I Quit - Open Letter to the GVVA

I  have chosen to make this a public topic, rather than quit silently. The issues facing the GVVA Board are chronic, and desperately need outside influence. I'm regretful to have to even do this, but matters have not been dealt with internally.

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To the Greater Victoria Velodrome Association and Members (who deserve full disclosure, and i believe these issues need public attention):

 

To the Board,

 

I here-by resign my position.

 

Your incompetence as a Board is only rivaled by your lack of sensitivity.

 

I want nothing more to do with you. You leave me feeling ill and have completely ruined my summer cycling experience, and my time with this organization (since 2004, a Board member since 2005).  You have taken advantage of my goodwill and willingness to contribute for the final time.

 

Your method of 'resolving' conflict is shameful, and had you any decency or empathy you'd perhaps begin to feel embarrassed and regretful with how you've handled -- better said: neglected -- the issues i've had to face, over and over and over and over dealing with 'President' Chris Anstey, who has done so much to undermine the efforts of myself and others.  Your inaction has only empowered Chris, and crippled those trying to work for the Club.

 

To be perfectly clear on the matter: Chris Anstey deserves 80% of the credit for my resignation, and the Board the other 20% for their negligence and irresponsible behavior in dealing with matters. (Chris likely believes he has been acting appropriately because rarely do Board members besides myself attempt to communicate concern. My own voice is lost on him.)  I am embarrassed for, and regret having encouraged my friends Emile and Ailsa into this trainwreck (who stepped in as a Director and Treasurer this summer). They, and Brian, are Board members exempt from my concerns; they barely had a chance to get involved.

 

To the Members: you should be alerted to the fact that i am the second GVVA Director to quit in protest this week.

 

Glenn Barr, who brought a vast amount of experience and knowledge and progressive thinking from the Burnaby Velodrome, also quit in protest this week due to the behavior of the other Board members, and Glenn specifically highlighted issues in dealing with Chris.  (This is not new, as we also have had to deal with and respond to numerous complaints of inappropriate and unacceptable behavior by Chris from members, coaches, and others.) Little of this has prompted any action from the rest of the Board, whom he also shared concern over.

 

After Glenn quit, i called on the rest of the Board to ask Chris to step down, immediately.  I was promptly ignored, there was no discussion on the matter as is the 'standard practice' when there is a conflict in this group. (Glenn quit, and there was hardly anything said!!)  I 'boycotted' the Provincial Track Championships in protest to Chris' continued involvement.  I felt that was the only way i could 'voice' myself.  That seems to have had little effect or meaning with the Board, so now i have only one option left: to quit.

 

The 'final straw' was seeing Chris give out the Junior 'Record Breakers' awards. It's an idea i conceived as part of a possible alternative event to the Provincial Championships, which were at risk of being canceled because i had to quit *attempting* to organize due to Chris' efforts to undermine me - Emile and Gillian took over. The 'Record Breakers' concept was weakly injected into the Provincial Championships instead.

 

The goal of the 'Record Breakers' is to encourage more youth involvement (highlighting their times in our 'Record Books', and encouraging them to come back break their records a few times each year.) This was one final slap in the face for me: witnessing the epitome of my summer's grief giving out (and doing so poorly, unable to even pronounce names of kids who've been coming out for weeks) awards to 'the future of the track' as though all were fine and he was worthy of this role, and the unthinking Board members clearly oblivious to significance of this event, with no consideration given to how this might feel to me.

 

Members: All is not lost. If you care, please step up at the AGM this Fall, and volunteer yourselves to give this facility a positive, progressive and potent Board of Directors. Please change things so that no single person can ruin this experience for another, and ensure the Board values harmony and open communication, not silence and disgraceful tolerance of undermining behavior and 'executive decisions'. Concerns should be taken seriously, and resolved immediately. If the current (shrinking) Board remains, there is no chance for change, and more will quit in frustration. The GVVA Members deserve better.

 

Members: please call on the Board for these changes, and demand the Chris Anstey be removed as President immediately. He is a disgrace, and should be tolerated no longer.

 

I am feeling very hurt and disappointed. This organization has left me with so much regret.

 

Dave Shishkoff (former Director of Racing of the GVVA)

 

PS - if you would like to discuss this further, or share your thoughts, i am copying this to my personal blog and you're welcome to comment there: http://cycling.davenoisy.com

 

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Background: A Shortlist of Recent Significant Issues Involving 'President' Chris Anstey

 

* Frequent Complaints from Members - members of the GVVA Board have found themselves frequently apologizing for the behavior and actions of Chris Anstey, who is unclear and obtuse, and often supplying incorrect answers.

 

* Website-gate - in late May i discovered our website had been 'taken over' by another member. I had no idea how this came about, and alerted the Board, and was preparing to contact the police and internet registry organizations as the member refused to comply with my requests to return the website. Two days into the matter, despite being aware of the concern, Chris Anstey finally 'revealed' that he had made an 'executive decision' a few weeks earlier, to have this person run the website - a duty i had fulfilled since 2005, without alerting or informing anyone on the Board, including me. All were mystified.

 

* Last Term as President - in a meeting to resolve 'website-gate', Chris Anstey revealed this was his last term as President. Since he was 'leaving', there was seemingly little reason to chastise him over this incident, which probably lead to the rest of the issues, presuming he would behave otherwise. _Let this be a lesson to all_.

 

* Under The Lights - this race series, run by Chris Anstey, cost the club (ie, your money) an estimated $700. It was poorly considered and executed, and had virtually no preparation or promotion from Chris Anstey. He did not ask for any assistance (promotion, volunteers, sponsors, officials, etc). He did not re-evaluate the situation, and felt entitled to charge members $25 for a poorly-organized event, which gauged our bank account - a loss on all accounts. The most troubling aspect is that even after record memberships (our primary income), our bank account was around $800 before the Provincial Championships. There is no excuse that this type of event should have cost us a single cent, let alone $700. I expressed significant concern over our financial situation to the Board. There has been little discussion. Provincials could very well push the GVVA further into the red (and yes, i begged for a budget for this as well).

 

* Disorganizing Provincial Championships - for some inexplicable reason, the person Chris Anstey tasked with organizing Provincials wasn't going to even be here for the event, nor the week(s) leading up to it. I was 'second' in charge. I kept trying to get information from this person, including a schedule, which was produced weeks after a date we had agreed on. Further details were also delayed or withheld, making the job of ensuring a successful Provincial Championships a nightmare, and a personal embarrassment as i couldn't answer any questions. Over a month ago i sent a worried email to the Directors list, asking someone PRESENT be assigned Head Organizer. I believe at this time Emile suggested me. Silence ensued. I continued to work with what i could. Two weeks later (three weeks ago), i sent ANOTHER worried email, highlighting the same issues, and that we were getting down to the wire.  A small amount of discussion, but nothing resolved. A few days later, i quit my role in Provincials (and nearly quit the board then.)

 

* Board Member Quits - as mentioned above, Glenn Barr, involved with the GVVA since 2008 and joining the Board this year, quit in protest this week. Not the first time i've witnessed this in the organization; another former Board member remains silent, but also quit in protest of Chris.

 

* Jersey Shorn - Glenn had took on the new GVVA club jerseys, organizing their design, production and a SIGNIFICANT discount for us. He proposed prices for them, and they were approved by the Board, with a small profit, but still very affordable for members. Chris Anstey made an 'executive decision' without even informing the rest of the Board to charge more, and did so to Members. (Unsure if they've been reimbursed. Or maybe we're charging the new price. Who knows.)

 

* Provincials Race Director - days before Provincials, Chris Anstey 'announced' that he would take on the role of 'Race Director', and that it was 'always the plan' - which was news to all, and in reality the role originally assigned to me. This was a deliberate lie to the Board. This was allowed to pass unchallenged, demeaning me personally.

 

* What's your value? Chris Anstey recently sent an email to the Directors describing his value as $75/hr (claiming what he made in his previous employment) implying that only certain tasks were worth his value, undermining and devaluing the contributions of *everyone* in the organization with this claim - which would be laughable were it not so insulting.

 

* Unaccountable - Chris Anstey refuses to answer important and relevant questions or be accountable for his actions. I asked for his budget for the Under The Lights program. He refused to provide any information - i had to make the calculations myself, the only reason it was revealed the Club had taken such a hit losing $700. I also asked to account for his activity organizing the Under The Lights series. No response. Chris Anstey acts with impunity, an attitude tolerated and unchallenged by the rest of the GVVA Board.

 

* Second Board Member Quits a Few Days Later - 'nuff said.

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