March 2024 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes and Activity Reports

Virtually present at meeting

Casey Anderson – President

Jali Fernando – Executive Secretary

David Beugelmans - Secretary

Michael Ullman - 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)
  • Had first aid training on March 2 – second in volunteer series. This was a big hit with 22 people. Had to turn away people and ride leaders wanted to do again. May arrange for another one because of interest. Maybe we could have this next year and earmark a budget item for it.
    • Dave M: Take a look at the budget and see if there is a place for it.
    • Some members paid half. With some of the extra from the discount we were also able to cover lunch.
    • It is not a requirement to be trained in first aid to be a ride leader, but it is encouraged.
  • Last training is a clinic and discussion on discrimination. Have abut 15 people signed up on this. NICA learned about the training and is offering credit to their coaches to anyone who wants to join it.
  • We were award a Shimano Dig In Grant with fundraising starting April 1 to complete adaptive loop in Patapsco. We have got $10,000 with a match of $5000. Friends just needs that amount to complete the RTP match. Once that’s there, all the funding is in. They are going to be helping us heavily with fundraising.
    • Shimano really wants name out there so they are providing lots of SWAG and will provide incentives for product placement, including additional funding.
  • Friends of Patapsco and our adaptive trail liaisons are doing an adaptive ride social on March 24. The purpose is to connect everyone (land managers, builders, vendors, etc).
  • The VA is doing an adaptive event in Patapsco in April. Met with adaptive sports coordinator with VA and she is saying there is significant demand among veterans for these types of facilities.
    • Dave M – We should look for trails that need refurbishment for everyone and do them to adaptive standards.
  • Will be working on newsletter starting next week. Going to keep it high level due to weekly newsletter with trailwork and rides. Will make it a recap of the quarter.
• Liability Insurance (Jali)
  • Have a call with Player’s Health tomorrow and will relay questions from Board.
  • Some concerns:
    • When a bike shop has a ride, we need to make sure it is designated a “MORE” ride.
    • Need to clarify that the insurance covers road rides.
    • Jali will discuss different medical bill payment amounts with the provider.
  • Jali: We need to check to make sure ride/run leaders are MORE members.
    • Dave M: We should include reminders in communications that leaders needs to be members.
    • Casey: Yes, let’s make sure people know.
    • In early April there will be joint messaging from Friends and MORE.
  • 2023 Financials and Tax Return Review (Neil)
    • Neil gave a high level overview of financial statements and tax returns and answered comments/questions from board.
    •  Neil: Motion to approve both the financial statements and tax return for 2023 year.
      • Dave M and Kathy – Seconded motion.
      • Passed unanimously.
    • Membership Update (New Quick Format) (Rob)
      • Good month in general by membership dollars best February ever, by nearly $400. Total members remains unchanged and is the same as the as February 2023.

 

Summary - Feb

                           2024     2023     2022

Transactions      161      132      131

Pre-Process       $5149    $4206    $4773

(IMBA)

Post (est)           $4999    $3580    $3993

Total Membership 1974   1974     1844

New Memberships  18      11       23

Monthly Members  92      75       65

Annual Auto     782/567 674/519  507/398

 

• You can see a major jump in auto renew memberships.
• We are back on an increasing trend.
• Our membership is up to about 1984 members, up about 10 members, which is a good sign.
• We have new joins and have done a little over the third of the month in value already. We are a little over 1/3, which is where we would hope to be right now.

• Trails
  • Virginia (Michael)
    • Had a couple of meetings. Had been introduced to NOVA Parks to meet some of the key contracts. Have also been reaching out to the key liaisons to get to know them and have face to face meetings.
    • Hosted two of the monthly calls and Tom has been on them to help get them started. Will take over in April.
    • Met with trail liaisons at Fountainhead to discuss pump track, skills area, and beginner loop.
  • Maryland (Dave)
    • Been involved with advocacy.
    • Baltimore County, which is a complex story, has not been a great for us in terms of getting access in county parks. Tried to get into the largest park, but the local users said no and they won.
      • The county is looking for ways to help us. They have a property near Patapsco, and want to build downhill flow trails. But apparently there was miscommunication and we didn’t get people to go to budget town halls and we are trying to do that.
    • Schafer is opening on Wednesday. Got 30 or 40 down trees cut out.
    • The annual tool survey is out, so interested to see what people ask for.
    • Montgomery County Council is being pushed to expand budget.
    • Northwest Branch RTP grant, have made some progress on getting NEPA review done.
    • Four different LBI initiatives are in and waiting.
    • Walked Marlton Forest in Prince George’s County, which was recently acquired. They are going to make it mountain bike friendly.
  • Update on 2024 Ride Program (Kathy)
    • Started ride program at start of 2023. As time went on, don’t know what people are doing with rides.
    • At end of the year, got all the data from Golden. It just became clear that there are a lot of rides that aren’t on the MORE calendar. It was a bit of the wild west.
    • Updated the ride leader email list, so now it has 130 people on it. Not all of them are current ride leaders.
    • Cleaned up the list so when you email ride leaders it actually goes to them.
    • Once got list together, worked on getting some kind of ride leader training to share with people to go over basics such as: what is a more ride, what is their responsibility as a ride leaders, etc. Also basics like making everyone sign waiver and there is a code of conduct.
    • Sent an email around and heard back from a few people. Have a presentation/training set up for next evening. Will try to go over the material.
    • Send PDF of training slides to people.
    • Haven’t heard anything negative.
    • Also gave direction that rides should be on the MORE calendar. If rides aren’t on the MORE calendar, it is hard to document that it is a MORE ride. Everyone must use liability waiver. Also the ride should follow basic safety and courtesy guidelines.
  • Events (Clay)
    • Winter Membership Meeting went fairly well. Have not received complaints about anything. We were right under budget and Jali got money from Montgomery County, so it took $1100 off venue, so we paid only $300 for the rental.
    • We are going to do the same weekend next year.
    • We have the Summer Picnics coming up. Going to be July 13 at Lake Fairfax. After that the MORE Camping Trip, which is the third week in September.
    • Jali sent around an email about little things thinking of attending with a tent, so it would be good to share that with everyone.
    • Dave M
      • Want to organize an event that hits Windy Ridge and Gillis Falls.
      • It would be a nice way to showcase what we have been doing.
      • This would be good for the spring.
    • Kathy
      • Also working on Women’s Mountain Bike Day for May 4
    • Identify Communications Needs for 2024 (Kathy)
      • We don’t have a communications director and Jali is filling that in.
      • What do we need for materials to give out at events?
        • Jali
          • For pop up events, the annual report we don’t need, but we need something about MORE
          • It has been very popular. People really like seeing where the trails are.
          • Stickers are also popular. Also a few about who is MORE.
        • Neil
          • Membership seems to be driven by events.
          • In the past, print outs and numbers don’t seem to drive membership very much.
          • Jali:
            • Would like to have something listing MORE and IMBA membership benefits because it would be a bigger draw for people.
          • Annual Report (Kathy/David B.)
            • Dave will follow-up by email
          • Discuss Revised/Streamlined Board Meeting Format (Casey/David B.)
            • Dave M
              • We should put the stuff that’s not routine up front, and then do everything else later.
              • Key is to get subjects that are worth having a board discussion about.
            • Neil
              • Putting the non-updates to the start of the meeting makes sense.

 

Activity Reports

• President – Casey Anderson
  • [*]

• Jali Fernando – Executive Director
  • Action alerts for Montgomery County budget hearings, Virginia outdoor rec funding, Baltimore County budget planning
  • Met with Riverdale council member on potential pump track in town
  • Represented MORE in Maryland Recreation and Parks Association ADA Inclusion Summit
  • Supported Maryland Advocacy Director with LBI for Rosaryville trails
  • Organized Trail Liaison meeting
  • Helped with Winter Membership Meeting
  • Organized volunteer first aid training
  • Facilitated transition for new board members
  • Applied for NPS permit for MoCo Epic
  • Coordinating with Players Health for liability insurance renewal
  • Working on 2024 Q1 newsletter
  • Working on communications around MORE/FPVSP joint membership
  • Managing Dig In grant and fundraising for additional Patapsco adaptive trails
  • Communications/admin support for trail work days, webpage updates, and other club activities
  • Weekly newsletter, regular social media posts, and communications with members

 

• Secretary – David Beugelmans
  • Coordinated board meeting and finalized minutes
  • Attend Anne Arundel County Crownsville Memorial Park Recreation and Trails Committee meetings and coordinated mountain biker participation in public comment hearing
  • Attend networking portion of Bike Maryland legislative lobbying day
  • Various trail projects at Annapolis Waterworks
  • Attempted to recruit Severn Run (Anne Arundel County) liaison

 

• MD Advocacy Director – Dave Magill
  • Assisted with reviewing 2023 financials and tax return
  • Coordinated chainsawing at Schaeffer for spring opening
  • Assisted in organizing the annual liaison tool survey
  • Assisted in email campaign to MoCo Council
  • Assisted in email and in person campaign for Baltimore County trails
  • Assisting with NEPA review for the Northwest Branch trail RTP grant
  • Helped finalize and submit all four LBI fact sheets for MD grant project applications
  • Reviewed opportunities with Tom Urso to improve Oak Ridge park trails near Damascus, put these trails on Trailforks
  • Finalized 2023 stats for miles of trail maintained
  • Assisted with winter membership meeting
  • Circulated 2024 trail tread annual waiver
  • Walked Marlton Forest land with PG parks to discuss future trails

 

• VA Advocacy Director – Michael Ullman
  • Met with NOVA Parks, Casey and Ernie as an introduction to the key contacts and discuss future trails. 
  • Walk and Talk at Fountainhead with Nova Parks and the trail liaison to discuss a future pump track and potential green beginner loop as well as skills park/jump line. 
  • Assisted with identifying a new trail Liason for Conway Robinson. 
  • Attended the winter membership meeting.
  • Continuing to reach out in order to meet in person or through a teams meeting with trail liaisons that I did not already know to introduce myself and offer any assistance. 

 

• Membership Director – Rob Lowe
  • Membership Processing for February 2024.
  • Transition Meeting Membership Summary 

 

• Ride Program Director – Kathy Mihm
  • Prepare Ride Leader Training presentation 
  • Communications to ride leaders on Ride Leader Training presentation and 2024 ride plans
  • set up numerous rides on Golden Voluteer and MORE Calendar
  • Bike Box - communications and planning for bike box loans
  • Winter Membership meeting - awards planning and meeting plans
  • 2023 Data compilations on ride leaders and volunteer activities summaries for 2023 - and award nominate and notify
  • Attend BOD Transition meeting
  • Attend Trail Liaison meeting
  • Plans for Women's MTB Day - set for May 4 at SGBP 
  • Discussion with Ptap group on rides and 2024 plans and using GV
  • Anti-racism clinic discussions and planning
  • Discussion and communications on Adaptive Ride Program and rides
  • Order and distribute Muddy Trail signs to liaisons
  • Order and distribute MORE trailhead signs to liaisons

 

• Communications Director – N/A

 

• Treasurer – Neil Blake

• [*]

• Activities Director – Clay Deming
  • Planning and contributing to Winter Membership Meeting
  • Planning Summer Picnic