January 2024 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes and Activity Reports

 

Virtually present at meeting

Casey Anderson – President

Ernie Rodriguez – President Emeritus

Jali Fernando – Executive Secretary

David Beugelmans - Secretary

Tom Howe - VA Advocacy Director

Kathy Mihm – Ride Programs Director

Dave Magill - MD Advocacy Director

Rob Lowe – Membership Director

Nate Frey – Communications Director

Neil Blake – Treasurer

 

• Executive Director Report (Jali)
  • Two main things at the moment: (1) transition and (2) training series.
  • Meeting with Casey and Ernie to finalize turnover and tasks. Figured out which of Ernie’s work she can take on. The next step is to draft SOPs to document how things are done for donor management and communications.
    • Next is to work with transition team to develop assistant to ED position.
  • Second thing is the training series. Three things happening every month. Kicking it off with trail liaisons meeting on February 10. Objectives are to meet the new board members, but also will serve as a recruitment meeting for people who want to get more involved in trailwork. Anyone interested will go to the meet, ask questions, and figure out if it something they want to do.
    • Some of the trail liaisons have already identified topics they want to talk/learn more about. Will be sending online signup for the meeting, including topics they want to see for the meeting.
    • Will happen at REI Flagship store in DC.
    • Will be open to all people, will reach out to trail liaisons and also the general public for their input.
  • Next one is the first aid training session. Was going to open it up to general members, but we might fill it up with just ride leaders and trail liaisons. Will see how many slots left.
  • Last on the training series is in April, which is a skills and anti-racism clinic. Reached out to ride leaders and already brought in 4 people who are certified coaches who are MORE leaders, plus one more group ride leader. Will open registration in early February. Most likely will be at Fairland.
  • This afternoon had a meeting with Maryland Delegates from District 23. There are three delegates and a state senator. 2 of the 3 were at the meeting today. Trying to get them to support LBI for Rosaryville trails refurbishment and adaptive trails. Seemed very receptive. Ask is for $180,000. Said that this is on the smaller end for the asks received so far, but has also been told this a tight year and they will be funding fewer projects than they usually do. Right now we were told we will hear back within 2 weeks after they discuss as a team.
• Financial Updates (Neil)
  • $42.8k net general increase
  • $166.1k general revenues

• $74.4k memberships
• $51.2k other general (general donations came in strong in Dec as in prior years)
• $16k MoCo Epic (this is after the 50% transfer to West MoCo trails)
• $15.1k interest earned
• $9.4k other (Clinics, MORE store, Fall Camping trip)

• $123.3k general expenses

• $43k staff costs ($30k in included in MoCo Epic above)
• $20.5k tools
• $7.1k software, IT, website
• $6.4k prizes and swag (sock order)
• $6k insurance
• $5.9k marketing
• $5.7k winter party
• $4.9k dig in donation
• $4.3k fall camping trip
• $3.3k tax prep fees
• $2.9k clinics
• $13.3k Other

• Request for approval to transfer $25,000 of MORE unrestricted funds to the General Trails Fund (Dave)
  • Background: We have all these different park restricted funds and then liaisons are the only ones who can initiate expenditures from the funds. Then we have three multi trail funds: (1) grant work capital fund (used for RTP grants, etc where you put money out and wait to get it back); (2) O’Sullivan Family Fund (multi-purpose fund for trail projects; (3) General Trails Fund (been around for a long time and conceived of originally to do smaller projects with hand built trails. About two years ago we realized we had enough money and wanted to move up to another level. Board took $100k over time of general unrestricted cash and put into the general trails fund. Then put out policy that allowed individual parks to come in and ask for up to $10k. There was a whole tiering of marching funds associated with this. Funds are for in the dirt projects.)
  • GTF has received a very good reception and have spent $90k of $100k on 15 different parks. We are getting down to only $10k, and it will be less soon. This money has mostly come from the general unrestricted fund.
  • Talked with Neil. We don’t want to run out of money. We are about there and there are a bunch of projects coming up. We’d like to ask the board to authorize a transfer of $25k from unrestricted funds to the General Trails Fund.
  • Neil is comfortable with $25k transfer given the funds currently in the general unrestricted motion.
  • There are controls for this program, including an analysis of how the grant will be met, what the purpose is, etc.
  • Want to offer this out as broadly as possible for the smaller projects. The really big systems need large grants ($50k, $100k, etc.). This money is going to the smaller projects.
  • Motion (Dave M): Move to transfer $25,000 of MORE unrestricted funds to the General Trails Fund.
    • Seconded: Kathy
    • Passed unanimously.
  • RTP Grant Agreement with SHA for $45,000 for Northwest branch, indemnity clause (Dave)
    • This is a very important source of funds for us over time. These are federal highway funds given to the states, which then use it fund recreational trails.
    • Virginia does it differently. They like really big grants. Maryland spreads it around with smaller grants.
    • We’ve had approximately 10 RTP grants. In the past, this was giving us money, which we then worked with land manager to get a project, and they’d approve it.
    • But this year they added an indemnity provision in their contract in which MORE would indemnify the SHA.
    • We have a grant for $45k to build boardwalks and platforms in wet part of Northwest Branch Trail in the middle of MoCo. It’s a good project.
    • In general, MORE has not accepted open ended indemnity provisions. We have clause put in that indemnifies only to the extent of MORE’s insurance.
    • Thinks chances of an issue coming up with this is low. Feels like this is acceptable because SHA is not the land manager.
    • Dave M doesn’t feel like he can sign grant agreement without board approval to take on this risk. But recommending it because SHA is a financier and is two levels removed from being sued. Hard to imagine them getting sued and MORE is not.
    • Dave M: Have until January 17, so have nine days. Agree with David B that we should have lawyers look at this before making a decision.
    • Ernie: Was just on the phone with Anthony D. Will follow-up tomorrow. What he is saying is he has not guidance for us. That this is happening across the country. Some clubs are accepting it, so they are being forced into it. There are also some clubs that aren’t doing it. We will talk more in detail tomorrow this.
    • Casey: The risk here is very low.
    •  Agreement to have David B’s firm look at it and Board will make decision later.
  • Membership Update (Rob)
    • 175 Membership Transactions at $7152 pre-IMA processing fee, I'd estimate about $6000 post fees.   
    • We fell about $600 short compared to December 2023, which isn't bad.   
    • We had a number of middle and long period renewals who had been expired over 3 months to longer than a year. 
    • I saw several folks who came back after 3 to 5+ years in-fact.   
    • Joins werelower than December 2023, but again with weather, etc. not entirely surprised, though most of the new joins happened AFTER the middle of the month.   
    • Otherwise, we finished the year down over all by a bit over $6K pre-fee at a bit over $94K, which is still not bad compared to other clubs reports anecdotally from the national but no specifics.   
    • Our growth for the year did drop during the September/October slump, we might have hit 2100 members, instead we are around 1978, which is 8 more than last year.   
    • Our Auto-Renewing Memberships between Annual and Monthly now make up just 49.6% of our annual revenue, compared to 42.4%.  At the start of 2021, we only had 30.8% coming from auto-renewals.   
    • Ernie:
      • IMBA is down by 11-20% nationally. There are some clubs that are growing, but many losing members.
      • Our failure to network and ask each other what’s working and work together to create community.
    • Casey:
      • There is clearly a slump in the bike industry. MORE had a big bump during the pandemic, and it is great how many people we have maintained.
    • Kathy:
      • Do we need to reserve any resources or get a team together to get community built. Should we get a focused team to focus tasks.
    • Casey
      • We will talk about this topic during our transition meeting.
    • Jali
      • Took a lot of notes and wrote down ideas.
    • Trails
      • Virginia (Michael/Tom)
        • Michael: Had meeting with Tom and Ernie and took copious amount of notes.
        • Tom:
          • Didn’t hold monthly liaisons meeting because it was on NYD, but did hold transition meeting.
          • The big news is Ernie heard from Fairfax County that they have funding to do the Brookfield connector, which is $30,000. They want to walk the flag line.
          • Also had discussion with Michael about the RTF. There is money in funds that could be freed up and be used elsewhere.
          • Good things are going on in Prince William County and Loudon County.
        • Michael:
          • Had meeting with Jason who is liaisons at Andrew Leech with Ruth who is trying to raise funds for pump track in Oaksville. They need $300k to build the pump track. They do a donor event every year.
        • Maryland (Dave)
          • LBI grants are in full swing. Working on 5, but one may not work out. There is a lot of work going on. Will know by January 26 whether the legislature will support these or not. Thinks these are projects that will happen, and we want to use them to explain the value of MORE and why we are trying to do these things. Hopeful we will get one, and maybe MORE.
          • $27,500 contract for Windy Ridge was approved. Will be done by April. We should do an event once there, as well as Brunswick. Need to get people to see what we are doing.
          • The Greenbrier team is waiting on some state grants. They are building bridges and asking money for bridges across difficult creeks to get across.
          • Identified 3 different projects that would benefit the MoCo Epic in 2024.
        • Ride Program Report (Kathy)
          • Don’t have much to report. Raining all the time and not a lot of riding going on.
          • Looking into 2024, want to get more ride leaders.

  

Activity Reports

• President Emeritus – Ernest (Ernie) Rodriguez
• Update DonorPerfect database with current membership records
• Send "Thank you" emails and swag to donors and major donors
• Work with Kathy, Dave and Tom on uploading Volunteer hours and activities
• Participation on Fairfax County's Dredging Alternatives Task Force for Lake Accotink - recommending dredging a smaller lake
• Help lead/sweep Wakefield rides
• Assist Jali, Jason Miller and Martin Fernandez with Board of Director elections
• Input into 2024 MORE budget
• Host Golden Volunteer training sessions

 

• Jali Fernando – Executive Director

• Letter of support for FPVSP DNR grant
• Represented MORE at Virginia Outdoors monthly meeting
• Attended meetings for Arlington pump track project
• End-of-year giving campaign
• Mailed thank you gifts to major donors
• Preparations for meeting with Delegates Adrian Boafo and Kym Taylor of Maryland District 23
• Turn over preparations with Ernie, Casey, and Kathy
• Organizing volunteer training series
• Drafted working timeline for MoCo Epic 2024
• Newsletter and social media

• Secretary – David Beugelmans
  • Coordinated board meeting and finalized minutes
  • Attend Anne Arundel County Crownsville Memorial Park Recreation and Trails Committee meetings and site visit
  • Work with Bike AAA and Scenic Rivers Land Trust on trails concept plan
  • LBI application for Waterworks flow trail

 

• MD Advocacy Director – Dave Magill
  • Grants, grants, grants – working with liaison teams to submit 5 MD LBI grant requests with a total value of ~$900k, first cutoff round Jan 26
    • Sidewalk under Clopper Road
    • Bridge over Dry Seneca Creek
    • Patuxent trails phase 2B
    • Rosaryville trail refurb and adaptive trail upgrade
    • Waterworks gravity trail and parking lot
  • Mullinix Mill parking lot refurb – work is complete, and contractor was able to provide the Buy American materials certs required, will promptly submit $10k reimbursement request to SHA
  • Northwest Branch $45k RTP grant – reviewed MOU, assessing a new indemnity clause in this year’s grant agreement
  • Windy Ridge – obtained both trails committee and board approval for $27.5k trail building contract paid for by MORE to complete the project, the city of Mt Airy is spending $45k
  • Hashawha – assisted in submitting a $10k grant request to American trails to machine refurb about ½ mile of trail as a demonstration project.
  • Greenbrier – working with liaison team to fund a $20 foot bridge
  • Dogwood Park – met with Nick Maffei and Jaron Shaul to strategize on how to pitch Baltco Parks for bike optimizerd trails in this 100 acre park near Pickall in Patapsco
  • SCSP – coordinated trimming of 3 miles of less used trail that did not get trimmed in 2023
  • CHMP – assisted Dave B in preparations for a stakeholder meeting to present guiding principles and conceptual maps for development of this large park between Bacon Ridge and Waterworks, along with connections.
  • MoCoEpic 2024 – worked with Mike Winings to develop the longest route with in Schaeffer (12.6 miles) with no two way traffic for the 2024 MoCoEpic.  Sent requests/wish list for new trail to be built by October by MoCo Parks for use in the next Epic

 

• VA Advocacy Director Emeritus – Tom Howe
• Worked with the Trails Committee to approve moving funds from the O’Sullivan account to make up for the negative balance in the James Long RTF
• Met with Michael and Ernie for initial Transition Meeting for VA Advocacy Director
• Did not hold the Monthly VA/DC Liaisons meeting as it fell on NYD
• Membership Director – Rob Lowe
  • Membership Processing and Reminders December 2023

 

• Ride Program Director – Kathy Mihm
  • Review 2023 Ride Lead/Sweep Data , working on compiling totals, hours, etc.
  • Miscellaneous ride set ups, announcements, correspondence with Ride Leaders
  • Conversation re: Adaptive Cycling Program at MORE
  • Survey Trail Liaisons on interest/need for Muddy Trail Signs; requested price quote for additional signs
  • Mapping at Gunpowder Park

 

• Communications Director – N/A

 

• Treasurer – Neil Blake
  • $42.8k net general increase
  • $166.1k general revenues

• $74.4k memberships
• $51.2k other general (general donations came in strong in Dec as in prior years)
• $16k MoCo Epic (this is after the 50% transfer to West MoCo trails)
• $15.1k interest earned
• $9.4k other (Clinics, MORE store, Fall Camping trip)

• $123.3k general expenses

• $43k staff costs ($30k in included in MoCo Epic above)
• $20.5k tools
• $7.1k software, IT, website
• $6.4k prizes and swag (sock order)
• $6k insurance
• $5.9k marketing
• $5.7k winter party
• $4.9k dig in donation
• $4.3k fall camping trip
• $3.3k tax prep fees
• $2.9k clinics
• $13.3k Other

 

• Activities Director – Clay Deming
  • [*]