Vote on sale of the Appalachian Mountain Club cabin delayed

The Appalachian Mountain Club board of directors announced that it is delaying a vote on the proposed sale of the group’s Fire Island cabin, a decision that followed opposition to the sale by regional members of the club.

The board had been scheduled to hear from members before voting on the proposed sale at a meeting Thursday at AMC’s Boston headquarters, but the board issued a statement on its website late Wednesday saying it “instead will use the next year to continue evaluating the use and impact of the cabin as part of the AMC mission while also engaging further dialog with AMC members.”

The club’s board of directors had previously released a statement last Thursday on its website saying that it was interested in selling the cabin after evaluating its various facilities in an effort to determine how much each location “contributes to organizational goals and mission.”

The board said in the statement that the Fire Island cabin in Atlantique “raises specific concerns, namely the residential character of the surrounding neighborhood, limited flexibility in lodging options and access, and its proximity to rising seas.”

They added that selling the cabin could free up funding for investment elsewhere, perhaps at Harriman State Park, located in Rockland and Orange counties.

Many members of the New York-North Jersey branch of the club had objected to the sale. Some said they were relieved to have the extra time to make their case.

“I certainly think that’s a fairer move by the club headquarters,” said Jake Lewis, an AMC member and sailing instructor at the cabin. “We still have to present our argument on a more long-term basis. The local Fire Island committee needs to take that on board and we’ll present a strong argument that the sale should not proceed.”

The Fire Island property was donated to the AMC in 1928. Members of the New York-North Jersey branch say it is the only 100 percent volunteer-run facility that AMC operates.