The January OAR meetings were held in Columbus on January 18th -20th and our Board was well represented at the meetings. President Corder, President-Elect Riesen, Past-President Bolte, Treasurer Johnson attended the conference. Also Directors Steinle, Berquist, and Coffman were in attendance. We also had several other members' intendance.
The first meeting I attended was the NAR Ideas in Action meeting. This is a new group that is comprised of all NAR committee members, OAR leadership, and Association Executives. The purpose of this group is to allow better communication between the Local, State, and National Association on programs and resources available to all members. We heard from NAR committee members firsthand the goals that have been established for the next year. The goal is to ensure smooth delivery of Core Services to all members. Specific programs were discussed and contact information was shared to help in the process. I feel this is a committee that will be helpful.
My next meeting was a discussion group of State AE's on the challenges we all face in the implementation of NAR's Core Standards. Many of the smaller Boards are still struggling with the requirements and may make the first cut, but will have trouble going forward. We also discussed the upcoming AE Ohio workshop to be held as Sawmill Creek in June. This meeting is a great session for staff to meet with their peers and discuss common challenges in meeting member's needs.
There are a number of other Winter Conference highlights that I would like to share with you, including:
• Directors honored Steven C. Brown for his lifetime of service to all levels of the REALTOR organization. A second generation REALTOR, the Dayton native has spent nearly four decades helping buyers and sellers achieve the American Dream of home ownership, while also volunteering his time and talent to improving the real estate profession. OAR Directors unanimously approved a resolution honoring Brown.
• I attended the installation of 2015 President Greg Hrabcak, of Columbus, and his leadership team of President-elect Sara Calo, of Mayfield Village, and Treasurer Pete Kopf, of Cincinnati, was a key highlight of the gathering. Additionally, the District Vice Presidents from across the state and members of the OAR Executive Committee took the oath of office.
• It was reported that Ohio's REALTOR community supported the REALTORS Political Action Committee in a BIG way in 2014 — raising more than $729,000. OAR established a goal of $625,000 for the 2015 RPAC campaign, with a participation goal of 50 percent and 162 major investors.
• Attendees at the popular Lunchbox Economics session gained insights on the improving market trends and a forecast of the 2015 real estate market from Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of REALTORS.
• The highly-attended Legal Issues Forum featured Peg Ritenour and Lorie Garland, from the OAR Legal Hotline, discussing "Marketing Issues: Keeping it Legal." Forum attendees also received continuing education credit.
• On the public policy front, the Association took positions on two pending matters. First, OAR will be working with the Ohio State Bar Association to pass legislation to update Ohio's current "Right to Cure" statute. The current 21 year time-frame is longer than a majority of states who have shortened their wait period. This proposal is designed to allow for more speedy transfers of real property and reduce the need for timely and costly litigation. Secondly, OAR will oppose an effort to prohibit applicants for a sales license from taking their pre-licensure courses online.
• The Business Technology Forum/Young Professionals Network heard Suzanne Roy, from Move Inc. and REALTOR.com, share insights on changes to Internet agent reviews. Additionally, a panel of YPN's shared ideas on local events and programs.
• The Nominating Committee presented its slate of candidates for the 2016 OAR
• Treasurer position: Tiffany Meyer (Ashland) and Chris Reese (Columbus). Directors will vote on the position at the OAR Annual Conference & Expo, Sept. 20-22, in Columbus.
• It was reported that representatives from the OAR Strategic Planning Committee will be traveling to North Carolina later this year to evaluate a statewide leadership academy. OAR wants to give special thanks to the Ohio CRS Chapter for its co-sponsorship of the program.
The above lists of events and action items summarize the 2015 OAR Winter Conference.
In other news, we have been working on our CE, meetings, and events calendar. I am happy to report the following classes and events have been scheduled so far this year.
We will have our first General Membership Meeting March 19th following the Directors meeting. The Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Buffalo District will present an overview of the Corps Regulatory Program. The overview will cover the following topics:
• What laws the Corps regulates
• USACE wetland determinations/delineations
• Permit application requirements associated with construction (discharges of fill) in regulated wetlands, streams, lakes, and navigable waterways
• Corps jurisdiction pertaining to lakefront properties, and the Corps permitting process.
This presentation will also identify resources available to the general public that will assist in deciding whether the Corps should be contacted about proposed work on a property. The intention of the presentation is to provide information on the Corps Buffalo District regulatory program and a better understanding of aquatic resources and regulatory jurisdiction.
We have scheduled three events at the NCOESC center in Tiffin this year including:
• SRS Class May 7&8
• A Board Meeting/General Membership meeting to be held May 21st.
• An open date of OCT 13th to be determined
We also have an SERS designation class scheduled for August 11th & 12th at our Hall. In October we have scheduled Lorie Garland for a Legal Update on October 7, at our Hall also. I am also happy to report that the popular CE at But-in-Bay has also been scheduled thanks to the sponsorship of First American Title. Instructors and details will follow. Please check the FAOR website for details on the many class offerings we will be offering this year.
In conclusion we have another full year of events and education offerings planned for 2015.
Respectively submitted,
David W Freitag CEO