Questions for Management

[John Nettles]

Don't know if ACA knows due to the Christmas holiday break, but the ACA website is down as of 17:31 Central Time on 12/23/25.

[ray b]

Don't know if ACA knows due to the Christmas holiday break, but the ACA website is down as of 17:31 Central Time on 12/23/25.

Thanks John - I was taking tonight's Cloudfare denials personally.... Should we?

[DW]

Right two sides in any vote.

Why does the saveacahq.org provide so much more data to inform a vote for or against the current plans of the organizaion than the organization itself? https://saveacahq.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Rebuilding-Adventure-Cycling-v3.0.pdf

Ray,

Thank you for providing that link to the Save ACA Committee's position document.  That's precisely the kind of information the membership needs to have.

In addition to that, some very positive news came our way this afternoon in an email from the committee.  I quote in part:

"Now, we must get ready for the new vote, which will start on January 13 and end on January 20. We want a fair vote that enables members to share and discuss different perspectives on the merits of the building sale.

As granted to all ACA members by legal statute, we have the right to – and will be – contacting all members on the membership list and telling our side of the story: why selling the headquarters building is the wrong decision at the wrong time."

[John Nettles]

Don't know if ACA knows due to the Christmas holiday break, but the ACA website is down as of 17:31 Central Time on 12/23/25.

Thanks John - I was taking tonight's Cloudfare denials personally.... Should we?

Nah, it is working again.  I have always wondered how you tell a company their website is down if that is the way you contact them.  Regardless, at least for me, it is up and running.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Everyone, John

[rafisher14]

Another question for ACA:

What steps is ACA taking to win back the many long-time and/or life members who have slowed or stopped their support (in donations, estate plans, etc.) because of their dismay with the recent management/leadership of the organization? Sure, many among this group have "aged out" and no longer bicycle, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have stopped supporting bicycling or bicycle touring for others.

[ray b]

Another question for ACA:

What steps is ACA taking to win back the many long-time and/or life members who have slowed or stopped their support (in donations, estate plans, etc.) because of their dismay with the recent management/leadership of the organization? Sure, many among this group have "aged out" and no longer bicycle, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have stopped supporting bicycling or bicycle touring for others.

(Right. Wealth and ability to donate do not age-out.... It's just the opposite. E.g., Who's going to sponsor scholarships or underwrite future under 30 expeditions? Someone who thinks back 50 y and thinks, ACA and Bikecentennial had a big impact on my life.)

[John Nettles]

ACA Leadership,

Please be professional and respond to the many many inquires on, at least, the ACA Forums regarding the sale of the building.  We have been patient.  We were told all questions would be answered on "Monday" (whether that was 12/22, 12/29, or 1/5 & all have passed) but we have heard nothing since the initial replies.  Why have you not responded.  Are you hiding something?  Afraid of our questions?  Don't want to give bad news?  What?  Instead of answering a few questions early on putting out the spark, your unprofessional silence has started a fire. 


The Members deserve and have a right to honest, transparent answers.  We all recognize this is a tough time.  That is why we would like clarity because the lack of clear & specific, not vague, answers has made us quite alarmed at the character of the current "leadership".  I know I am being a little harsh, but honestly, you deserve it since you are being silent.

Please start responding to the posts. Please.

[DW]

ACA Leadership,

Please be professional and respond to the many many inquires on, at least, the ACA Forums regarding the sale of the building.  We have been patient.  We were told all questions would be answered on "Monday" (whether that was 12/22, 12/29, or 1/5 & all have passed) but we have heard nothing since the initial replies.  Why have you not responded.  Are you hiding something?  Afraid of our questions?  Don't want to give bad news?  What?  Instead of answering a few questions early on putting out the spark, your unprofessional silence has started a fire. 

The Members deserve and have a right to honest, transparent answers.  We all recognize this is a tough time.  That is why we would like clarity because the lack of clear & specific, not vague, answers has made us quite alarmed at the character of the current "leadership".  I know I am being a little harsh, but honestly, you deserve it since you are being silent.

Please start responding to the posts. Please.

John,

Thank you for posting this - again.  But when you control the situation and are acting so dishonorably, there is no sense of accountability, much less the will to respond to questions and comments.  Most would call that cowardly.  One ACA member even compared the board's tactics to those of the Gestapo!  I, too, sense the board does indeed have something to hide, and I don't like the stench.

Have you seen the email Andy sent to members just two hours ago?  ACA can't even get the day of week for the vote correct.  In part, that email also stated (bullet point bolding mine) the following, as the board and Andy continue to disparage the Save ACA Committee - and the founders.

"The Correction

Our January 2 email incorrectly stated that the member meeting and voting would occur on "Monday, January 13."

January 13, 2026, is a Tuesday, not a Monday. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

Meeting Structure

    5 minutes: Tone-setting and rules
    10 minutes: Presentation from Adventure Cycling
    10 minutes: Presentation from organized group of members who oppose the sale
    90 minutes: Public comment period (~36 speakers, 2 minutes each)
    5 minutes: Closing"

Why don't you respond to that email with exactly the same message you posted here?  They will most certainly ignore it too, but some staffer may read it and pass it along.  Worth a shot.

[billschairer@me.com]

I have asked the same question twice without any answer or acknowledgement.  It SHOULD be easy to answer but evidently it isn't.

[Jim Cossitt, 1976 rider]

I appreciate seeing all of these concerns as I am in the midst of a serious investigation / likely legal action  into the decision that was made and the general competency of the BOD and senior employees.    Thank you for sharing the information.

If you have further information you wish to share, please post it here or send it to me at:   cossittlaw@gmail.com

If you email it to me, please provide a signature block to ID yourself.

Thanks,                Jim Cossitt   1/8/2026

[DW]

I appreciate seeing all of these concerns as I am in the midst of a serious investigation / likely legal action  into the decision that was made and the general competency of the BOD and senior employees.    Thank you for sharing the information.

If you have further information you wish to share, please post it here or send it to me at:   cossittlaw@gmail.com

If you email it to me, please provide a signature block to ID yourself.

Thanks,                Jim Cossitt   1/8/2026

Jim,

Welcome to the discussion.  Glad to have an attorney aboard to add some legal expertise and muscle to this mess the board created.

[jmlysne]

I'd like to hear a reason to not sell the building.  It sounds reasonable to sell the building to reduce costs.

[DW]

I'd like to hear a reason to not sell the building.  It sounds reasonable to sell the building to reduce costs.

You'll find those reasons clearly presented and well-detailed in several places and associated links throughout these threads.  A good reading of the information in those links will help everyone make fully informed decisions come voting day.

[John Nettles]

I'd like to hear a reason to not sell the building.  It sounds reasonable to sell the building to reduce costs.

My very first reaction was "No! It is the ACA Headquarters."  Then I had some thoughts like you.  I posted several questions here and on BikeForums.net asking for a response.  In the meantime however, after looking into it a bit, their reasons didn't add up.  Selling then leasing back doesn't appear to reduce costs that much, if at all, but does give a massive cash inflow, one time.  Additionally, their "plan" is very vague and worse they have cowardly hidden from responding to reasonable questions. 

From what I can tell, they hope to sell the building, use the net proceeds (probably closer to $2.2 million to fund the current lifestyle in the hopes that Association turns around.  If they can, great.  However, if they don't they have wasted all of that money for over-inflated salaries and un-needed items.  I have asked probably a dozen or more questions and only a few very easy ones (will the Special Meeting be recorded for playback) have been actually answered.  Only a few more have been responded to but really did not say anything of substance. 

It is the lack of almost ANY response that has moved me in to the very firm No camp.  If everything was so great, why not comment on it?  What are they hiding?  To me, the silence is deafening in their skill set to adequately manage ACA.  What few questions were answered were at best, vague and didn't answer the questions and at worse providing outright lying responses with their numbers.  Yet the 3 "executives" with combined salaries over $400k with benefits, can't even answer the questions from its members. 

By NOT selling, it forces ACA management to greatly cut costs, start actually providing what members want, and/or close the Association.  Worst case, if they close the Association, ACA can provide other groups like Bikepacking.com, LAW, etc., with some donations.  To give a layman's analogy, this is like selling your paid for personal home, then leasing it back, just so you can continue to spend the way you want for the next few years.  But then when that money runs out, you are out of a home, literally, and still have to make drastic cuts so you can survive.  Why not try to focus on cutting costs instead of just "borrowing your way out of debt". 

Remember, it is this board and its immediate predecessors that have taken ACA from almost 50k members to less than 19k in just a few short years, all why blaming it on "aging out" members.  Why support the same type of board that wants to do the same thing.  I think only 3 of the 14 Board Members and Executive Staff were here prior to 2020 when all the rapid decline began.  If you REALLY trust them to turn it around after they have had 4-5 years, vote Yes.  If not, vote No. 

Feel free to ask more question.  At least we will answer even if to say we don't know the answer. 

[John Nettles]

While this is a contentious time, our thoughts and prayers are with ACA Executive Director John McDermott, who according to an ACA email, has had to take a leave of absence due to a severe and emergent medical issue. 

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!