November 2022 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes and Activity Reports

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MORE – Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
November 14, 2022
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Virtually present at meeting
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Ernie Rodriguez - President
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David Beugelmans - Vice President
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Peggy Flaxman - Executive Director
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Tom Howe - VA Advocacy Director
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Kathy Mihm - Communications Director
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Clay Deming – Activities Director
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Dave Magill - MD Advocacy Director
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Rob Lowe – Membership Director
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Financial Updates (Neil)
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Expenses for the Epic are $38.6k which is quite a bit below last year and the budget of $52k. We should discuss finalizing soon and transferring the 50% to West MoCo trails.
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$14.8k Net general increase
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$57.4k Revenues
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$32.7k Epic
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$11.4k Memberships
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$8.8k Gala
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$2.5k General
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$1.1k Camping trip
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$42.6k Expenses
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$26.7k Epic (includes recent checks written for food trucks and Dep of MD resources use fee)
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$6.7k Epic manager (ED costs assigned to Epic)
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$3.7k Gala
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$2.5k Camping trip
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$0.5k Donation to Gravity Soul
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$2k Net restricted decrease (some small revenues offset by $2.5k Locust Shade expenses)
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Neil: We have a very large balance, with $309k in unrestricted funds. Should we consider funding additional projects?
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Tom: We should revisit the rules we’ve had for the GTF.
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Neil: We have talked about connecting trails. Tom: One of the ideas for Virginia is connect trails with green-space and also work with Dominion on utility ROWs.
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2023 Membership Meeting (Ernie)
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We should foregone 21/22 and start advertising 2023 and we will get back into our old schedule
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The day before the super-bowl
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Dave M: We should say, “we’ve missing two meetings, I hope you come out to the next one we do”
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Clay: The membership meeting is easier to do in person than the MoCo Epic and Gala
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Peggy: If we do it virtually, we may be opening the door to additional input? In person limits who can go.
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Dave M: The membership meeting is another party. It is a pot luck where people get involved. It is another kind of MORE show you are part of the community event
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Ernie: Peggy and I discussed this earlier today. We don’t follow the rules with respect to more member input and votes.
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Dave B: The rules do envision business be being conducted.
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Dave M: We should use this as an opportunity to present ideas if they want to. Supports concept of a survey beforehand and then selecting certain people to speak. Also supports giving out awards for 2022.
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Peggy: The last time you all did a membership meeting there were 1200 members, but now we have 2000 members.
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General support for a survey for questions for board, which we will respond to at the meeting.
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Ernie: The meeting would be February 11.
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Dave M: The location of the last meeting is good and would have a good turnout. We could talk to the folks at MoCo or Fairfax.
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Clay: Did suggest the Silver Spring Civic Center. We might be able to get it free. But if we need to pay for it, let’s find out what the price is.
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Kathy: Maybe we could summarize the results from the survey last year and use those for questions for the Board.
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Clay: Start thinking about who you might nominate for awards because we need to order them soon.
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Rob will put together a survey for members to answer prior to the meeting.
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End of Year Campaign – Giving Tuesday, Year End, Etc. (Ernie/Rob)
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Ernie:
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Would just sent out emails on CVCRM about giving Tuesday and separate one for year end giving. Saw a beautiful example that Peggy sent around earlier today. May consider using instead.
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What I would do is send an email to all membership and the follow it with a social media post on Facebook. Peggy sent out an example for us to look at and it almost fits perfectly.
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Peggy: We need to be careful because we’ve been asking a lot. We need to do it thoughtfully because we don’t want to seem greedy. We aren’t asking to be first on anyone’s list and need to treat it as such.
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Ernie: We can put a disclaimer in there noting that they already gave during the year.
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Dave: If you have already given, thank you, if you haven’t, please consider.
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Peggy: Ernie will do it and use constant contact.
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MoCo Epic P&L and Transfer 50% to West MoCo Restricted Funds (Dave M)
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Preliminary MoCo Epic P&L
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Total Income: $109,525.00
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Total Expenses: $43,468.20
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Gross Income: $66,056.80
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Dave M: Mauricio and I and others are going to find a good way to invest the money.
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Peggy raised revenue and cut costs in every area and did an excellent job.
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The only question is how much to take off to cover Peggy’s costs. We think should think about using $30k to cover Peggy’s expense.
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Motion: Preliminarily accept about $66,000 profit, use $30,000 of profits for Executive Director expenses, and transfer $18,000 of profits to the West MoCo Fund. (This represents about 50% of profits being transferred to the West MoCo Fund).
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Seconded and motion passed.
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Membership Updates (Rob)
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YTD VS 2021 — 2022 YTD = $87,123 vs 2021 (YTD) = $82,204 == (POS) $4,919 YTD
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All Members (New, Current) – 1987= (1904+83) vs 1912 (Sept) vs 1955 (Aug)
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Lapsed/Expiring — 236 = Oct and Sept 2022
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In October 2022, we exceeded the 2021 number in both membership dollars and the number of transactions. With a IMBA Membership Drive we had our 2nd best October ever and year to date we are ahead by near $5k. We briefly had our membership over 2000 for the first time and by end of year I expect to solidly pass the boundary. We slipped back down to 1987 to end the month.
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New joins has slowed again versus Oct 2021 and Oct 2020. I think we had more new joiners due to MoCo in 2021 versus I think we did a bit fewer membership joins/renewals in 2022 via MoCo. We are only 17 joins behind pace of 2021 YTD. Still over 400 new (Non-Duplicate) memberships is a huge growth level.
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Total Current Members – 1987, large set of lapsed (236) where Sept and Oct 2021 Joiners and others have not renewed, all MoCo and other event memberships are done.
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Ernie: We should identify bike teams and try to reinforce that if you are a member of team, you should become a member of MORE
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Rob: We probably need to get a list of teams. Ernie: Possibly on bike reg.
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Peggy: One of our members won an IMBA prize. We will publicize this.
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Dave M: Ernie was talking about IMBA giving memberships to every NICA membership. Ernie: This was behind the scenes but it was resurfaced and we are going to push IMBA to do that. Dave M: Like the idea of giving a free membership to people to see if they then renew. Then the question is, do you do them as auto renew.
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Rob: I see the good side of this. However they are going to do it, they are going to need to come with a class of membership to flag, like a NICA flag. They are also going to need to figure out a way to give away a membership, which would make our lives a lot easier.
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Ernie: Another idea would be to add NICA riders are “subscribers,” after which they can later become paid members.
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Tom: This could be similar to activities like lacrosse where people need to join the national organization to play in the league.
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Board Governance
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Review of Strategic Plan at December Meeting (Peggy)
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Be prepared to review.
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Communications methodology and coordination (Ernie)
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Ernie: I think we are moving too much to Peggy because it’s not part of the core functions. Communications has almost moved to number one.
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Peggy: Communications is nowhere near number one. Communications is an overarching theme because without communication there isn’t anything else. It’s important to communicate.
Dave: Should the weekly email be something the communications director does, or should Peggy do it?
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Peggy: We started doing the emails in March. It is taking less time every week. I am figuring out the process that I am trying to drop stuff into. This is not new content. Goal is to get this done of Friday, and I think this is too much to ask of a volunteer.
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I don’t do the higher level organization stuff - the message from the Board. This is something Trailhead News is supposed to cover.
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Dave M: We need to get someone in for the new communications spot who can take over some of the functions Peggy is doing.
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Elections - messaging and timeline (Ernie/Kathy)
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Ernie: Going to propose that the messaging go in the weekly communications. Ernie will work with Peggy on messaging. Nominations will be November 21 until December 3. Then the voting will be from December 5 through 12. Have already reached out to Jason and Martin, who will run elections.
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Kathy: Doesn’t each candidate need to prepare a bulb? Ernie: Yes, between December 3 and 5.
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Dave B: We need to provide more time for people to put their names in and vote.
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Agreement to start nominations on November 20 through December 16 and voting from December 18 through 30.
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Revision of Club Rules (Related to Election) (Kathy)
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Dave B: Will edit the rules and discuss at next meeting.
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Events (Clay)
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People like the gala. There is room for something like this that is less expensive. Every two years we could do something less involved. It is worth exploring.
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Rob: This should be a spring or early summer event so it doesn’t compete with MoCo Epic.
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Dave M: We could do a large reservation at a restaurant for 60 or so people.
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Rob L: Support this concept for the advocacy side of the club with land managers, etc.
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Storage (Physical Items) (Peggy)
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Peggy: We have the South Germantown Bike Park shed, but it’s not working now. Clay and Peggy have a ton of items to store.
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Dave M: Should we get a storage unit in VA?
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Trails
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Virginia (Tom)
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Ken is looking for an assistant liaison at Meadowood. Agreement to do a social media post.
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Tony is coming up with ride at your won risk signs for jump line.
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Maryland (Dave M)
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It has been a productive month for many projects and approvals.
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The Frederick paved pumptrack is happening.

Activity Reports

  • President – Ernest (Ernie) Rodriguez
    • Attend VA/DC Liaison meeting with Tom and Peggy
    • Help with 30th Anniversary planning
    • Attend US Forest Service North River stakeholder engagement meeting - recreation strategy input
    • Participate in Northern Virginia Recreational Trails Commission - partnership and strategy meeting
    • Send out 30th Anniversary Gala ticket purchase "Thank you's"
    • Send personal notes to trail donors
    • Follow-up with FCPA on access project to Brookfield Park from GC-CCT
    • Follow-up with Prince Willaim County on Locust Shade issues
    • Attend IMBA board meeting - working to reorganize to help prosper IMBA Local
    • Provide individual Golden Volunteer training sessions to ride leaders and trail liaisons

 

  • Executive Director – Peggy Flaxman
    • MoCo Epic
      • Finalizing Invoices and Bills: Still waiting for refund from M-NCPPC, bill from Duo and payment from Wartsila for team reg
      • Submitted final membership to IMBA for processing
      • Raffle Prize Distribution
      • Issued requested refunds for food tickets
      • Prep for next year (creating templates for checklists, permits, registration, website and communications for 2023 Epic)
    • Updated MORE website
      • 2023 MoCo Epic Page
      • Button Farm Tickets
      • 30th Anniversary Page 7 Tickets
      • Sponsors Updated
    • Supported Halloween Event at Button Farm
    • Supported Halloween TKMBD sMORE’s Rides
    • Monthly Membership Raffle
    • IMBA October Membership Drive Support
    • Attended NVRT Summit
    • Support for 30th Gala (ongoing)
    • Frederick Watershed Permanent Pump Track Meeting
    • Met w/Todd Keller (IMBA) re: Meeting on Capitol Hill 12/5-12/7
    • VA Liaison Mtg
    • Daily Social Media
    • Weekly Communications

 

  • Vice President – David Beugelmans
    • Coordinated board meeting and finalized minutes

 

  • MD Advocacy Director – Dave Magill
  • Assist with chart of MORE parks/trails over 30 years
  • Obtained approval to seek bids for two new kiosks in SCSP under our RTP grant
  • Surveyed stream crossing near Pax for MDE application for Phase 2
  • Met with MDE to review sidewalk plan under Clopper Road, released our engineer to prepare the application
  • Final trailwork to allow Pax Phase 1 to be closed out, submitted $18k final invoice to SHA
  • Researched MD Bond Bill funding for trail projects, working with a few liaisons on possible applications
  • Updated Trailforks for recent changes at Ten Mile Creek/Bucklodge and Schaeffer
  • Attended Fairland Bike Park ribbon cutting

 

  • VA Advocacy Director – Tom Howe
  • Wakefield Trail Work Day
  • Monthly VA/DC Liaisons Meeting
  • MORE 30th Gala
  • Brookfield meeting with FCPA was postponed until Sunday, 11/20

 

  • Membership Director – Rob Lowe
    • Blast Emails to Previous Years Expired and Current Year Expired - 1200+ Former Members from 2019 thru Sept 2022.
    • Emails to Lapsing and Lapsed Members in Oct and Sept 2022.
    • Thank You's for Renewing and Joining Members
    • Corrections with IMBA.

 

  • Communications Director – Kathy Mihm
  • Summer-Fall Trailhead Newsletter preparation and distribution
  • Draft position descriptions for Communications Director and Ride Program Director for MORE Elections
  • MoCo Epic help setup, registration, and clean up
  • 30th Anniversary - prepare maps of trails through time, other assistance for preparation
  • Kent Island maps 
  • Ride Program
    • Lead 2 clinics at Family Fun Day - MoCo Epic
    • Lead/sweep 4 rides for Cabin Janes
    • Obtain night riding permit for Cabin John and provide advance notice to the park for riding
    • Posting and advertising upcoming rides

 

  • Treasurer – Neil Blake
    • Expenses for the Epic are $38.6k which is quite a bit below last year and the budget of $52k. We should discuss finalizing soon and transferring the 50% to West MoCo trails.
    • $14.8k Net general increase
    • $57.4k Revenues
      • $32.7k Epic
      • $11.4k Memberships
      • $8.8k Gala
      • $2.5k General
      • $1.1k Camping trip
    • $42.6k Expenses
      • $26.7k Epic (includes recent checks written for food trucks and Dep of MD resources use fee)
      • $6.7k Epic manager (ED costs assigned to Epic)
      • $3.7k Gala
      • $2.5k Camping trip
      • $0.5k Donation to Gravity Soul
    • $2k Net restricted decrease (some small revenues offset by $2.5k Locust Shade expense)

 

  • Activities Director – Clay Deming
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