Equine Outreach board resigns, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’

All six board members of the Bend nonprofit Equine Outreach announced Monday that they have resigned, effectively immediately, citing “irreconcilable differences” with the founders of the horse rescue over its operations.

“All six members of the Equine Outreach, Inc. Board of Directors have unanimously voted to resign due to irreconcilable differences between the Board and the founders in adherence to the bylaws and fiduciary responsibilities of the Board, effective October 3, 2016.”

NewsChannel 21 reported earlier this year that Equine Outreach was raising money to keep their gates open and was looking at setting up a board to take care of the business side of the organization.

After the announcement, a board member told us they wanted to make the nonprofit group sustainable, but the founders, Joan Steelhammer and Gary Everett, did not agree with their vision.

The founders told NewsChannel 21 some board members created a hostile work environment with volunteers and wanted to conduct operations differently than they did.

Everett said they are now looking for new board members who will share their vision.

We will continue to follow this story as it develops.