Grievance crisis rocks Colorado USATF association
Rocky Mountain hijinks? I’ve been studying the dysfunctional doings in the USATF Colorado Association. According to its Web site, they’re battling over a grievance involving many people. Supporters of this 17-page grievance feature several masters athletes, including star W85 distance runner Louise Adams. Some 32 allegations are made, mostly involving money issues and failure to staff committees (such as masters). The proposed remedies sought include: “Immediate dismissal of the Executive Board officers: president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and membership/sanctions” and a “complete restructuring of the financial procedures so that it reflects fair and equitable disbursement of funds amongst all Sport Committees.”
This case has been percolating for years, it appears. And USATF Indy is now involved in resolving it — perhaps in the next few weeks. Folks have until today to raise objections to the last member of a National Athletics Board of Review that will hear the grievance.
Here’s the heart of the matter, I think:
USATF Colorado Association allows individual sport committees to keep the monies they generate. Youth has been allowed to build up a “war chest” of over $30,000 as of April 2006, while the most any other committee had in its account was $2,000. The Association is not distributing the money as profit. Rather they are keeping it in the committee for committee business when it is association revenue that should be distributed to other sport committee as well. Monies seem to be distributed on a whim, as disbursal procedures changes without notice.
Stay tuned. This is one ugly son-of-a-gun.
