February 2023 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes and Activity Reports
MORE – Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
February 13, 2023
Virtually present at meeting
Ernie Rodriguez - President
David Beugelmans - Vice President
Tom Howe - VA Advocacy Director
Kathy Mihm - Communications Director
Clay Deming – Activities Director
Dave Magill - MD Advocacy Director
Not Present
Neil Blake – Treasurer
Rob Lowe – Membership Director
· Update on Executive Director Replacement (Ernie)
o Today sent our interview notices to several candidates and let other people know they didn’t make it to next stage.
o In terms of process, sent around sample questions that had used last time. Waiting for some feedback on finalizing the questions so we ask everyone the same questions.
o Interviews will be on Friday, starting at 11:30 and ending at 4:30.
o Hope to make an offer before March 1, depending on what their commitments are
· Workload from Transition Plan (Ernie)
o Board discussed the transition plan and how to split up work as follows:
Open Projects
- Survey (2023 MORE Rider Survey). I have made Ernie, Clay and Kathy collaborators so they should see it in their Google Forms. - This is too late to send out
o Dave: This is not too late for us to do.
o Kathy: Nothing has happened on this and it has died, so we would need to pick this back up.
- Event Participation for constituents in DP (import form created and given to Ernie) - Data is not accurate, too many errors
o Ernie: Found too many errors, due to different email addresses, etc.
§ Think this would require a lot of work
§ Maybe we can revisit this later when we have time. This is not ready yet.
- Unsung Trail Heroes (Kem “The Pit” opening, Erik Scudder) - Need communications follow-up
o Dave: Volunteer of the month to post on social media.
§ Agreement to handle when ED hired.
- Membership process/webpage update – Follow-up with Kathy and Nate
o Kathy: Had started with Peggy and tried to complete it over the weekend. Send it to Ernie and Rob. This was a suggestion of changing the website.
- Add MICL Events to MORE Calendar – Work with Jon Posner and Fred Powell to have them suggest events
o Kathy: This needs to be kicked down the road. Dave M: They haven’t put out the schedule yet.
o Ernie: We should have MICL post this onto the calendar and we can approve it.
- Board Policy on Stock Donations – Account set-up with Fidelity
o Ernie: This is done. Just waiting on verification from Fidelity.
o David B: We should add this as an option on the website.
** Important: Call MoCo Epic Command Center ((240) 394-9139) regularly so that the google voice number remains active. I call at least monthly to make sure we don’t lose this number (it is deactivated due to inactivity and we have this number on bike plates, etc.) - MoCo Executive Team need to call once a month
Necessary Transition Tasks
o Done - Remove from Sandy Spring Bank as AU (Peggy destroyed debit card & gave to Ernie)
o Done - Remove from First Citizens Bank as AU (Peggy destroyed debit card & gave to Ernie)
o Done - Remove from Fidelity Account
o Done - Set auto-reply to MORE and IMBA account
o Notify IMBA to remove account – Need to edit CiVi triggered emails and chapter leaders
o Ernie will do this.
o Change password (MORE) to MORE account, autoreply would have new contact info for peggy (personal) ad who to contact in interim at MORE
o Done - Remove from Facebook
o Remove from IG (may need to update password, don’t know that admin access is a thing with IG) - No admin features I am aware of and no need to change password
o Done - Remove from Golden Volunteer
o Request change to StravaMetro account
o Ernie: This one tied to personal accounts.
o Tom: Have access.
o Done - Remove from DonorPerfect
o ActiveFairfax and other committees (though I haven’t heard anything from these in a while)
ED Responsibilities
Mail (weekly at a minimum) - Ernie
- Mail Pickup (Scan and forward if necessary)
- Scan checks/letters
- Add donations to DP
- Email thank you letters
- Deposit Checks
- Add deposit slip to scanned checks/letters
- Send to Neil/Ernie with fund designations
Email (several time daily) - Forwarded to president@more-mtb.org need to recruit volunteer
(ExecutiveDirector@ more-mtb.org, BikeBox@more-mtb.org forward to peggy.flaxman@more-mtb.org)
· Check this, there may be other accounts that forward to my account
Bike Box Coordination & Storage (see sample files under Working Documents/BikeBox)
- Bikebox calendar (tied to peggy.flaxman@more-mtb.org) serves are reservation for boxes.
o Agreement & Usage instructions
- 2 Dakine Bags
o 1 stored at Martin’s
o 1 stored at Peggy’s (will figure out where this will land) - At Ernie’s House
- 2 Thule hard side (small for MTBs)
o 1 stored at Kathy’s
o 1 stored at Peggy’s (will figure out where this will land) - At Ernie’s house
Social Media Communications (daily)
- Daily check of social media feed and share to MORE page (FB + IG)
o If nothing obvious and need to post, look at IMBA, Singletracks, Patapsco MTB, DC Area MTB Conditions, RVA MORE, etc to find something shareable
- Share relevant club info re events, trail work, trail news
- Respond to comments or forward if necessary
- On IG, check and follow-back (weekly-ish)
- When posting, use Meta to create post and differentiate between IG and FB (since no links on IG)
- If relevant add link in linktree and add “link to XXX in bio” on IG
- Kathy
o We need help here. We can get essentials out there, but won’t be as good without ED.
Weekly Constant Contact Communication (details below not for job description, but wanted to include process while it was fresh on my mind)
- Login to DP and verify that list has been updated (MailingsàConstant Contact EmailàList Management). Select “edit” list to be used the “Preview New Constituent's” and Updated list if any show in list.
- From DP, select “Apps” then “Constant Contact’ (or login at constantcontact.com)
- From Campaigns menu, select TEMPLATE and then select “…” and “Copy”.
- Name new campaign using standard naming “MORE Trails & Event Updates – Month Day, Year”
- Edit email (guidance/notes in template)
o In Canva, update background of “Newsletter Image” and save, then upload in CC and replace.
o For weekly calendar, go to more-mtb.org/events, change to weekly view and screenshot. Upload in cc and replace.
- When adding links, create segments lists to track clicks per link (wil. capture number of click and create mailing list of clickers.)
- When complete, use “Preview & Test” to check for errors an test links.
- Select “Continue” to select recipients, subject line, preheader, from name, reply-to, etc.
- Select “Send Now” or “Schedule for Later”
- Schedule social media sharing for any time past the sending of the original campaign (if set for same time will fail)
o Dave M: we should ask Nate to do one of these if he has time.
· Membership Update
o Revenue was down about $1600 over 2022 numbers. Right now we are running very slow far in February.
o We are on a potential slide down on membership.
o Rob hasn’t sent out reminders this month.
o Ernie: IMBA is seeing a big dip in membership as well.
o Membership Communication/Website (Kathy)
· MORE Waivers (Kathy)
o Have been trying to get stuff started on ride program director, but has been putting this on the back burner.
o One of the pieces that is impeding her progress is the waiver.
o Trying to get this on MeetUp.
o Questions
§ Dave B will follow-up with responses to her legal questions about waiver.
· Events (Clay)
o Winter Meeting
§ Filled out forms for Montgomery County and needs to write a security plan
§ Other than that, has all the awards ordered this week
§ We are pretty much set
§ Dave M: What is the schedule of the event going to be?
· Clay:
o Will eat, then have speaker, then do awards, then chat
· We have a Facebook event. We need to follow-up a bit more.
· Trails
o Virginia (Tom)
§ Have a new volunteer who has been joining calls from Arlington
§ In Prince William, Martin is doing some finishing work at Locust Shade
§ No updates on Forest Green. Still waiting on all of that to come through with MOU.
§ Andrew Leech, have some stuff going on. They will probably do a rake and ride to get it going.
§ Quantico, there will be no epic this year. They didn’t get the permit lined up in time, but will try for 2024.
§ In Loudon County, we have someone who moved out there who is trying to get access to the Freedom Center.
· Years ago we worked to put trails on this land, but we lost access.
§ Ernie: Had a very interesting phone call. Jay Cole called and wanted to talk about meeting Ernie attended regarding Lake Accotink. They are looking to hire a trails master planner. If we know someone who might be a good fit, we should send it her way.
o Maryland (Dave)
§ Nothing new in Hagerstown.
§ Shed, no updates.
§ Windy Ridge has got a plan for 5 miles of trails. They did not get their RTP grant. Patrick and Kristen tired to convince town to apply for a bond. They are going to pursue another RTP grant, but in the meantime they are building them by hand. They need real money to build bike optimized trails. Need about $50k.
§ In Brunswick, on the verge of signing contract with Greenstone Trailcraft (who won bid) for 4.5 miles and 2 bridges. Carlo also has plan for three more progressive jump lines and kiosk.
· When Andrew mobilizes in June, he would do RTP grant and the rest of the work.
§ Patuxent still is making slow but steady process waiting on DNR to have the bandwidth to write MDE permit application for Phase II grant.
§ We are very close to submitting MDE permit for sidewalk under Clopper Road. Trails committee approved spending on engineering for that and have a good draft. Should be submitting within a matter of days.
§ We have been recruiting liaisons for SRT. Have a 7 inquires. Probably going to have 4 new active people.
§ At Patapsco, they are replacing a dangerous bridge on the MORE Fun Trail. There is a bridge that wasn’t safe and they are building a proper bridge.
§ Rosaryville, over next 3-5 years, a lot will probably happen. Chris Garret resigned as liaison. Did get two inquires to fill his spot.
· State bought 200 acres of more land and wants to do trails.
§ At Cosca, the trail has finished 1.5 mile white trail, so there are 10 miles of trail there now.
Activity Reports
· President – Ernest (Ernie) Rodriguez
o Grantstation webinar to explore usage by MORE
o Attend American Trails webinar - Trail Apprentice Program
o Attend USGS National Trails Mapping webinar
o Attend FCPA Wildlife Habitat Management meeting focused on invasives
o Social media tutorial with Peggy
o Trails Committee meeting - approved Schaeffer Farms trails, Canycom repairs and Engineering services for Clopper Road underpass project work
o Attend Prince William County Trails Coalition meeting - update trail network and planned projects
o Attend American Trails - Communicating with Lawmakers webinar
o Attend MD Liaison meeting with Dave Magill
o Organize and attend MoCo Epic future strategy meeting
o Work with Jeff Ravenhorst, Kathy Mihm and Eric Crawford to gather and create reports for volunteer hours from Golden Volunteer, Track-it-Forward, MORE Calendar entries and paper waivers
o Grant application submitted for Frederick Watershed trail signage project
o Added new fundraising platform Pledge.co to expand our revenue streams and options
o Working with Tom Howe, Eric Scudder, Rob Napoli, Stephen Martinez to gain access to Freedom Trails in Loudoun County
o Working with Peggy on outstanding Executive Director action items
o Send out End-of-Year tax emails for donors over $250
o Attend VA/DC Liaison meeting
o Attend Covanta briefing for water line replacement at Laurel Hill along Furnace and Lorton Roads
o Attend American Trails webinar for Trail Vision mapping and maintenance workload assignments and follow-up
o Attend Lake Accotink stakeholder outbrief for public feedback and update to comprehensive plan
o Organize and participate in review committee to replace MORE's Executive Director, Position Description, Announcement, Reviews and next steps
· Vice President – David Beugelmans
o Coordinated board meeting and finalized minutes
o Participated in executive director hiring committee process
o Annapolis Waterworks
§ Received approval for $20,000 trail improvement project and signed contract with Greenstone Trailcraft
§ Received approval for 1.7 mile new loop and started flagging
· MD Advocacy Director – Dave Magill
- Attended Maryland Bike Symposium in Annapolis, discussed bike safety and other issues with several state delegates and Annapolis mayor Buckley
- Engaged CPJ to create, and marked up, MDE permit draft for sidewalk under Clopper Road
- Working on recruiting new co liaisons for SRT, Clopper Lake area, and Rosaryville, recruited liaison for Wheaton Regional Park
- Site visit with Dave B, Andrew Mueller and Burr Vogl of Annapolis parks dept to Waterworks, assisted Dave B im getting approvals and funding for $20k of trail improvements
- Several site visits to review and approve Schaeffer trailwork, negotiated details of final payment of $19.3k for this work
- Working to collect year end trail statistics
- Working with Carlo Alfano on the contract for the Rivers Edge RTP grant funded construction of 1.5 miles of new trail and 2 new bridges
- Working with the Executive Director hiring and interview team, reviewed resumes
- Discussed locations and approach to adding horse trailer parking at SCSP with Christina Micek of TROT/MORE
- Participated in a strategy discussion to consider ways to simplify the MoCo Epic in 2023
- Submitted reimbursement invoice for new kiosks at SCSP, made small improvements to them
· VA Advocacy Director – Tom Howe
o Delivered Muddy Trails signs to VA Liaisons
o Met w/ FCPA re: Planned Wildlife Habitat Improvement Project (i.e. a Controlled Burn) at Laurel Hill
o Met with new volunteer (Whit Wheeler) from Arlington who wants to help out with advocacy and trail liaison related activities
o Trails Committee Meeting
o Monthly MD Liaison Meeting
o Monthly VA/DC Liaison Meeting
o Met w/ FCWDCD (Fairfax County Wastewater Design and Construction Division) re: Planned Construction at Laurel Hill
o Executive Director Search Committee
§ Reviewed position description
§ Reviewing resumes
· Membership Director – Rob Lowe
o [*]
· Communications Director – Kathy Mihm
o Muddy Trail sign distribution to liaisons in MD
o Trailhead News - prepare and finalize 2022-2023 Winter Edition
o Executive Director position - position description, posting, reviews, fill-in tasks
o 2022 Data entry and evaluation on Ride Leaders
o Calendarwiz - Ride Leader Data extract and compile
o Kent Island trail mapping
o MoCo Epic Team meeting and discussions
o Social Media Posts
o Meetup.com correspondence and waiver incorporation tasks
o Set up Rides for leaders
o Bike box distribution in MD
· Treasurer – Neil Blake
[*]
· Activities Director – Clay Deming
o Permits, forms, communicating with MoCo for Winter Party
o Gathering MORE award nominations and ordering/design
o Working on catering a main dish for Winter Party and supplies list
o Swag