July 2016 BoD Meeting Minutes
MORE Monthly Board Meeting: July 11, 2016
REI Tyson’s Corner
7-9PM
Board Members Present
Ernie Rodriguez
Aaron Richter
Dave Magill
Rob Lowe
Greg Dwyer
MORE Staff and Members present
Steve Don-Tingey
Jonah Meyer
Item 1: Treasurer’s Report (Aaron R.)
Reviewed the June monthly financials. Discussion ensued regarding individual vs. large corporate vs. small business donations. Extensions requested for 2015 MORE tax returns; working w/a Maryland-based CPA on MORE’s 2015 tax returns. Women’s ride coordinator funding issues discussed.
Item 2: Membership report (Ernie R.)
Reviewed member chart submitted by Ernie. How do we retain members and attract new MORE members? Current members are at approximately 1,334. We need to do a better job of retaining and growing members. Rob shared his recent interactions w/Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) and agreed to further explore VMBA’s operations and organization.
Item 3: Ride calendar (Brad H.)
Did not discuss
Item 4: Shop liaison program (Ernie R.)
Jason Miller to provide further details and lay out next steps. Four to five volunteers are currently supporting Jason on development of MORE’s shop liaison program. Action: Jason to provide update to Board during August BOD meeting.
Item 5: MORE Store update (Ernie R.)
Second tranche of MORE jerseys are currently for sale.
Item 6: Fall Camping Trip (Rob L.)
Sign-up is out on BikeReg website. Dates are Sept 23-25 in Big Bear, WV. Need to start promoting the event on MORE website and social media. Typical numbers are 100-150 participants. Third year in a row at this location. All agreed for the need to plan earlier in the year (i.e. March/April) for a similar summer event.
Item 7: Fort Dupont Park, Washington, D.C. possible pump track (Steve D-T.)
Steve met w/Anthony Duncan (IMBA mid-Atlantic Region) and Raymond Crew (trail liaison for Fort Dupont). Existing trails are mostly man-made surface trails; existing trail is a loop trail that includes some road/city riding. Pump track would be located in an old, unused garden area. Ft. Dupont is the only legal natural surface riding area in Washington, D.C.
Item 8: VA Trails Update/Lake Fairfax Pump track (Ernie R.)
MORE received approval to precede w/building a pump track at Lake Fairfax from Fairfax Park Authority and waiting on final Rough Grading Plan approval from Fairfax County. Ernie is working to advertise project w/potential bidders and builders. More has approximately $16K budgeted for this project. Need is for pump track to have full community support and local, resident champions so that track is used and maintained. Larry Cautilli is the MORE POC. Approximate project timeline mid-July to December 2016. Desirable deadline for opening is Labor Day Weekend 2016. Action: Ernie and/or Steve D-T to provide Board with periodic updates on pump track status.
Item 9: Update on Cocktails for Trails Event and September 17-18 2016 Patapsco TrailFest (Dave Ferraro of Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park via phone-in)
Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park (FPVSP). Background: Patapsco trail system is a system for all users—bikers, hikers, equestrian use, birders, kayakers, dog walkers, etc.
$15K was raised at the recent “Cocktails for Trails” fundraiser event.
PatapscoTrailFest will use the multi-user event model from Cocktails for Trails event. Expecting to completely sell-out the event; not considered a fundraiser, but a “break even” event. Any profits will be shared w/those nonprofits involved. Under Armor has agreed to donate $20K of t-shirts and Sierra Nevada will sponsor the beer all weekend. Other events in addition to MTN biking: hiking Saturday afternoon and running races on Sunday, specifically a full marathon, half-marathon, and 8K race plus a one-mile fun run in the park. Food trucks start at 4pm on Saturday. REI will host a sMOREs party Saturday evening. Woodstock Inn has built a new parking lot for Patapsco trail users. Still waiting for installation of mountain bike trail signage in the Park. www.pvsptrailfest.com
Item 10: Status of Draft mid-year Singletrack Futures Fund (SFF) Report (Dave M.)
Dave M inquired about the status of the mandatory mid-year report due to SFF under MORE’s grant from SFF. The report has not yet been drafted. Action: Steve Don-Tigny to draft the report and provide copies to the board members as soon as possible.
Item 11: RTP Grants update in MD for FY2017 (Dave M.)
Trails committee update: Three RTP grant applications were submitted by MORE to MD SHA prior to the June 30 deadline – $40K to build trails in Frederick watershed, $30K for Rivers Edge trails in Brunswick, $10K for misc. tools for volunteer used at 29 parks in MD. We should hear back on these grants in the Sept-Oct timeframe.
Item 12: Sponsorships and Fundraising (Jonah M.):
Board and staff reviewed Jonah’s proposal. Board agreed that Steve D-T would be the primary individual in charge of fundraising. Ernie noted and emphasized that ALL Board members should be fundraising. The Board voted to move forward on establishing individual, shop, and community donor programs with MORE Executive Director Steve D-T as the lead. Action: Steve D-T to present initial fundraising proposal(s) (working w/Jonah M. and other Board members) during August 2016 Board Meeting. BOD to provide Steve D-T input, ideas, and proposals from outside entities regarding fundraising before August Board meeting.