Though I could not get any official confirmation or denial from Cascade, Publicola (with more investigation by Biking Bis) reports that ousted Executive Director Chuck Ayers is back in charge at Cascade after a rough split from the organization.

Originally, the Board terminated Ayers and appointed Board member Peter Morgan as super-interim director while they searched for an interim director to take over while they searched for a permanent director. The Board has apparently changed their decision. From Biking Bis:

Two members at the Cascade message forum said that board member Don Volta made the announcement to a meeting of ride leaders on Sunday. That was confirmed this morning in an interview with a ride leader who attended that meeting.

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The discussion at the forum was prompted by a story on the Publicola website that reported, without attribution, that Ayers had agreed to return as interim director.

There is still no update on the Cascade blog, and interim Board Vice President Tim Hennings said he could not comment.

UPDATE, 4 pm: Cascade just sent out this press release confirming the deal.

Following many discussions over the last week between the Cascade Bicycle Club Board of Directors and Chuck Ayers, a new agreement has been reached that includes Chuck returning to the organization as interim Executive Director. Chuck will serve for a period of at least six months to help with an orderly transition process, during which time the Board of Directors will seek a new Executive Director. The mutual intent is for Chuck, beyond continuing to run Club operations during the interim, to assist with the recruitment and orientation of a new Executive Director. Both parties believe that this agreement is in the best interest of moving the Club forward.

The Board unanimously extends its thanks to Chuck for his continuing commitment to the organization’s mission. The Board values his leadership and deep institutional knowledge during this transition period. Though this has been a challenging time, all parties look forward to building on the strong base of members, participants, partnerships and programs that Chuck has shaped during his tenure, and to taking the organization to new heights of success in every program and activity area.

Chuck has been at the helm of Cascade for 13 years, helping to grow it from a 4,500 member organization to one with over 13,000 members and 24 staff. In coming to the agreement, Chuck stated that he is proud of what members, staff, and board members have achieved over the years and believes that this agreement is the right one for the organization’s health and stability.

“Given our strong foundation, and the support of the cycling community, the future is bright,” Chuck said. “Together we will expand on our successes while embracing new perspectives and fresh ideas.”

Both Chuck and the Board are pleased that they have been able to work together in the interest of Cascade’s membership and the cycling community.