I’ve heard some complaints that we don’t have an online candidate forum, and we heard the same complaints last year, so let me toss out a few questions and see what happens.

1. How electronic and online do you think Cascade should be?
2. What does a board of directors do?
3. What do you hope to accomplish by serving on the board?
4. If you aren’t elected, would you try to serve on a committee or task force?

Thanks for your willingness to run and your willingness to serve if you are elected.

I agree with Claire, you could really make this simple. Have the candidates join the already exisiting Community Forum under Govt & Policy. Let people ask the questions and let them respond. I think Cascade needs to be a lot more online.

Agreed, an on-line forum would be a huge step towards empowering those thousands of members who do not have convenient access to the in-person forum.

As a bicycle commuter with a full-time job, I don’t really have an extra hour each way to get up to Sand Point Way by bike and bus.

Does the Club have enough parking for even 100 outlying members to drive to a forum?

Tele-debate, like tele-commuting and vote-by-mail, is part of society’s evolution away from the notion that everyone should be expected to drive everywhere every day.

Restricting official debate to a single physical location is willful disenfranchisement of the majority of members.

Hi fellow cyclists! As as candidate for the board, I value this dialogue. Here’s where I stand on the questions Michael posed below:

1. How electronic and online do you think Cascade should be?

We should be increasingly active and communicative online, but not to the exclusion of other interactions. Online is essential and should be seen as one channel of interaction with members and non members of the Club.

FYI: I asked Chuck about whether members could vote for the board online and he said it was prohibited by state nonprofit law.

Also, I will be at the candidate forum and annual meeting.

2. What does a board of directors do?

The only three legal duties of a nonprofit board are these:

1. Duty of Care – meaning be prudent when making decisions as a steward of the organization.

2. Duty of Loyalty – meaning undivided allegiance when making decisions affecting the organization.

3. Duty of Obedience – meaning be faithful to the organization’s mission.

That said, each board establishes it own board model, based on the needs and culture of the organization.

And, a membership organization is not just any nonprofit…it has a special responsibility to the membership. I wouldn’t be interested in joining the board if CBC wasn’t a membership based organization. I work for a membership-based organization (Children’s Alliance) and have spent much of my career in this arena.

Here’s also what I said in my candidate statement about the role of the board:
The board can best contribute to the success of the organization by representing the Club’s membership, providing strategic direction, and strong oversight and support to the Executive Director.

3. What do you hope to accomplish by serving on the board?

I don’t want to be so verbose here, but first and foremost, I would be a team rider and do what is best for the board and organization. In a nutshell, I’d like to help grow the organization by reaching new constituencies, provide support to the ED, and help move the strategic plan goals to reality.

4. If you aren’t elected, would you try to serve on a committee or task force?

Yes! I’d choose based on my interests and the Club’s needs.

-Jon Gould

I’d like to make a correction re: electronic voting.

Electronic voting for nonprofit organizations is legal so long as the organization’s bylaws specifically state that it is allowed. CBC bylaws do not currently specify electronic voting as an option.

Thank you to Kathy McCabe for catching this and sending me this correction!

Jon