Category Archives: Wally Shank

Burt Mitchell, Civil Litigation, Colorado, Ed Gassman, Frank Davis, Gary Deaver, James "Jim" Woodrum, John Shipman, John Sievert, Larry Bost, Larry Stone, National Ski Patrol, Robert Scarlett, Settlement, Ski Patrol Management, Standards of Conduct, Tim White, Wally Shank, Washington, Wyoming

NSP Lawsuit Dismissed: No End to Internal Battles On Horizon

NSP v NSP SettlementThe NSP officials that filed the NSP v NSP Complaint in August have now settled all matters related to that suit. The member list has been provided to the plaintiffs without the restrictions originally imposed by the NSP that violated Colorado law. The Colorado District Court for Jefferson County approved the parties’ requested dismissal, with each side agreeing to pay its respective court costs and attorney fees.

From the settlement filing approved by the court:

“The concerns of the plaintiffs have been resolved and all of the parties who have appeared in this action stipulate and agree, by their respective attorneys, pursuant to C.R.C.P. 41(a)(1)(B), that the Complaint and action herein shall be and is hereby dismissed, with prejudice, and that each party shall bear its own costs and attorney fees.”

The “with prejudice” notation confirms that the matter was settled to their mutual satisfaction and that neither feels the need to re-file on that issue. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like this matter is even close to being over, Continue reading NSP Lawsuit Dismissed: No End to Internal Battles On Horizon →

C. Minot "Minnie" Dole, Civil Litigation, Colorado, Ed Gassman, Frank Davis, Gary Deaver, John Sievert, Larry Stone, Legal & Regulatory, National Ski Patrol, Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC), Settlement, Ski Patrol Management, Ski Resorts, Skiing, Standards of Conduct, Wally Shank

National Ski Patrol: In-fighting Begins Anew

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Minnie, they’re at it again! The organization founded in 1938 by Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole, the National Ski Patrol (NSP), has been sued again by 6 patrollers, 5 of whom serve on the 28,000-member organization’s National Board of directors.

Minnie Dole, 1940s

NSP watchers and members couldn’t forget, as much as they might like to, the last time this happened just 7 years ago. A group of Division Directors and patrollers was forced to sue the NSP in 2005 to have a say in how the organization was run, by electing their representatives on the NSP National Board. That group ultimately represented just under 8,000 NSP members before the organization relented and settled the litigation. That resolution led to a complete turnover of the NSP’s Board and National leadership team over 18 months. The settlement agreement resulted in a re-write of the NSP’s bylaws as it relates to member voting. Well, apparently old habits die hard.

The current suit was filed on 1 August 2012 in Colorado’s Jefferson County District Court, near the organization’s Lakewood headquarters. Continue reading National Ski Patrol: In-fighting Begins Anew →