March 2020 Board Meeting

MORE Board Meeting Notes | March 9th, 2020

REI - Tysons Corner

Attendance of meeting

Ernie Rodriguez - President

Peggy Flaxman - Executive Director 

Tom Howe - VA Advocacy Director

Rob Lowe - Membership Director

Sharon Maloid - Activities Director 

Andrew Melito - Communications Director

David Beugelmans - Vice President 

Dave Magill - MD Advocacy Director 

Neil Blake - Treasurer

Mauricio Carvalho - Trail Boss

Tim O’Donnell - Emmitsburg Trail Liaison

Frank Raiti - Lake Fairfax Trail Liaison

Elaine Hess - Family Ride Program Manager

 

Opening

• Ernie introduced Peggy to the board as well as Tim O’Donnell, Emmitsburg land manager, Councilman and Trail Liaison
• Introduced Frank Raiti as Lake Fairfax Trail Liaison
• Introduced Ellaine Hess as family ride coordinator
• Peggy gave background experience and history with MORE, sMORE’s and bike teams
• Dave Magill, Ernie, and Neil discussed how competitive the candidates were, rationale for selecting Peggy including focus on events, family, youth and advocacy.

 

President (Ernie)

• Updating our liability insurance is currently happening and he discussed the changes coming to the plans. While it seems cheaper we need to be aware of what it no longer covers compared to the past coverage. Ernie is reaching out to get the policy and post to the website including additional insured. Coverage is reduced to $1M per occurrence for trailwork and rides with waivers, $300k for “completed products” i.e. claims from users of our trails, bike parks, etc
• A couple of land managers have offered to extend their liability insurance for trail work days by having volunteers sign the park/land manager waiver.  We will continue to carry our own insurance policies. 
• Our liability insurance requires signed waivers and lead group rides leaders and sweeps must be MORE members. Discussed waiver questions, storage and need for electronic waivers.  Electronic waivers are currently being explored.
• Working with DC park and recreation and National Park Service to create a DC youth riding program. Meeting planned for March 11

 

Treasurer (Neil)

• Unrestricted
• Revenue $5,801 (YTD $8,472)
• Expenses $3,231 (YTD $8,289)
• NET increase $2,569 (YTD $182)

 

• Restricted
• Revenues $8,000 (YTD $20,262)
• Expenses $18,743 (YTD $18,743)
• NET decr $10,743 (YTD inc $1,519)

 

• Items of note:
• Network for Good $2,905
• Other general donations YTD $3,933
• Winter Party $3,791 vs budget of $1,800
• Prizes and swag $1,506 vs budget of $3,000
• Restricted funds expenditures mostly due to Frederick; $1,956 donated to Patuxent
• Restricted funds have a negative balance in Locust Shade, but Tom is aware and working on it.
• Working with a new accountant currently and planned expenses for them are projected to come slightly under budget.
• Neil to transfer money from Paypal into checking, and leaving funds for incoming expenses.

 

Dave Magill - MD Trails Update - see below

 

Tom Howe - VA Trails Update - see below

 

Tim O’Donnell

• June 27th Emmitsburg is having a community day and he is requesting we become the lead non-profit sponsor for the beer garden (Tim emailed agenda and details). The goal is part trail fundraising and Emmitsburg Friends Library to support kids activities. 
• Discussed the insurance requirement which will be reimbursed by event committee.
• Discussed other sponsors commitment and are asking that MORE fulfill a sponsorship obligation to acquire insurance. Onsite attendance isn’t required on this ask, although encouraged and Tim would represent us. 
• Ask for volunteers on rebuilding a Red Trail which will be part rebuilt and part trail extension
• Tim has the opportunity to sit with DNR officials and offered to advocate on behalf of MORE with state officials. Dave expressed the need to continue supporting NICA and the clubs that build the trails. 
• He is also going to be able to talk to Ben Cardon to advocate linking Gettysburg to Ft. Detrick for a gravel/shoulder/mixed trail. This also could run through Emmitsburg. He’ll continue building that interest
• There is new land purchased from Emmitsburg with an easement that is going to expire, and Tim is going to advocate for more trails to built there that can connect the trails to town. NICA would like to build a summer camp there, which could be utilized by other organizations as well. This effort is about a 5 year vision to build out and Tim is starting to seed the idea for MORE commitment. 
• Dave started a motion to sponsor the beer garden at Emmitsburg Community Heritage day, Tom Seconded the motion. Motion was unanimously approved.
• There is a trail day and Pivot demo day coming March 22, including eBikes.

Frank Raiti

• Three races coming up in Northern Virginia (EX2, GoNuts Race and a NICA race)
• Soliciting volunteers for trail work days and spend funds in our accounts to get the trails in good shape for Spring Fling and racing events. 

 

Membership (Rob L)

• February memberships were almost doubled compared to last year
• New and Currents (NC)
• New and Currents and Lapsed (2 Mo).  Technically you're still sort of a member till you pass thru Lapsed status.  

Month	Nov-19	Dec-19	Jan-20	Feb-20
New	12	12	11	17
Current	1268	1256	1271	1292
Lapsed	88	67	56	39
Month	Nov-19	Dec-19	Jan-20	Feb-20
Total (LNC)	1368	1335	1338	1348
Total (NC)	1280	1268	1282	1309

 

Activities (Sharon Maloid)

• Winter Membership meeting was a success with an estimate on attendance at 180 people.
• Spring Fling planning is underway at the same location with the same food vendor. Elaine has been successful recruiting people to volunteer for sMORE’s and Women’s rides.
• SummerFest planning is underway. Phone call with core team members is tomorrow (10 March) including a rough agenda of how the event will move.
• Fall Campout is in early planning with the same place and same food. There was a suggestion of possibly auctioning  cabins on site as a fundraiser, but the has been discussion yet between Sharon and Phil VanWerkoven who are the organizers of the event. 

Family Ride Program Manager (Elaine Hess)

• New family ride page going up on the site
• Planning ahead to coordinate spring rides and get the word out
• Working on a women’s page on the MORE website to have a place to learn more about rides and events focused on women riders.

Communications (Andrew Melito)

• Mailed out the winter edition of trailhead news
• Worked on the Winter Membership meeting
• Starting work on 2019 updated materials including the bike tag and annual report
• Discussion around updating our large map, including an interactive map to use on the web.
• Working on new signage for the year including large banners for events but also trail signage.

 

Virginia Advocacy (Tom Howe)

• Work on Wakefield is happening including repairs to sunken trails and phase 4
• Locust Shade completed the expert loop and is working to expand further with a beginner loop and is working to get funding.
• Met with Mark from Mount Vernon and have been discussing plans to use the funding allocated to the park. There’s potential for trail in two new areas and Tom is working with others to scope for new trails. Trails would be a part realignment and an enhancement at the same time. 
• VDOT meeting at Langley High School is happening to discuss plans for new hot lanes to advocate for bike and pedestrian trails. 
• Meeting happening in Arlington on the 19th with Matt Levine who will be pitching a pump track in the Crystal City area. Board members will try to attend to get more MTB access in Arlington County.

MD Advocacy (Dave Magill)

• Today was the formal opening for bids on the new phase of trails at Patuxent. Bid out to 3 people, and the winning bid is underway and being finalized. The goal is to have that section done by October. 
• Pepco trail has a maintenance agreement about maintaining the mowin in addition to the trail maintenance on trails. Dave is trying to amend the agreement to have MoCo help with that, but this amendment is in progress. 
• Frederick is using their restricted funds to build an improvement to the blue trail and expecting to complete that in 3-4 weeks.
• Trail Liaison meeting is happening this weekend. The agenda is out and we’re expecting around 35 people to show up. 
• Moco County Council is set to expand the funds for trails by $1.5 million over 5 years. 
• Patapsco trails have hired a pro trail builder to connect the trails to Ellicott City downtown.
• Ernie, Dave and Chris Garrett met the new DNR district manager for Rosaryville and Cedarville to introduce MORE.  He is a mountain biker and is enthusiastic about increasing the use and quality of the trails for all users. We discussed potential goals for refurbishing the trails over the next few years.