Attn: Deb Elliot

CC: Mike Gable

Dear Ms. Elliot:

FreeRide!, a recycled bike collective, has chosen to locate its shop in the Construction Junction warehouse since November of 2003. Our collective sincerely appreciates that we are fortunate to share the space of an organization with goals similar to our own. We enthusiastically support Construction Junction’s mission and its presence in the community. We also understand that Construction Junction is fluid and working towards plans for its own expansion and sustainability. However, our collective believes that both organizations can improve this working relationship if they refine the process through which they interact.

Since we began to occupy space in the warehouse at 214 N. Lexington we have consistently requested a written lease, first from Mike Gable and then from you. For the past three years we have been told repeatedly that a lease would be forthcoming, only to discover months later that a lease would not be provided for reasons that had not been communicated to our collective. When we dealt directly with Mr. Gable, we eventually learned that we had not been provided a lease because of concerns about our liability coverage. Once those concerns were made known to FreeRide!, we addressed them but still did not receive a lease. As our new liason, you assured us that you would try to avoid any similar failures and that an interim lease, ending in April of 2007, would be forthcoming. We were eventually told in December 2006 that a lease could not be produced because Construction Junction's own lease on the space was being renegotiated the following April. It appeared to us that members of both organizations had forgotten that the original request was for an interim lease until the April 2007 renegotiation, not a permanent lease past that date.

By taking on a tenant Construction Junction incurs responsibilities, which it must endeavor to fulfill, even when those responsibilities are in conflict with Construction Junction’s plans for its own development. We would like to ensure that we operate with mutual respect. Construction Junction’s willingness to provide FreeRide!, as a tenant, with two months of free rent during our move this summer was a significant example of this respect. We were required to move during our busy season, after having expressed great concern about this possibility to our liason and being promised it would not happen. Construction Junction's offer to waive two months' rent recognized the hardships the involuntary move and its scheduling posed for Free Ride.

FreeRide! has made a major commitment to our current space. Our space requirements are not flexible; our last move was extremely difficult and time-consuming for our all-volunteer staff, and we are not prepared to move again. A lease is essential to our ability to operate effectively and plan for our own future - it is also completely standard in this kind of relationship.

We need a lease because our organization requires:

• A stable space.
• Timely and predictable invoices for expenses, so that we can budget appropriately.
• Reliable and safe access to our space for volunteers and the public.
• Complete information regarding the term that we can expect to remain in a space.

Because FreeRide! is committed to non-hierarchical models of organizing, our process requires that significant decisions be reached by consensus of the entire collective. This is an inherently less efficient process than other models of organization, but reflects the importance we place on respecting the voices of each of our members. In August 2006 our collective reached a consensus decision to cease payment of rent until a lease was signed. This decision was communicated promptly to Construction Junction’s liaison. In December 2006 we learned that Construction Junction required payment to close its books for the year. Because collective meetings take place on the first Saturday of each month, there was no established process for reversing our collective’s earlier decision until after the New Year. Although our collective did eventually reach a consensus decision to pay the requested amount, these events, in addition to the lack of clear communication regarding the reasons that a lease could not be provided, make it clear to us that our communication with Construction Junction needs to be re-structured. In general, our communications have been characterized by confusion and untimeliness, a situation that both organizations will benefit from improving.

• We need regular meetings to ensure communication happens in a timely manner.
• We need minutes recorded & distributed to both parties so we don't forget what we told each other, as has happened for significant information on both ends.
• Both entities need to be responsible for maintaining good internal communications to ensure that liaisons are fully informed and empowered. All liaisons must also be responsible for fully communicating the degree to which they are empowered to act on issues at the time they are under discussion.
• Due to FreeRide!'s consensus-based decision making process, our liaison will operate best if informed of agenda items in advance, or if issues are raised with sufficient advance notice for the liaison to return to the group and obtain a response before a decision is required.

We hope regular, more frequent communication will help ensure that both organizations can work to resolve issues of mutual concern in a timely fashion. We also hope to clarify potential misunderstandings, and stay on the same page about future plans and goals. To this end, I have volunteered to act as FreeRide!'s liaison to Construction Junction for the next six months (until August 2007), and look forward to meeting with you regularly during that period.

Sincerely,

Stuart O. Anderson, for the Free Ride! Collective Council

Free Ride Collective Council Member, Construction Junction Liaison

(cell) 412-519-4456, (home) 412-362-7967, (email) soa@cmu.edu,