October was a busy month for your Association. The Monterey and Orange County/Beach Cities Chapters each conducted successful fundraising events for CMSA Scholarship and Charity programs. Both events, like all CMSA activities, were great opportunities to spend time with friends as well as network your business. Members from the host chapters and around the state enjoyed a round of golf, a roll of the bocce ball, and of course some good food and a beverage or two. Additionally, there were successful chapter meetings around the state. If you haven’t attended a meeting recently I suggest that you check our Calendar of Events or just call the CMSA office and be a part of an upcoming meeting.

Your Board of Directors met in Lake Tahoe, the site of the 2010 CMSA Convention. The site and contractual agreements of CMSA Conventions are determined 2 ½ years before the event. The board members arrived to an early snow in the Sierras and spent time reviewing the business of the Association as well as discussing future activity. One of the ideas discussed was an Internet marketing program that we expect will be a positive resource to our membership as well as add value to the CMSA. We are working on the final points of a partnership and plan to roll out this exciting program in the coming weeks. Traditionally the Fall Board meeting has been called the Fun Board meeting, but I can assure you that a fair amount of interesting and fulfilling work was completed during our fall weekend together.

Recent conversations with victims of illegal and scam operators and CPUC enforcement staff have highlighted a practice wherein unethical operators quote a competitive hourly rate and then charge an amount greater than the labor charge for exorbitant use of packing material. The cartons are not used for the packing of books, kitchenware, linen or other items that are required to safeguard them in a legitimate move, but rather are used in lieu of moving blankets to “protect the furniture.” CMSA is aware of this practice and our position is that this activity does not fall within a reasonable range of business practices, and as a regular course of business, does not protect or serve the moving public. With the cooperation and assistance of long time CMSA member Macy Movers, Inc. and our host Mr. Jack Macy, we conducted a field trip where some CPUC enforcement staff were able to review the proper use of packing material and other supplies at the site of a legitimate carrier. We even made a strong case for the addition of a tariff charge for a reasonable amount of stretch wrap as well as a carton charge appropriate for a flat screen television. CMSA supports the CPUC in their efforts to stop the practice of an isolated group of carriers who, as a regular business practice, use inappropriate and excessive packing material rather than traditional moving blankets to protect standard furniture.