On Day 61 of the Insurance Crisis (Wednesday, Nov. 30, 1988), a new group formed to take action regarding the crisis. Convener Randy Bernard met with chairs and representatives of the Sierra Peaks Section, the Desert Peaks Section, the Hundred Peaks Section, and the SCMA (Southern California Mountaineering Association (rock climbing) at Sierra Club headquarters and explained the proposals to the Mountaineering Training Committee meeting.
GROPE believes there are reasonable solutions to the insurance crisis, solutions which will allow the full outings programs to continue, and it wants to elect people to the National Board who will find those solutions. In September, the National Board, faced with a 200x increase in premiums and estimating that only some 2000 members participated in mountaineering activities, chose to cut insurance costs by eliminating all climbs, hikes, and training that involve in any manner the use of ropes, ice axes, or any form of climbing hardware. GROPE leaders believe that many more members are affected by the decision than estimated and they also believe that lower premiums can be found with other insurance providers. Furthermore, GROPE leaders have learned that a factor contributing to that decision was a million and a half dollar deficit incurred by the Club last year. This involved losses such as $500,000 by the Development department and $484,000 on the mail-order Catalogue.
Outings people have responded by writing to the President and Board members asking for a reconsideration. The San Francisco office his received over 300 letters, more than on any other issue (eg. the Mondale endorsement), yet the insurance has not been restored. The Board has appointed a Task Force to look into the insurance problems and it will report by May. But that is not enough.
Bernard says, only partly in jest; Now we find leaders smuggling ropes in the bottom of their packs to use in case one of their friends needs help - should a stranger need help, they may fear to use the rope because club insurance probably will not cover them. Feeling that the outings programs and people are at the end of their rope, Randy and others have organized a grass roots coalition to change the constitution of the Board and place a referendum on the 1990 national ballot.
GROPE's goals are to regain insurance coverage for all mountaineering activities and to restore fiscal conservation and integrity to the Sierra Club. To achieve these goals, it has petitioned to place three 3 candidates on the slate for the National Board of Directors. As we go to press, the necessary signatures have been obtained and GROPE will now campaign for them: BRUCE KNUDTSON. BARBARA REBER, and R.J. SECOR. GROPE also plans to question other candidates for the Board about their views of fiscal policy and the insurance crisis with a view to endorsing two other good candidates.
Finally, GROPE wants to prepare a referendum for the 1990 national ballet (the deadline for referendums for the 1989 ballot is past) to ensure the place of mountaineering in the Sierra Club's ongoing activities. The referendum will require the Sierra Club to obtain insurance coverage for 3rd, 4th, and 5th class mountairieering and possibly water sports. GROPE is working on the wording for this - it will probably include provisions such as a two-thirds majority vote needed to remove such coverage and a staff position devoted to outings and insurance needs.
GROPE has one basic positive message: Don't quit the Club before voting on these issues! Remember this is not an Outings vs. Conservation issue. A majority of the conservation people1 want a well-balanced club also and realize that the Outings program is the best recruitment tool. For information about GROPE and what you can do to forward its efforts, contact Randy Bernard, 16311 Alora Avenue, Norwalk. CA 90650. Others present at the organizing meeting were Bill Oliver, Karen Leonard, Patty Kline, Tim Frank, Dale Van Dalsem, and Barbara Reber.
GROPE BELIEVES THE PRIORITY OF CLUB MEMBERS WANT
FULL INSURANCE AND FISCAL CONSERVATION