By Cascade's Board of Directors
As Cascade’s Board of Directors is getting ready for our annual elections, we would like to present the membership with revisions to the Club’s bylaws.
Members will be asked to vote on these proposed changes during the December election. These revisions will appear collectively on the ballot along with this year’s candidates for the board of directors.
Your board unanimously approved these changes and if the membership approves them, changes will become effective Jan. 1, 2016.
Proposed bylaws changes
The changes proposed are needed to implement the restructuring of the Club discussed with the membership earlier this year.
Thanks to you and your efforts, Cascade has grown tremendously in the past decade. We are overdue in aligning our structure with our increased reach, membership and programs. Our purpose and intent with the restructuring and proposed bylaws changes are to make Cascade Bicycle Club more inclusive, more efficient, more powerful and better able to serve the community.
Furthermore, these changes will make it much simpler to run the organization.
You may remember that when these upcoming improvements to our articles of incorporation and bylaws were first proposed in March, there was a strong voice from members to make sure we preserved (and even grew) our political capital. Many members voiced that Cascade has built a strong role for itself in the region to continue the work of Washington Bikes on a statewide level.
Our belief is that, having gone 45 years with very little change and strong organic growth, it is time to plan for the future with a more stable and flexible framework that lets members and staff continue what they do best: improving lives through bicycling.
As you can see, the activities of the Club will remain largely unchanged, with the key difference being the move of candidate endorsements and political advocacy work into a separate organization from the other key programs of Cascade. We have restructured the C4 to continue Cascade’s existing legacy of strong political work with a reliable source of funding. If the proposed merger with Washington Bikes is successful, the C4 is well positionedas an influencer of transportation and related public policy and wanted to see those gains safeguarded for the future.
The Board agrees that retaining our ability to do political work is important, and we will do that under the existing C4 organization. The Board recommends that most of the activities of the Club are served by a C3 charitable organization. Therefore, we are realigning the programs of the Club under our existing C3 and C4 organizations to achieve these goals.
Cascade Bicycle Club's PROPOSED Bylaws
Cascade Bikes (fka Cascade Bicycle Club) - Amended and Restated Bylaws.pdf
Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation PROPOSED Bylaws
Cascade Bicycle Club - (fka Cascade Bicycle Club Foundation) - Bylaws.pdf
Annual Member Meetings
With new events and programs, a new home and structural changes, a potential merge with Washington Bikes, 2015 has been an exciting year and we want to hear from you at our Annual Member Meetings.
As a valued member of Cascade, please join us for one of two Annual Member Meetings in October to learn more about the changes coming to Cascade and give your input:
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 6 - 8 p.m.Cascade Bicycling CenterMore details
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 6 - 8 p.m.
Chainline Brewing CompanyMore details
To vote
Electronic voting will be available to all Cascade members in December. Please join the Board in voting your support for proposed bylaws changes and new Directors. As in years past, voting will be available online and accessible with your Cascade login. Board candidates will be announced in November’s Courier and online.
Visit cascade.org/about/board-directors to learn more about the proposed bylaws changes, the Board, Board elections, Cascade governance and more. If you have questions or comments, please email structure@cascadebicycleclub.org or attend one of two upcoming membership meetings.
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