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August 2016 BoD Meeting Minutes + Activity Reports

MORE Board Meeting

8 August 2016

Location: 7979 Old Georgetown Rd, Suite 1100

Bethesda, MD 20814

7PM-8:45PM

 

Board Members Present

  1. Ernie Rodriguez
  2. Aaron Richter
  3. Greg Dwyer
  4. Jason Miller
  5. Rob Lowe

 

More STAFF and Members

  1. Steve Don-Tingey
  2. Jonah Meyers
  3. Jonathan Kidwell

 

Invited Guests

  1. Tom Crotty (Fountainhead Trail Co- liaison)
  2. Paul Hardy (Fountainhead Trail Co-liaison)
  3. RuthAnn Ligon (Penn State University Graduate Student)
  4. Jim Bole (Loch Raven Trail Co-liaison)

 

Item 1: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) At Fountainhead (Presentation by RuthAnn Ligon, graduate student at Penn State)

  1. Current web-app is specifically focused on Fountainhead, but it can be applied to any local trail(s).
  2. System allows for advocating and sharing data with local partners
  3. ESRI provides the software backbone. Prices for nonprofits are low–$100/license/year. For up to 25 users, it’s most effective to purchase individual user licenses.
  4. Requests: 1) ability to use MORE’s 501(c)(3) status and; 2) $300 to purchase three licenses to get started on mapping Fountainhead.
  5. Working with MTB project and would like to get IMBA involved.
  6. What about working w/Trail Forks on mapping?

 

Item 2: Monthly membership update (Ernie): In June 85 members did not renew. In July 73 members did not renew.

  • Rosaryville Night Ride Issues (Ernie): Discussed recent occurrences of members and non-members taking illegal night rides at Rosaryville.

 

Item 3: July Financials (Aaron): Women’s clinic doing well. Operating funds is a ‘zero sum game”. We need more un-restricted funds to keep the club healthy. For the year thus far, we’ve generated $31K in revenue and spent approximately $60K. Ernie noted that the majority of MORE’s funds arrive in the middle and later parts of the calendar year. Restricted funds have generated roughly $30K thus far this year for MORE.

 

Item 4: Donor Fundraising Plan (Steve and Jonah): Two versions of the MORE overview ready for finalization by Board.   Need to put both versions on the website. Also need to have these overviews for MORE board, staff, and members to hand out to interested parties (individuals, clubs, bike shops, corporate donors, individual donors). Jason: Can we include the new sponsorship/donor program into the newsletter? Ernie: YES. Action: Board and staff to provide Jason with input for the newsletter. Jonah: propose having outside review of the donor program sheets before we finalize.  Steve D-T is the POC for MORE fundraising efforts.

 

Item 5: Trails Update:

  • Pataspco (Jim Bole): Much damage around the Ellicott City area. Avalon is closed. Grist Mill trail is damaged. Need to update MORE members “special bulletin” announcement on the FB page. Action: update MORE website this evening (Jonah)
  • Loch Raven (Jim Bole): Still need trail rights from four private property owners. Consequently, Purple Trail (near Pot Springs trail) remains off the list of legal, available trails. Looking at getting a renewal. Working w/city Department of Public Works (DPW) to build and maintain trails. Can’t print a map of trails. Request is for a “right of access.”

 

Item 6: MORE’s 25th Anniversary in 2017 (Greg): A general food-for-thought discussion among the Board. 25th Anniversary Jersey idea? What fundraising opportunities would there be? Summer picnic needs to be organized well in advance. Action: All Board members provide 25th Anniversary idea input before next Board meeting.

 

Item 7: Website updates (All): Web updates should be tied-into the 25th anniversary)

 

Item 8: Fall camping trip (Rob L.): 25 folks already registered. Need to remind members about dates. Dates are 23-25 September.

 

Item 9: MoCo update (All): Volunteers are organized through BikeReg

 

Item 10: Schaffer Turns 21 (All): Post updates on website and Facebook.

 

Item 11 GIS at Fountainhead proposal: Action: All questions from Board to Greg in one week. Greg will consolidate all questions and send to Paul Hardy and Tom Crotty for follow-up.

 

 

 

Board Member Activity Reports:

 

 

Ernie:

  1. Attend Frederick Trail work day
  2. Facilitate tools for Mount Vernon
  3. Membership expiration and renewal emails
  4. Set-up process for Trek Stache raffle fulfillment on MORE website
  5. Ordered “I $upport MORE” stickers
  6. Working on final details to order MORE socks
  7. Working with REI on Fort DuPont work day for trails
  8. Support Martin as he sets up Knation Builder Program for trail liaisons to qualify for pro deals
  9. Set-up and distributed Lake Fairfax Pump Track bidders package.
  10. Set-up committee to evaluate and select builder for Lake Fairfax Pump Track build
  11. Lead 2 rides

 

Greg D.:

  1.  Drafted notes for July BOD Meeting
  2.  Posted final notes to MORE website
  3.  Provided comments on MORE’s donor program

 

Jonah M.:

  1. Completed Civi CRM training
  2. Poked around Civi for individual donor tracking capabilities
  3. Provided comments on fundraising program
  4. Tracked incoming checks and saved materials on Dropbox

 

Dave M.:

  1. Attended MoCo Epic planning meeting. While sign ups are ahead of last year by a few, registrations have flat lined. Group spent time planning email and other marketing efforts. Whole Foods is coming in big supplying water for free and some nutrition. Will do a registration Friday night in a store.
  2. With Ernie’s assistance led call with Austin to discuss TC alternatives in light of unavailability of loans from MORE for RTP grants. Nothing material to report. TC has submitted the final $2700 reimbursement request to SHA to fully repay MORE loan.
  3. Workdays at Schaeffer and Black Hills BH now finished
  4. Planning Schaeffer turns 21 event August 14 with MoCo team.
  5. Provided comments on fundraising plan.

 

Aaron R.

  1. Attended Frederick trail work day
  2. Prepared July expense report
  3. Mailed multiple checks for expenses and reimbursements
  4. Continued to work with CPA on 2015 financial review and Form 990

 

Brad H.:

  1. Women’s Program: Held the first MORE sponsored women’s basic skills clinic lead by Anne Mader who donated her time and the registrations fees to MORE.
    • Created a 4 week skills clinic series lead by Anne Mader and Simona to run August 10, 17, 24, 31. All 12 spots are sold out with a waiting list created. Funds donated to MORE by Anne Mader.
    • Discussing with Anne and Simona setting up a 2nd skills clinic series to run in September. Added an “Interest Only” product to the MORE shop page to track rider interest.
  2. -The MORE Women’s Mountain Bike Day is scheduled for September 11 and is currently posted on the MORE calendar and Facebook page. Registration for the event is here: https://www.bikereg.com/more-womens-mountain-bike-day.
    • We have secured multiple sponsors for various donations for Women’s MTB Day event – Bikenetic, The Bike Lane, Dancing Mind Yoga, Park Tools, Proteus Bikes, Hammer Nutrition, Bell Sports as well as more that are coming on closer to the event.
    • Contacted Todd Bauer to schedule a ladies ride for next Sunday at the Schaeffer Farms Anniversary Day.

MORE rides / leaders –

  1. The creation of the new email (postings@more-mtb.org) has generated little communication. Did we send out notice to ride leaders, trail liaisons, etc. that we created this email to help boost participation for local rides, trail workdays and other events via the MORE calendar, Facebook and our Meetup page?
  2. Several MORE board and staff members led rides in July. We need to schedule some rides for August.

July Activities:

  1. Working with Simona, Jo, Kathy, Anne to create a women’s MTB program.
  2. Lead one weekend ride
  3. Accotink trail work
  4. Spent time getting familiar with the WordPress site for product sales / creation
  5. Daily updates to the Facebook page

 

Jonathan K.:

  1. Updated website to reflect upcoming workdays
  2. Added volunteer hours from previous workdays to TrackitForward
  3. Helped on-board new Fort Dupont liaisons

 

 

Steve D-T.:

Ft. Dupont 

  1. Met with DCMTB President Mark Drajem
  2. Met with representatives for ESKape team
  3. Conference call with REI, DCMTB, Ernie, Ray
  4. Meeting scheduled for Wednesday August 10th with Park authority to discuss workday schedule, trails and future use

 

  1. Lake Fairfax Pump Track stakeholders meeting: Ernie, Larry, Frank Raiti, Bruce Buckley, Anne Mader
  2. Phone interview with BIKE mag re: Loch Raven
  3. Materials to REI’s Women’s event
  4. Donor letters
  5. IMBA All Staff calls and RD calls regarding staff changes and new Fundraising program

 

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