June 2022 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes and Activity Reports
MORE – Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
June 13, 2022
Virtually present at meeting
Ernie Rodriguez - President
David Beugelmans - Vice President
Peggy Flaxman - Executive Director
Tom Howe - VA Advocacy Director
Dave Magill - MD Advocacy Director
Neil Blake – Treasurer
Rob Lowe – Membership Director
Kathy Mihm - Communications Director
Clay Deming – Activities Director
Not Present
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Financial Updates (Neil)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>$9.1k Unrestricted net increase
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>$22.7k revenues
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$10.8k memberships
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$10k REI grant
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>$13.6k expenses
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$6.8k exec director
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$1.7k clinics (offset by revenue in April)
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$2.9k workday tools
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>$16.9k decrease in restricted funds
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>$15.7k restricted revenues
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$5.3k Bacon Ridge ($5k from Fox Factory)
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$5.7k Wakefield
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$3.6k Wakefield
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>$32.7k restricted expenses
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$23.4k Wakefield (Ironwood)
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$6k Lake Fairfax (Ironwood)
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$1.3k Bacon Ridge
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Dave M to Neil: How do you feel about our financial situation?
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Neil:
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Shopify is working well.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Whenever a project is full swing, the attention that we have on it is a bit of the juggling act. Bacon Ridge and Lake Fairfax are a good example. They are at least aware of it they work to get the gap closed.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Strategic Discussion (Ernie)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>DonorPerfect
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Ernie
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>The big announcement is that we built most of the history. All of 2022 for donors.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>The membership coming from IMBA goes back a number of years and it does skew the data.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>The other big thing is that already had preliminary discussion with Tom and is documenting process so that Tom can create an API to process memberships
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Will need to follow-up with Tom to get the APIs done
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>All records are current as of yesterday. It is not overly complicated, but it does take a little attention.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Same thing with trail care, which is micro donations. Also the same as Shopify.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Using thank you notes from DonorPerfect, but not automatically sending them.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Peggy
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>The end goal is for us to automate some things that Ernie and Neil have been doing annual. Most important will be end of year reporting.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>There are some donations that are micro donations. Once we get Donor Perfect where we want it, what we will know is how much Joe Smith has donated through 10 different channels.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>This is something we can’t expect somebody to do. The goal is to get DonorPerfect to a point where we can report appropriately. And also to take some of the manual load off Ernie.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Constant Contact
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>When we signed up for Donor Perfect, we got a new Constant Contact account. This allows us to pull all members from Donor Perfect into Constant Contact.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Don’t see a reason to keep independent Constant Contact account.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]> Agreement to cancel account.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Ernie
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Neil, Peggy, and I will continue to get together to work on this.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Golden Volunteer
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Ernie
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>The only reason I put it on here is a little of my frustration in that we haven’t been using it and we haven’t been encouraging the use of it.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Peggy
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Thinks is a good trailwork platform, but it’s not good for ride.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Kathy
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Don’t see how it can replace MeetUp.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Peggy
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>The language of it and check-in is for volunteers for trailwork, not doing group rides. It is not intuitive.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Clay
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>We should keep on discussing it, and then have the conversation at the end of year. The issue was how kids were handled as participants, but that appears to have been fixed.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Everyone who does trailwork is a volunteer, everyone who signs up for a ride is not a volunteer, and you need to flag ride leaders and sweeps.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Setting up all these small details about how to communicate with people is going to take a very long time.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Dave M
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>In terms of sense of frustration, how do you compare rides and trailwork?
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Ernie
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>This has been a non-issue because rides have a template, sMOREs has a template, and ad hoc work has a template. As long as you use the right opportunity, you are in the right bucket.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>For trailwork, the feedback is “I don’t want to learn something” and for rides its “really, I never do anything, I just lead my ride”
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>It is all over the place.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Dave M
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>It will make sense to develop a timeline to go out to ride leaders to try to get them to move officially to move to Golden Volunteer (or at a minimum paper)
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Analytics Review (Peggy)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Peggy
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Start thinking about if any of this is meaningful to you, or if you can use it.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Over the course of time, it could become useful.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Ernie
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Knowing number of riders on Strava could help us make goals for membership.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>MORE Bike Box (Peggy)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Peggy
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>We have two bike boxes.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>One is very small.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>They are best suited for road bikes or small mountain bikes.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>The question is whether MORE wants to invest in a bike box for mountain bikes that we can loan out.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>I am getting emails about borrowing the bike box. Also, when I look at membership, the retention numbers are lower than I want them to be.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Dave
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Likes the idea of a MORE loyalty program to get people to renew.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Peggy will come back with ideas.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Membership Updates (Rob)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Rob
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Had a really good May. Beat 2021 number by about $3k.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>$10,800 after fees
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Processed 249 membership transactions, which is up by 39 from last year
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>This was a really good membership year
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>June numbers are running a little slower because we are not doing the membership drive for two months like last year.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>IMBA did a good job of getting word out to a lot of membership.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Most people came back after one year. Up by about $6k for year so far, and already a little ahead of where we were for June 2021.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Auto renewing memberships are continuing to grow. Up to 453 annual auto-renewing memberships. Almost double where we ended the year.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Had a good number of joins for the months. Had a good trend for June. Think we will be on track to be close to 50 we had last year in June.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Current membership is 1910.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Communications (Kathy)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Kathy
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Trying to get annual report put together. Work got in the way.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Don’t have the financials for monetary value of volunteer labor.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]> Ernie will send to Kathy
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Events (Clay)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Clary
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Have had some hick-ups this year and has been behind on everything.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Summer Picnic
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Clay
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Going to have summer picnic at Locust Shade
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Martin reached out to Clay about doing it there
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Going to do it next month. Started reaching out to bike shops, looking for SWAG, give aways, sponsors, etc.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Haven’t heard back a lot and will need to follow-up.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>This week will start working on volunteers for rides, cooking, etc.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Not planning anything out of the ordinary – rides in the morning, food/refreshments after.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Looking also at paid clinics
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Peggy
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Will connect Clay with Dave from Specialized re: e-bike demo
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Would like to do annual awards at picnic
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Also thinking of awards like best flow trail, epic climb, etc. Will do a survey.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Clay
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>For awards, generated sheet and will circulate it.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>30th Anniversary Gala
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Dave
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>The Civic Center in Silver Spring may be a good venue.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Clay
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Looked at Brewery in Olney, but they were just offering a glorified pavilion and it was expensive.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Looking around for various places. Will continue to explore.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Would like to do the event in the fall. Need to get a venue locked in.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>What might ask for BoD to do is to come up with some sort of donation structure (silent auctions, etc) so we can raise money.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>MoCo Epic
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Peggy
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Registration went live on June 1, 50 people registered
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Price is the same, but made shirts optional and selling them. This was to deal with inflation
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Registrants are also paying all of the fees this year, so 3.5% is not coming out of revenue. This was all designed to not raise base price on rides.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Trails
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Virginia (Tom)
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Had monthly liaison meeting on Monday, with good attendance
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Lake Fairfax
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Jump lines are in, and doing work on return lines
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>EX2 held rails to rivers race. Raised $2000 for MORE.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Trying to get more people involved with the pump track.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>CCT
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Young liaison who is ambitious with project.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Fountainhead
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Has a donation box. They raised $3.5-4.5k. Need to spend money. Going to buy material and save it for the future.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Andrew Leech
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>In waiting mode, but will eventually add 1-2 miles of trail there. Waiting to see what will happen with bridges
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Forest Green
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Waiting on MOU and then will move forward. Around public golf course.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Wakefield
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Wrapped up trailwork. Berms and whoops have been well received.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Mountain Vernon District Park
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Working on acclimating new liaisons.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Maryland (Dave M)
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>We now have 2 trail bosses.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Had two resignations from trails committee.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Want to have people not on BoD. Going to reach out to several people.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>MoCo
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>May have seen effort to get more money from Germantown Bike Park. Not so much for new jump lines as other amenities. Going to build a road so you can drive to the bike park. Going to have a viewing stand and a couple other things, a few years out.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>MoCo building crew has completed 3 mile loop off 10 mile creek. They are back working at Fairland on the bike park and jump lines.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Tim O’Donnell introduced MORE to MML. Has nearly completed project to connect intermediate and advanced loops with a connector that will create a loop option for a GoNuts race.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>DCMTB is doing a race at Schaefer on Saturday on a nice 7 mile loop.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Carol at River’s Edge is working through NEPA process. Hoping to go to bids for another 1.5 miles of trail in next 30 to 60 days.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Joe has decided to step back from being a liaison in Frederick. He has a really good team there.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Lots of process at Hashawa. Made a breakthrough with Carroll County in terms of being able to do trailwork and plan for maintenance and reroutes.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Windy Ridge applied for a grant for a paved pump track. Wont hear until November.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Seneca Greenway – Has spent $5500 on engineered plans for a sidewalk under bridge. Got local guys to look at another area that needs rock work. Worried that SHA will ask will $30-50k more in engineering on a 100 ft sidewalk
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Patuxent – slow steady progress. We have approval for final bridge in Phase I. Phase II site visit happened about a month ago.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Patapsco
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Ernie and Peggy attended workday at Rockhaven and made it an event where MORE presented them with big check to cover huge new tool cash for them.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>It was a good event and trail workday was run very professional. Land managers were there working along side volunteers.
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Bacon Ridge
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Really good event
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Had County Executive and Parks and Rec Director. It was clear they are on board.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>It’s a really good product, with both single track and flow lines.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Point is that AACo seems totally supportive.
Activity Reports
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>President – Ernest (Ernie) Rodriguez
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Mine donor data to upload into DonorPerfect for a complete view of donors and ease end of year IRS donor letters
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Attend Golden Volunteer training session
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Complete one-on-one training sessions for liaisons and ride leaders for use of Golden Volunteer
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Attend monthly VA-DC Liaison meeting
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Meeting with FCPA and TYO for CCT to Brookfield park connection project
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Accotink clean-up day with KWC accounting firm
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Planning meeting with Michaux State Forest staff
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Volunteer Wednesday's at Wakefield event
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Volunteer at Patapsco National Trails Day celebration and trail work day
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Present to American Trails national webinar on Building Communities in support of Sustainable, Natural Surface, Multi-use, Public trails
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Executive Director – Peggy Flaxman
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Events
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Women’s MTB Day (permitting/event support/MORE PR)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Tent Event @ Fairland (event support/MORE PR)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Rails to River (MORE PR)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>FPVSP Rockhaven Workday (MORE PR)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>LF Workday (MORE PR)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Wednesdays @ Wakefield Water Station (MORE PR)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Monday Night sMORE’s Wakefield (support & planning - Trek no longer run-in)
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>MoCo Epic
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Permits
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>M-NCPPC (submitted)
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>NPS (submitted)
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>DNR (agreement signed)
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>Montgomery County DOT (submitted and approved)
<![if !supportLists]>§ <![endif]>MD State Highway Administration (submitted and approved)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>BikeReg Registration - Opened 6/1
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Shop Poster Created
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Memberships submitted to IMBA (ongoing)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Reached out about ride sponsorships
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Donor Perfect Onboarding/Training
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Ongoing donation entires (checks)
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Begin historical input of checks
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>USFS NX Rec Strategy Meeting
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Coordinated with Allyson Wallace & Rosaryville Liaison for GS Gold Award
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>IMBA Membership Drive (Posts/Coordination)
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>MORE 2022 Membership Drive (Posts/Coordination)
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Two for the Trails Grant (Supported submission by Dave Magill)
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>DCMTB Coordination for 6/18 Race
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Mailed Trail Crew Shirts to Liaisons as Requested
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Received access to StravaMetro
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Completed Weekly Sunday Communications
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Go Nuts Sponsorship - promised, but have not received check
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Vice President – David Beugelmans
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Coordinate pro bono legal work re: articles of incorporation amendment
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>MD Advocacy Director – Dave Magill
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Support Rivers Edge RTP grant through procuring bridge design plans and supporting NEPA review
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Work with DCMTB to organize trailwork for the June 18 race at Schaeffer, surveys, trimming
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Continued work on the final Patuxent Ph 1 bridge, submitting procurement requests to SHA, arrange access across a neighbor’s back field
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Support Delaware Trail Spinners board member Holly Fisher with advice on how to get approval for a new trail at Susquehanna State Park
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Organized work days for a new 3 mile loop off TMC
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Site visit for Pax Ph 2 stream crossings and follow up with DNR and MDE
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Calls with an adhoc group developing trails in south Frederick County
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Organize trimming efforts for 2022 in west moco
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Process various trail related reimbursement requests from liaisons
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Finalize sidewalk design under Clopper Road on the Seneca Greenway trail, develop rock work plan on the trail with Frank Comer and David Kegley
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Apply for $25k grant for Seneca Greenway upgrade with Athletic Brewing
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Finish installing Carsonite posts in SCSP
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>VA Advocacy Director – Tom Howe
- Wakefield Trail Work
- Held Monthly VA/DC Liaisons Meeting
- Researching Strava Metro capabilities
- Working with Ernie on how to streamline the importing of data in to Donor Perfect
- Working with the new liaisons for Mt Vernon District Park
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Membership Director – Rob Lowe
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Membership Processing
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Thank You's
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>TrailWork at Wakefield
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Lead Rides at Wakefield/Accotink
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Communications Director – Kathy Mihm
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Womens MTB Day event and planning
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Lead/sweep Thursday PM rides and skills clinic
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Annual report work
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Treasurer – Neil Blake
$9.1k Unrestricted net increase
$22.7k revenues
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>$10.8k memberships
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>$10k REI grant
$13.6k expenses
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>$6.8k exec director
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>$1.7k clinics (offset by revenue in April)
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>$2.9k workday tools
$16.9k decrease in restricted funds
$15.7k restricted revenues
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>$5.3k Bacon Ridge ($5k from Fox Factory)
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>$5.7k Wakefield
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>$3.6k Wakefield
$32.7k restricted expenses
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>$23.4k Wakefield (Ironwood)
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>$6k Lake Fairfax (Ironwood)
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>$1.3k Bacon Ridge
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Activities Director – Clay Deming
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Help organize and set up Fairland rides
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Communicate with potential new ride leaders
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Awarding ride leader of the month
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Reaching out to shops/sponsors about summer picnic.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Working on a Freehub movie night, solo or with DCMTB.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Help to set up and communicate reopening of MORE jersey store.
<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Continue to look for 30th venues.