MORE Board Meeting

August 13, 2018

 

 

Ernest Rodriguez

Steve Harper

Jeff Niner

Jonathan Kidwell

Bob Caverly

Tom Howe (on the phone)

Dave Magill

Rob Lowe

Carlos Alfaro

Steve Dontigny

Mike Hillstrom- not present

 

Ernest Rodriguez – Financials:  None prepared so far this month.  Spoke with Mike and Kirk Zimmerman –  need to do our taxes.  We will get them done.  Grants are tied to taxes.  Must be accurate and on-time.

 

Steve Dontigny – MoCo Epic update:

• Food – a number of trucks are lined up. Jeff – java cruiser organizing/contacting.  Trucks will be asked to have fewer items so that it’s easier to serve quickly.
• Park permits in process
• Alcohol permits also in process
• State and County Highway in process
• Aid station letters in progress
• Reconfirming with “friends of groups” for staffing and volunteers.
• Will start ordering supplies
• Fencing and water on order – more will be ordered closer to the date. Discussion about buying/borrowing fencing.  Will be discussed at the Thursday MoCo Epic meeting.
• Flyers and posters this week
• Route – possible reduction of the 75 mile route. Will be discussed at the Thursday meeting.
• Current numbers are about 20 down from last year. Probably weather related as people hold off until they feel more comfortable that the current rainy pattern will break by October!
• Shed duro – Bikenetics – Festival – events that we can advertise at

 

Carlos Alfaro – Summer picnic (i.e. no 2018 summer picnic) lessons learned

• Committees needed for events
• June / July – lots of weather. Cancelation policy on reserved venues – call early.
• Meadowood – would have been good turnout if not canceled due to rain. Try to time picnic with a bike demo day.  Combining with another activity would have been great for numbers.

 

Tom Howe –

• Spring fling in VA again in 2019.  For 2019 picnic we should consider Emmitsburg next year – they will take care of us.
• Plan Demo days with manufacturers well in advance.

 

Carlos Alfaro – Action Item – Will plan winter party.  Day before super bowl.

 

Tom Howe – Spring Fling – VA activity – maybe consider Fountain head/BROT

Discussion centered on providing riding opportunities for all.  Fountainhead and BROT are advanced trails.

 

Board Vote:   Ernie proposed a $1000 scholarship grant for Phyllis Weeks – a s’MORE’s graduate to pursue her recreational degree.  The board voted in favor.

 

Bob Caverly – For future scholarship grants we should consider having a slightly more formal application standard/process.  Bob to create draft.

 

Action Item – Steve Harper – Trailhead news should include the following:

• Fall night riding – Here’s where we know of – what did we miss?
• MoCo Epic details
• Camping trip 21 September
• Patapsco trail fest 14-16 of September
• Fairfax environmental award. October 23

 

Steve Harper – new trail in the works in P.G. County.  Run by a group called brainy camps brainycamps.com is creating a camp in PG county near Rosaryville.  They have big open fields, a cookhouse, cabins and a ring of woods that should be enough to create between 3 and 5 miles of trail.  Steve will connect with them again to do a more in-depth survey of the property after their season is over – at the end of August.

 

Action Item for Steve – get Patapsco trail fest info – 100 words and picture – Eric

 

Ernest Rodriguez

• Fall Camping trip – Phil is back on board managing the details.
• IMBA – rolling out a new National insurance program that looks good. We may want to change, but it will take some study, we have good coverage now.

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Action Item – Dave will create a trail list broken out by beginner/intermediate/advanced

Action Item – Bob will write a short blurb for the Trailhead news on how important it is that we respect the rules if we want to keep access to the trails.

 

Trail reports – Dave

Liaison recruiting – Chris Stenersen to join Mark Burkett on SRT.  There’s a also new Co-Liaison for Schaeffer – Maurizio Cavalho.  We used e-mail to try and find a liaison for Rosaryville, unsuccessfully.  Dave talked to Mike Klasmeier about it too.  Might try email for BROT.

Kudos to bob for two intense work days on the bridge.

Maryland advocacy – might want to move to a regional advocacy structure after Dave leaves the board – there’s a lot in the MD portfolio.

Grants – bids are due Wednesday for River’s Edge.

 

Jonathan Kidwell – Fairland had a major washout with an official detour.

 

Bob Caverly – the new bridge specification are very substantial.  Center beam six 2X12s Weighs 900 pounds.  Will require more tools, time and volunteers.

 

Jeff Niner

• Dominion Energy – Volunteer day between mid-September and mid-October. Will provide $2500 logistics support.  Needs 4 or 5 work party leaders.    Need liaison – various strategies.
• Meadowood – re-establishing Friends of Meadowood. Thursday at 5 pm – Carlos said he would attend.
• Wilderness First Aid subject – we can’t expect EMTs to teach it. REI has options and we should publicize them.
• October 23 7 pm – environmental award.  Fairfax

 

New Business:

Ernest Rodriguez – Kudos to Tom for managing membership communications.  We have been the recipient of several large donations during membership renewals ranging from $10 to $1,000.

 

Kudos to bob for his FB fund raiser – almost $800.

 

Bob Caverly – Met a guy who owns his own nutrition bar company riding at Schaefer – will contact him about possible sponsorships.

 

Steve Dontigny – New Belgian donated $2500 for DC pump track.  THANK YOU NEW BELGIAN!!

 

$3500 Return received of engineered bridge design money from SHA/Patuxent RTP grant, initially funded by MORE . Money  will be returned to the trails working capital special purpose fund.