November Minutes

11/9/15

In attendance
Jason Miller
Ernest Rodriguez
Martin Fernandez
Dave Magill
Martin Fernandez
Russ Adams
Bob Compton

On phone
Jason Ashmore

Staff
Ryan Delaney

Member
Rob Lowe

Russ Adams
No update on winter party

Update to provide tools for trail liaisons to make job easier; No discounts (very min).
Ryan found discounts for tool through IMBA for as much as 50%.
Still working on obtaining items to help liaisons

Still hoping to get a bike (or a kids bike).

Idea: sMORE’s bike drop? Always looking for kids bikes to have on hand for sMOREs rides
Maybe do a kids bike swap

From survey input from trail liaisons and ride leaders – “will Provide a list of items to Ryan for ride leaders and trail liaisons to get an estimate – wish list”:

High and low end;
We have a tentative budget of $2k + donation

Recognitions:
Recognize Group 1 Trail liaison – try to get them as much as we can from wish list
Recognize Group 2 Ride leader
Recognize Group 3 Club Enduro (Jerseys)
Recognize Group 4 – General membership (ride leader/volunteer)

What we try to do is every 20 minutes pick up to 5 names.

Martin Fernandez:
Annual Trading card

“Wanted theme”
Will put together numbers and proposal for Bike shop participation and present in December meeting

Ryan Delaney

Open Grants
in progress – People for Bikes – Pump Track at Lake Fairfax – maxed out amount we have our 20k

Two open REI Grants

Loch Raven: 15k; spent some from that on promotional materials; Will spend on trail work (pending permissions), and educational materials.

Patapsco: 15k; spent 5-6k on materials/signage/epic – still open – DNR working on several items (kiosks, etc.)

Pending

Applied for Mastenbrook grant from Fairfax county for Mt Vernon for up to 20k
Applied for grant from Dominion Power for Lake Fairfax Pump Track 20k
VA RTP deadline is early August (likely first week)
MD RTP Won Grant for 40k for Patuxent

Other Partner organizations received various funds for other trails in the region (see list)

Grantees – Awards to other organizations:

• Adkins Arboretum
  • Bridge Deck Repair and Visitor Guide with New Map ($23,987)
  • Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority
  • Canal Place Hiker/Biker Shelters and Wash-Down Area ($26,360)
• Commissioners of St. Mary’s County
  • All-Terrain Vehicle for Three Notch Trail ($24,000)
• Department of Natural Resources (DNR) – Maryland Forest Service
  • Green Ridge Trail Maintenance ($30,000)
  • Elk Neck State Forest Trail Maintenance ($27,000)
  • Potomac/Garrett Trail Maintenance ($30,000)
  • Hutton Handicapped Access Trail Resurfacing and Erosion ($30,000)
  • Negro Mountain Snowmobile Trail Maintenance ($30,000)
  • Southern Region State Forest Trail Maintenance Specialist ($26,300)
  • Fire Tower ORV Trail Resurfacing and Erosion Control ($30,000)
  • Chesapeake Forest – Green Hill Trail Enhancement Project ($30,000)
  • Pocomoke State Forest – Furnace Loop Trails Project ($30,000)
• DNR – Maryland Park Service
  • Little Gunpowder Falls SP – Stacked Loop (Phase 1) ($26,427)
  • Fair Hill NRMA – Resurfacing of Middle Bridge Carriage Trail ($29,997)
  • Fair Hill NRMA – Trail Labor ($29,922)
  • Dahlgren Campground Bathhouse Maintenance and Restoration ($30,000)
  • Gambrill State Park/Cunningham Falls State Park Trail ($30,000)
  • Trail Data Gathering Equipment/Support ($24,600)
  • Conservation Job Corps – Patapsco Trail Crew Leaders ($29,760)
  • Greenbriar State Park Red Trail Extension ($39,000)
• DNR – Maryland Wildlife Service
  • Dan’s Mountain WMA Trail ($15,000)
  • Myrtle Grove WMA Parking and Entrance Upgrade ($18,900)
  • Cunningham Swamp WMA Trail Maintenance ($8,000)
• Frederick, City of City of Frederick Watershed Trails Wayfinding ($19,000)
• Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park
  • Patapsco Valley State Park – Wood Chipper Equipment Purchase ($25,463)
• Garrett County Community Action Committee
  • Garrett County Trail Maintenance ($29,157)
  • Historic Sotterley, Inc.
    Nature Trail Maintenance at Historic Sotterley Plantation ($30,000)
• Historic St. Mary’s City
  • Utility Tractor Equipment Purchase for Trails and Visitor Path Maintenance ($29,000)
• Howard County Conservancy
  • Phase II Trail Accessibility Improvement: ($24,800)
• MA PA Heritage Trail Foundation
  • MA PA Trail Use Counters ($1,024)
• Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts, Inc.
  • Patuxent River State Park Trail Project: Phase 1 Completion ($40,000)
• Montgomery Parks Foundation
  • Montgomery Parks/SCA Trails Project ($40,000)
• Queen Anne’s County
  • Cross Island Trail – Boardwalk Repair and Sealcoating ($30,000)
• Southern Maryland Mountain Bikers
  • St. Mary’s River State Park Beginner Trail Improvements ($24,620)
• Trail Conservancy
  • Emmitsburg Trail Project ($40,000)
  • Cosca Trail Project ($40,000)
• Union Bridge, Town of
  • Union Bridge Wetlands Park Trail Extension ($40,000)

Grant process for next year – need to expand funding process for next year – look at other organizations i.e. Chesapeake Bay foundation, Kaiser Community Health Foundation, INOVA Health Foundation, Contracting firms, Defense contractors? Corporate workdays?

Trail Crew visit deadline for next year visit approaching – need to come up with a project

Bob Compton – Budget (link to spreadsheets)

New cards should be coming in mail soon (to him) will distribute when they arrive.

Rob Lowe:

Ideas/suggestions for future to increase membership:
Distribute literature with every MTB sold
Maybe include a free membership with every bike?

Jason Miller working on implementing shop/membership program.

Looking for a way to get donations locally – not to take away from IMBAs efforts, but to get local money to stay here… Donate Button on MORE webpage

Bob Compton – Creating campaign to raise funds, run our own [targeted] fund raising campaigns – goal is to be self sufficient and not depend on IMBA funds. Will set-up a landing page with information to send people to; Central MD Campaign.
need to coordinate so our campaigns with IMBA so they don’t overlap.

IMBA’s membership increase;
Misinformation – Board was under impression that we would be able to comment on upcoming dues increase. Board believes this action may hinders younger people from joining

Chapter program seems to be more of a “revenue” stream for IMBA rather than support mechanism for local chapters (at least MORE)

Tap younger guys as volunteers – hit them up for membership when they are in 30s
In the future make sure we use IMBA’s chain of command – run any concerns through Anthony.
Make sure we are on the IMBA Chapter Thought Leader forum for any future issues

Elections
positions up for election
President
Vice President
Operations Director
Treasurer
Member (not up for re-election) Jason Miller appointed to replace Scott Davison 2 year term

VOTES:
Jason Miller: change club rules to state that all positions are 2 years
Dave Magill second
All yes

Jason Miller: Motion to remove the webmaster/system admin portion from Operations – make webmaster System Admin staff positions.
Martin Fernandez second
All yes

Martin will re-write operations description in club rules

Need to find someone to run elections; Will set timeline for elections
Brad Hawk agreed to conduct elections

Nominations for vacant positions need to be emailed to nominations@more-mtb.org for inclusion on ballot

Elections Timeline:
Nominations 11/16 – 11/27
Election – 11/30 – 12/7

Grant proposal – SFF/SCORE

MORE board and IMBA’s desire is for MORE’s IMBA positions to be self-sufficient
Board’s sense is we can fulfil next generation requirements

Dave Magill – Board approve submission for the grant request to SFF
Russ Seconds
Motion passed

pending vote on upcoming charter membership agreement changes.
Subsequent vote November 17, 2015

Motion made and seconded to change Chapter Charter Agreement with IMBA to agree to fully fund IMBA assigned staff positions

Next meeting – Silver Spring (date TBD)
January Transition meeting

Adjourn