching for ways to minimize RMAP’s negative impacts on family farmers and small forest landowners. The efforts paid off with the unanimous passage of HB 1095 last spring. RMAP is currently in the rule-making process that Kretz and WFB continue to monitor.
“To be recognized by an organization so strongly committed to the protection of private property rights and rural communities is quite an honor.” Kretz added, “I look forward to our continued efforts toward those same goals.”
Kretz hopes to continue his work for rural families in a new capacity. He recently announced plans to run for the State House of Representatives. The 7th District seat will be open in 2004 as Cathy McMorris runs for Congress. Kretz, a rancher from Wauconda, recently stepped down as Okanogan Farm Bureau President to devote full time to his campaign for State Representative.
“Improving the economic climate of rural Washington is my number one priority,” said Kretz. We need to find ways to create jobs and opportunity in the 7th District.”
For further information contact Darlene Hajny at (509) 422-4703 or visit www.joelkretz.com.
Darlene Hajny/Information Committee to Elect Joel Kretz (509) 422-4703 |
