Chapter opposes change to Club structure

While dealing with the unfortunate need for budget cuts for the upcoming year, the Sierra Club Board of Directors decided to eliminate the Club's structure of regional conservation committees (RCCs) in 2005. The RCCs have for many years been a geographically intermediate level of organization between the local chapters and the Club's national level.

In response to the Board, Sierra Club California and the Bay Chapter have passed resolutions urging the Board not to abolish the RCCs.

The Board's move was made on Nov. 19, without prior consultation with the grassroots groups in the Club that would be most affected.

The California/Nevada RCC (CNRCC) has been essential and effective for the Club's operation in California, the only state where the Club is divided into multiple (13) chapters. The CNRCC has conducted and coordinated the Club's work in California and Nevada on state and regional issues in areas such as water, wilderness, energy, statewide high-speed-rail, and coastal issues, as well as for special locations such as Yosemite, the Sequoia National Monument, and the desert. Statewide meetings of representatives from all 13 chapters are necessary to make California conservation policy and political endorsements .

Uniquely in our state, the Sierra Club California bylaws recognize the CNRCC as the California Conservation Committee. This CCC will continue to exist as a component of Sierra Club California, and the existing task forces and subcommittees plan to carry on their work and will work with Nevada on regional issues. It is not clear, however, whether there will be sufficient regional conservation funding to keep the entire CNRCC program going.

In support of the Board's action, executive director Carl Pope explained that "the Club now plans its conservation work through three lenses - chapter, regional, and national. When three different levels do planning, this leads to too much conservation program [i.e. more than the budget can support]. We need to eliminate some governance level of the Club - we need to make choices and be disciplined."

What You Can Do

Ask the Board of Directors not to eliminate the RCCs. Urge the Board to consult with the RCCs and the Council of Club Leaders before making significant changes to the structure of the Club's regional conservation organization. Tell the Board that it is unhealthy for the Club to reduce the levels of volunteer structure that provide for face-to-face contact and dialogue.

You can e-mail Board members at: (-at- replaces the @)

larry.fahn-at-sierraclub.org
zaleha-at-pobox.com
renstrom-at-earthlink.net
chuck-at-fallingcreek.com
jan.oconnell-at-sierraclub.org
force-at-grandcanyontrust.org
greg.casini-at-sierraclub.org
jamesc-at-xmission.com
robbiecox-at-mindsspring.com
wetlandact-at-earthlink.net
sierrastudent-at-hotmail.com
dlafolle-at-earthlink.net
sanjayranchod-at-yahoo.com
paulwatson-at-earthlink.net
ben-at-astro.ucla.edu

or write to them at:

Board of Directors
c/o Gene Coan
Sierra Club
85 Second St.
San Francisco, CA 94105.

Patricia Jones, vice chair of the Northern CNRCC