MISSOULA, Mont. (BRAIN) — Adventure Cycling Association (ACA) members have voted overwhelmingly to support a decision by the organization's board to sell its headquarters building here. But opponents of the sale say the vote was conducted improperly and the organization is opening the door to a re-vote.
The board voted last June to list the building for sale. After many months of contention with some members and previous ACA leaders (including the organization’s four founders) opposing the sale, a vote of the membership that began on November 3 ended Tuesday with 95% of member votes in support of the board's position.
“This moment isn’t about a building or voting procedures,” said ACA Executive Director Andy Williamson. “This moment is about whether Adventure Cycling has the momentum and resources to adapt and serve cyclists for another 50 years, leading generations to find the joy, health, and adventure that exploring by bike provides.”
The group opposed to the sale hasn’t given up. "It's no wonder the vote was so lopsided. The voting process was completely one-sided, unfair, and likely violated Montana state law, with no opportunity for opponents to communicate the serious downsides of the building's sale to the entire ACA membership. It's not just a procedural issue, it's an issue of basic democratic fairness. ACA's leadership even acknowledges that there were enough concerns that opponents can trigger a new vote that truly abides by the law," said Jim Sayer, a member of Save ACA HQ, a coalition of ACA's four founders and former staff leaders.
The group’s arguments for retaining the building and repeating the vote are shared at saveacahq.org. ACA leadership has given the Save ACA HQ group and any others questioning the vote until Dec. 15 to decide whether a new vote should take place.
“While a small group debates procedural questions, 95% of voting members have given us a mandate to rebuild the organization for the future. That's the work that matters," said Williamson. For more on ACA’s position visit adventurecycling.org/member_news/building-sale-vote-results-process-and-opposition.
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