To the Adventure Cycling Board of Directors,
We are writing as the four founders of Bikecentennial and Adventure Cycling (the Siples and Burdens) and former staff members who were primary leaders of the organization through 2022 (Jim Sayer, Sheila Snyder and Ginny Sullivan) and were instrumental in the significant growth of ACA and also the renovation and expansion of the Missoula HQ building.
Our main ask: POSTPONE the listing and proposed sale of the ACA HQ building. At present, and based on our current information, we think such a move would be a dangerous mistake and could catalyze a death spiral for Adventure Cycling. We ask that you postpone the proposed sale until you have provided us with your full analysis of the pros and cons of such a move, and engage in a full and candid discussion with us about the proposal and the future of the organization. We request that you get back to us on your decision by Sunday afternoon at 5 PM MDT. If you do proceed with the proposed sale on Monday, and if we receive inquiries from members, donors and other supporters about your initiative, we will have no choice but to share our opposition and our concerns.
Our thoughts: First, we want to say thanks to John and Nicki for emailing several of us regarding the planned sale. We appreciate the heads-up. However, we were stunned and dismayed that this decision was taken, and believe it would be catastrophic for Adventure Cycling. We are even more dismayed to know that this was decided, even though Adventure Cycling (per John’s email) is not facing a cash crunch and has enough resources for the near future. We strongly believe this is a decision — really a strategic choice — that should be left to the new executive director, in tandem with the board, because it will affect so many aspects of the organization’s identity and viability in coming years. We could write an extremely long memo and probably a few poems about our love for the building and why it is such a critical part of the organization, but let us hit on a few highlights:
Sacred Place: Adventure Cycling’s headquarters is a powerful symbol of the bicycling movement in America. No other bicycling organization has such a visual, inspirational property. It has taken on the role of the organization’s home; it is in this respect a “Mecca” to many. Its loss would be unrecoverable, such as the destruction of a temple, church, or synagogue.
Oasis: The building is THE all-essential, comfortable, and welcoming site for all members, and the general public. It is the place that celebrates traveling cyclists’ stories; it is part museum, where traveling cyclists are photographed… a highlight of any trip across America, and the beginning point for many tours, dreams, and aspirations.You know as well as we do the grins that spread across visitors’ faces — especially cyclists’ faces — when they grab those handlebar door handles, enter the sanctuary, and head to the Cyclists’ Lounge for a cold one and an ice cream. You will not be able to come close to duplicating that experience in some rented place in Missoula, or anywhere else.
Members Matter: The building was fully paid for with membership funds and donations. It belongs to the members and everything possible should be done to keep the building for members and the public to visit.
Members Matter, Part 2: The pro-active sale of the building at this time, after five years of steady organizational decline and inconsistent leadership, would signal to members that the organization doesn’t care about members’ contributions or the history or culture of the organization. Members and donors teetering on the edge of renewal would see this as a sign to abandon ACA.
Members Matter, Part 3: The board has clearly forgotten how to use ACA HQ as a lever to boost membership and donations. We can tell you from experience that hundreds of people entered the doors of this building for the first time, and came out by donating to become a Life Member or major donor. They ALL came out a member because every visiting cyclist, even if they couldn’t afford to pay, were given a free membership, and many renewed.
Staff Matters: We know that, in the future, ACA will have some remote staff. However, if ACA is to have a central HQ, have one that the staff loves. If you look at the staff surveys over the years, there is real love, affection and loyalty to the history and excellent features of the building, from the vaulted ceilings and natural light to the cozy courtyard and artifacts and artwork. John McDermott wrote to say that ACA’s HQ will remain in Missoula; why on earth rent an inferior place anywhere else in town?
Lowest Cost Alternative: The building is owned outright by the organization. There are no property taxes on the building. The monthly maintenance costs are relatively low. If the organization is planning, as stated in John’s email, on staying in Missoula and if there is no cash flow issue at this time, it makes no sense to begin paying rent, along with all the costs associated with storing and displaying ACA art and memorabilia. If the concern is that there are so few staff in the building, then the logical alternative is to rent out part(s) of the building and use that money to pay the monthly expenses as is done by several nonprofit organizations in Missoula. We know for a fact that a private engineering firm offered to rent the upstairs area and pay at least $4,000/month — nearly $50,000 a year which would more than cover expenses and provide future reinvestment opportunities. We have informally talked with other nonprofits in the city who would be thrilled to use such high quality space and facilities. There are so many win-win opportunities here, what is the board thinking?
Life Member Support: Even without the extra reinvestment dollars, there should be funds available to support the upkeep of the building. As Sheila reminded us, the Life Member Fund was created by the board to ensure the maintenance of the building. As of three years ago, that fund had over one million dollars in it. Also three years ago, a maintenance plan was created for the next 20 years and no major projects were seen as necessary at that time. What is the current status of the Life Member Fund and building maintenance plan?
The Future: It is shortsighted to say that because staff and programs have been cut over the last two years that the organization will not be able to rebound and grow and become a thriving organization again, better able to serve the growing number of cyclists in the world. Are you so afraid of the future that you do not believe ACA can re-grow its staff and programs, in Missoula and throughout the nation, with new leadership and creativity?
The Future, Part 2: It is shocking that the board wants to sell the building in the middle of your executive director search. Why on earth would you take this incredible, paid-for, irreplaceable Mecca and revenue generator and remove it from the mix before you select a visionary and effective leader who could leverage the building and its contents for the maximum benefit of Adventure Cycling and the bicycling community? The next director should have every opportunity to use this asset as part of their plans for the future; let them have that opportunity!
Our conclusion: There are other reasons why we consider the board’s move to sell the building so irresponsible and shortsighted. But let us end on a deeper note. Selling Adventure Cycling’s HQ and storing away all its magnificent, thoughtfully curated contents feels like selling a big part of the organization’s soul. Rarely in America do you find such a beautiful, purpose-built building, so aligned with a group’s mission and meaning, so designed to please and serve its membership, so welcoming to all who enter and revel in the spaces and exhibits. The board’s decision — and the limp explanations we have received in justifying it — signal a profound ignorance of the importance of the building and an utter lack of creative thinking about how it can be utilized in the future.
Please postpone the planned sale of the building and let us begin a productive conversation about the future of the Mecca of bicycle travel — and Adventure Cycling itself.
Sincerely,
Greg and June Siple, Dan and Lys Burden, Jim Sayer, Sheila Snyder and Ginny Sullivan
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