Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

  1. #1
    Senior Member Moderator Spooph's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Golden, CO.
    Posts
    883

    ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    Cross-posted for ease. Please read/comment and share, we need to get this out to as many riders in Colorado as we can. Whether you support ABATE or not, they represent you legislatively, in state policy making, and as a face of Colorado riders. It reflects directly on you whether you acknowledge it or not. At the very least, care about your reputation...

    http://thedandooligan.wordpress.com/...-colorado-wtf/

    It’s always hard dealing with conflicting emotions, especially when those emotions include distrust, betrayal, loyalty, determination and hope. I’m feeling these emotions toward ABATE of Colorado. Some disconcerting things have been happening there.


    I started volunteering 3 years ago, after having been a member of ABATE for a year with the understanding that they needed my help to embrace newer ways of reaching their members in the form of social media. I was excited by the opportunity to become politically involved and get my generation excited about the same thing. I also wanted to become a riding coach, which they graciously helped me do. I was really enjoying being a part of this organization up until August 2014, when some strange things started to happen.


    I received Ann Layson’s very disturbing letter Nov 13th, and 2 letters from the Board of Directors Nov 19th , both of which are printed below. Mrs. Layson’s letter spoke of some rather alarming actions taken by ABATE, and the Board’s letters stated ABATE of Colorado is in dire financial straits. I’ve talked to quite a few people in ABATE over the course of these last two months and the one thing I’ve been able to come to a conclusion on is that they are very disorganized.


    They’ve sent me cross-ways to different people within the organization to get questions answered, they haven’t been able to come out with solid stances on issues, and they are being very secretive about the financial situation they are in. For the past 2 years they have also been very resistant to some of the new strategies we have presented them, and it seems in most ways that they simply want to stay their coarse, especially so considering their newest call to “invest” in ABATE through a Certificate of Deposit (CD).


    Old school thinking is good in some respects, like politics, but new approaches to financial sustainability have to be used. Ask any business, grass-roots organization or any other entity which has survived through the last 2 decades and the change in fiscal practices the internet has forced everybody to go through.
    I’m deliberately not mentioning names, titles or positions because I don’t want to point fingers, and I don’t want to place blame. I don’t want to be angry, I don’t want to come to you with this news…. I WANT an organization which I can trust, which I can be a part of to continue watching out for, and empowering motorcyclists. It’s why I joined in the first place and no matter what happens, that’s what I want to do. Thus, I will not perpetuate the rumors I’ve heard, but I will share the correspondence I’ve received and I want to ask a few questions so you can make up your own mind.


    1.) Can we trust ABATE of Colorado? If we could, wouldn’t we have known about these financial issues earlier on, and been a part of the solution? If this only came out now, what else might be lurking behind the scenes?
    2.) Is the current management structure of ABATE of Colorado conducive to quick and effective membership engagement for grass-roots mobilization?
    3.) Is buying to ABATE’s CD a sound financial investment and good idea?


    Yes, these seem like tough, cold and hard questions to ask, and nobody wants to see any entity faced with them, especially not one you’ve been supporting for so long but I think its past due.


    Please read further on this issue as it’s rather convoluted and follow me for updates:


    http://thedandooligan.wordpress.com/...n-on-11132014/


    http://thedandooligan.wordpress.com/...d-on-11192014/


    http://thedandooligan.wordpress.com/...d-on-11192014/


    http://motorcyclecolorado.com/blog/s...gation-update/


    http://motorcyclecolorado.com/blog/a...-dire-straits/
    Respect and truth trump all!
    I don't get lost. I explore.

  2. #2
    Member 07D675CO's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Centennial
    Posts
    128

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    That one e-mail reads like the rants of a crazy person......Seriously hard to follow.
    2010 Ducati Hypermotard 796

  3. #3
    Senior Member FZRguy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Lakewood
    Posts
    4,476

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    Sounds like a serious CF.
    John
    KTM Duke 690

  4. #4
    Senior Member TFOGGuys's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    What am I doing in this handbasket?
    Posts
    3,838

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    More than a passing resemblance to what happened with the MRA about 10 years ago...
    Thanks, Jim
    TFOG Wheelsports, LLC
    www.tfogracing.com
    303-216-2400

    Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented immigrant" is like calling a drug dealer an "undocumented pharmacist"



  5. #5
    Senior Member FZRguy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Lakewood
    Posts
    4,476

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    Yeah, remember that. Very common with a nonprofit sans proper accounting with no audit, and just one person controlling the books and cash. No idea what happened in this case tho.
    John
    KTM Duke 690

  6. #6
    Gold Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    nv
    Posts
    8,381

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    Kind of sounds like that whole organization needs a cleansing.

  7. #7

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    I've met Terry a couple times at motorcycle events, but honestly I don't really know her or any of the rest of the ABATE people.

    I guess if there is still an investigation going they might not be able to release much but it seems like there isn't a lot of information from their end, just a lot of rumors etc. It's possible there was more at the meeting that isn't public?

    In some sense, regardless of what has happened in the past, it seems to me if they are asking for money they should paint a clearer picture of the finances. Some of their numbers presented just don't make sense, which makes me wonder. The number it seems people toss around is Terry stole $10,000, from the numbers in those various posts / emails it seems the financial problems are much bigger than $10k. In addition to painting a clearer picture of where things are now, it would be a good idea to lay out what the plan is going forward. If they are successful in raising $x, what is that going to, and how are things going to operate going forward.

    If Terry is basically being used as a scapegoat then I'm not optimistic about it with mostly the same group in charge. If Terry was mostly responsible than who knows, although it's a bit concerning that it got to this point. I'm in favor of the organizations stated goals (motorcycle advocacy), but if they aren't being accomplished and/or aren't being effective then it's probably time for something to change.
    Blair
    2000 GSX750F, 2003 YZ450F, 2004 GSXR750, 2006 ZX-14
    2013 CBR500R, 2016 YZF-R6 - MRA #760

  8. #8
    Gold Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    nv
    Posts
    8,381

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    And with the money they are talking about you would think they would be a little more responsible with it.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Moderator Spooph's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Golden, CO.
    Posts
    883

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    you're probably all sick of this crap, as am I, but for those who care...

    update:
    http://thedandooligan.wordpress.com/...ll-no-answers/

    Highlights:
    the current folks in charge of ABATE don't have any answers as to why ABATE's funding wasn't more closely monitored, nor why they are currently in the situation they are in. It also looks as though they aren't really doing much to figure out what happened, and are hoping this will blow over and looking to the future. Not sure how you can plan to avoid the same problem in the future if you don't know what happened, but hey, that's just me.

    Why is this relevant to you and the CSC, because these are the people who have interfaced with politicians and policy makers, on your behalf whether you liked it or not, for over 3 decades. They were supposed to be our watchdog, so who watches the watchmen?
    Respect and truth trump all!
    I don't get lost. I explore.

  10. #10
    I'm pumped... Let's let the healing begin! Lifetime Supporter ~Barn~'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Lone Tree
    Posts
    17,654

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    Is now a good time to blame Obama?
    ~Brandon~
    Aprilia RSV 1000 R Factory - "Gemma"
    MV Agusta F3 800 - "Amy Lou"
    Rattan Fat Bear Plus - "Lynda"
    (720) 935-6438
    I rarely think of motorcycles without a little yearning. They are about moving, and humans, I think, yearn to move – it’s in our cells, in our desires. We quiet our babies with cyclic movement, and we quiet ourselves by going.
    Melissa Holbrook Pierson

  11. #11
    Huge Member Site Admin Mother Goose's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    a glass case of emotion
    Posts
    272,202

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    Chadwick
    MRA #825

    "You live more for five minutes going fast on a bike like that, than other people do in all of their life." - Marco Simoncelli

  12. #12
    Gold Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    nv
    Posts
    8,381

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    Well time to shut down abate and allow room for another group of people to take its place.

  13. #13
    Member 07D675CO's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Centennial
    Posts
    128

    Re: ABATE of Colorado, WTF?

    Quote Originally Posted by #1Townie View Post
    Well time to shut down abate and allow room for another group of people to take its place.
    I agree. Is there some overwhelming reason to even bother trying to save abate?
    2010 Ducati Hypermotard 796

Similar Threads

  1. ABATE of Colorado February Legislative Update
    By UglyDogRacing in forum Legal/Legislative
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: Fri Feb 7th, 2014, 08:45 AM
  2. [E Met] ABATE of Colorado Halloween Party Saturday Oct 29th
    By UglyDogRacing in forum Social Events
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: Sat Oct 29th, 2011, 04:58 PM
  3. ABATE of Colorado Statewide Tour
    By THoward in forum Trips & Touring
    Replies: 35
    Last Post: Thu Sep 22nd, 2011, 04:55 PM
  4. Coffee Run - 4/2/11 - ABATE of Colorado
    By KFinn in forum Giving to Others
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: Wed Mar 30th, 2011, 05:21 PM
  5. what to expect at Abate of Colorado, rider course?
    By FALCONSEYE in forum Non-Bike Discussion
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: Thu Sep 3rd, 2009, 12:17 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •