If anyone in the BWA has hard documentation on anything to do with the EAMG and the interactions of the BWA please contact me. I think that before we go further we need to go back and see what actually happened. As most of us in the club were not around when this occurred. Another thing I would like clarification on is at what point the AW gave the BWA permission to make judgment calls about EA, and who it was at AW that gave said permission.

JBob

P.S. Please do not comment on this thread for now. If you have info just send it to me.


My email is jbob9@insightbb.com

Here are some great links to information on the history of EA.

[www.surfbwa.org]


[www.americanwhitewater.org].



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2008 12:20PM by jboater.

Jbob just FYI, I wrote "The Elkhorn Saga" AW Journal article while I was still serving on AW Board of Directors and was the acting AW representative in the land transaction. The AW editor accidentally left my name off the article when they printed it:-)

I am the "I" in the story and and was present at the seminal meeting at Lynah's Irish pub where BWA members Ben Newman, Ben Askrin, Burgess Carey, Brent Austin, "referee" Prince Vittow (now Dinger) and myself came together and hammered the agreement on the compromise to donate the land to AW. As the AW Cybercommittee Chairman and webmaster I also helped set up the AW web site online donation ability that was essential to our efforts in raising over $40k in the 3, insanely hectic, days before the auction. I was also the person who signed the check the day of the sale and along with AW Executive Director, Rich Bowers, helped to convince the AW board to accept the land and assume the taxes associated with it. I also represented AW at the final closing in Frankfort when the balance of the money was paid for the purchase and the deed for the land transfered to AW.

As the article points out the original "AW Acres Council" was designed as a temporary group and was thrown together to act as a decision making entity only during the sale of the property. After the sale this group morphed into the EAMG and almost immediately became highly controversial among several of the donors as it's membership was restricted to only those original people who had contributed $500 or more. Unfortunately, this closed non-democratic group and the ensuing, endless controversy it has generated, has delayed or blocked key decisions concerning the takeout, including constructing change rooms, laying more gravel, fixing the potholes in the road, etc... It has also severely divided paddlers who should be working together instead of at odds.

As a volunteer who has been instrumental in the purchase and maintenance of the Elkhorn takeout since the beginning it seems obvious to me and now many others that there simply has got to be a better way. I'm hopeful that, as the article noted that local paddlers are still the same committed people working to ensure open access to a creek so vital to our sport and that we will put aside the heated rhetoric and come together in agreement which will allow votes for everyone in a true and open democracy.
barryg

Barry if you could elaborate on some of your statements I would appreciate it.



Barry: "After the sale this group morphed into the EAMG and almost immediately became highly controversial among several of the donors as it's membership was restricted to only those original people who had contributed $500 or more."

From the history I have read this statement is false. The Elkhorn paddlers, vikings, and BWA also have votes on the EAMG. I was also under the impression that the people that donated $500 or more were told that they would have a vote. If this is in fact true I think that whoever made these decisions should stick to them.


Barry: Unfortunately, this closed non-democratic group and the ensuing, endless controversy it has generated, has delayed or blocked key decisions concerning the takeout, including constructing change rooms, laying more gravel, fixing the potholes in the road, etc...

What seems to be most non-democratic is that the BWA made a decision about camping at EA. This was not a decision for the BWA to make. The vikings, Elkhorn paddlers and EAMG were not consulted. If we want this to work EVERYONE has to have a say not just the BWA. I also think that the BWA should issue an apology about making this decision without consulting all parties.

The changing rooms happened before my time I do not have the history on this and am not really sure. Were the changing rooms blocked by the EAMG?
As for gravel I think that has been pretty good until recently. I seem to recall that there was a decision made several months ago to upgrade and fix the parking lot. I also remember that the responsibility was given to Dale Perry, Dave Margavage and David Quarles. Why the upgrades and upkeep has not been done yet I do not know. I assume that this summer it will happen.


Please note that I am just trying to get the truth out. The more people that give hard documentation on the history of these events the harder it will be to get opinion instead of fact. I will continue to make posts on things that appear to be inaccurate. I just want an end to this controversy and I don't plan on giving up untill it is done.

Remember, we still have $500 that was donated to AW last year by the NPFF which was earmarked for Elkhorn Acres.

Is this vote buying

Mr. Margavage

jboater,

I distinctly remember being told on the phone during that hectic three days that donations in increments of $500 would get you votes on the "board" that would oversee the EA. I think if you look back, if the records still exist, that there were a high number of donations in those increments. I personally called the then President of the Elkhorn Paddlers (Donna Depenning) and got her to call the executives of the EP to emergency vote funds for this purchase. I believe they donated $1000. I also know they have given more in the ensuing years to maintain this property.

The idea of a 'board' was proposed as way to not have a BWA 'czar' (even if faithfully elected and Todd you have done a masterful job with the NPFF) run the property but to allow for consistent management throughout the AW ownership of this land. And include all members of the paddling community not just the BWA.
peace
Bill

p.s. I thought a 'No Camping' sign was posted on the property. Can I assume that I at my convenience or anyone else's may camp there.

Atomman

Hahaha. No, Dave, I was just saying that to remind people that there is money available for improvements. We've not made use of that money yet, so we should probably do it soon, and use it for whatever the Group decides.

todd