October 11, 2020

September 2020 Board Meeting Minutes

MORE Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

September 14, 2020, 7pm

Location: Virtual Due to COVID-19 Restrictions (Zoom)

Meeting Attendance
- Ernie Rodriguez - President
- Peggy Flaxman - Executive Director
- Tom Howe - VA Advocacy Director
- Rob Lowe - Membership Director
- Sharon Maloid - Activities Director
- David Beugelmans - Vice President
- Dave Magill - MD Advocacy Director
- Neil Blake - Treasurer
- Mauricio Carvalho - Trail Boss

Financial Updates (Neil)
- General - increase of $8.7k
  - $15.2k revenues including $9.5k from MORE Trails registrations and $5.2k from other donors including proceeds from a virtual event with MORE being designated as the beneficiary of donations. The remainder were from MORE Store sales and other misc donations.
    - EX2 virtual event led to several thousand in donations. Participants were able to designate a non-profit and MORE was one of them.
  - $6.5K of expenses, $4.5K of ED costs plus various others including the Annual Report, IMBA member share, and MORE store expenses.
- Restricted - decrease of $19.7k
  - $1.2k of revenues ($750 RTP grant received for Patuxent plus various website donations)
  - $20.8k of expenses ($20.0k Locust Shade II approved by the Board in August, various others)
- Cash balances
  - $193.6k restricted
  - $199.9k general funds
- à Neil raised that we need to add to website that donations to specific trails can be moved to other areas in extreme circumstances.
  - General agreement to add language to main donation page.

Membership Updates (Rob)
- Another HUGE month. And in some view, a bit under actual reporting due to how long it takes manual memberships to get to IMBA and Payment to IMBA before they process. Regardless it was a pretty EPIC month, out growing June 2020.
- So far this is NOT counting any Fall Campers who renewed via BikeReg (14 as of 22 Aug) and no manual renewals via MORE Trails, if any.
- 165 Membership Transactions, worth $7286.
- 1442 Members Currently Total, by End of Year I'd hope to see 1550.
- Per Month Average is a bit over $5800 so far. At that Average we'd be on track for near $70K this year. And we will probably be above that this month and October I hope.
  - 2020 - YTD Monthly AVG $5800 - Annual AVG $TBD
  - 2019 - YTD Monthly AVG $4300 - Annual AVG $5300
  - 2018 - YTD Monthly AVG $3700 - Annual AVG $4500
  - 2017 - YTD Monthly AVG $4700 - Annual AVG $5900
- Best Case? $75000K for the year with an AVG $6200'ish. But I think the $70K model is a bit more likely.
- The Signs and Events and such are REALLY helping drive Membership Growth. We should be thinking about more permanent signage for trail heads and kiosks for Trail Liaisons in the future. I know FH's kiosk is very...un-useful. And I'm sure Peggy has noticed while putting up signs in MoCo that the signage/etc varies at Parks/entrances...a LOT.
- Dave M: Asked Rob how we can get people to sign up without MoCo Epic.
  - Rob: Assuming IMBA is planning a membership drive in October. Rob doesn’t want to over communicate.
  - In October most of messaging will be related to the fact there isn’t a MoCo Epic
  - Every month Rob emails people who have lapsed for the previous 3 months. During membership drive months he emails going back up to five years.
  - Dave M wants to send targeted message in October based on list of folks who have signed up for MORE Trails Event
- BOD Elections and Job Descriptions (Rob/Ernie)
  - Rob: Need to send job descriptions out to BOD for review. Ernie likely has a copy. We also need to review staff BOD positions if we are going to seek people to volunteer for those.
  - Ernie: Peggy and I have been talked about this. Peggy is currently reviewing and will send to whole BOD.
  - Ernie: In the past, we’ve included information in trailhead news and in member communications.
- MORE Trails Event (All)
  - We have 391 participants as of today.
  - We have been selling raffle tickets, but have only sold 41. We are going to push them later on in the event.
  - After Shopify fees and cost of t-shirts, we will make about $17 per person. So if we get up to 400 people, it’s worthwhile.
  - So much participation that it has been difficult to keep up with it, so we are now requiring people to self-submit on Google form.
  - T-shirts are ready and will start being mailed out soon.
  - Dave M raised idea of doing pick-ups in bike shops
  - We are also including some sponsor materials in mailings and information on 2021 MoCo Epic and joining MORE
- Camping Trip (Sharon)
  - Highest number ever (79 adults, 25 kids)
  - For $10, believes this is a good deal.
  - Going to bring hand sanitizer, soap, extra toilet paper
  - For Big Bear registration form, everyone must sign. Will hang envelope and allow people to check off name and drop off forms when they arrive.
  - Generally everything is going fine.
- Trails
  - Maryland
    - Signed an MOU with MoCo that authorizes people who are MORE members and “trail rangers” to use battery powered or gas-powered hedge trimmers on county trails.
      - This took time and legal department wanted to require indemnification
      - This will be available late this year and next year
    - Rivers Edge – built our trails and got kiosk done, so grant project is done. Will soon send final reimbursement request for $4500 for grant
    - Bacon Ridge has received approval for bike skills park and about 7 miles of additional trail
    - State of Maryland allocated $100,000 to be matched by MoCo to build Fairland skills park, which will be wooden features, etc.
    - Cabin John trail completed 1 ¼ miles of brand new constructed trail so you can ride up from DC and go all the way north. There are 13 miles of trail.
    - MORE has applied for another RTP grant. We will know if received funds within a few months
    - Discovery MoCo Virtual Trail Ride – It’s going on now, and it’s a bit confusing with MORE Trails
    - Rosaryville – State got $30,000 RTP grant to rehabilitate trails, but does not include money for bridge. We have been asked for help funding bridge. We will assist with fundraiser and provide up to $3000 from general trails fund as a backup if the Rosaryville specific fundraiser falls short.
    - Seneca Greenway Liaisons – two people have reached out to say they would like to be a liaisons and now they are serving for park, John Scavullo and Chris Carroll. Working through MoCo process now where they need to be trained and pass background check.
    - Patapsco Trail Fest – it has begun.
    - Andrew Mueller of Greenstone Trailcraft has finished two segments in Patapsco and press on it is good.
    - Andrew’s work at Greenbrier is also almost done. We should be figuring out a way to feature trail and get people out there in the future. We need to draw people in Hagerstown into MORE. Agreement to add to MORE trails event when ready.
    - Two construction contractors have been used a lot by MORE. Andrew is soon going to move on Patuxent by October 1. Pre-construction meeting is tomorrow at site. Has a total of 4.5 mile of trail to build there. Going out for bids for final piece of project, which is another 2.5 miles. Brock Lowery at Ironwood Outdoors has also been very active for us
  - Virginia
    - Making progress at Locust Shade. Project is coming together and awesome. It’s a small piece of land and they’ve maximized what’s there.
    - Wakefield
      - Working to replace boardwalk
      - Ordered two more trimmers, covered by donation.
      - Youth Advisory Council came and had really good seminar.
    - Ernie: had interesting conversation with volunteers that want to build technical trail features. This has been going on in the background.
    - Hopefully Mount Vernon is a method of getting trails in Arlington County because supervisors from there are visiting.
  - Elaine
    - Spoke to person that does an inner–city program that’s part of Maryland NICA.
    - Looking for an avenue for kids that don’t want to race but want to ride.
    - Not sure how much she wants to expand to other kids.
    - It would be in Paterson Park in Baltimore.
    - BOD was generally supportive of concept for inclusion in sMOREs program.
  - Trail Crew T-Shirts
    - We received a request from liaison for trail crew t-shirts. We did this a while ago. “Trail Crew” is an interesting one because liaisons can hand them out to key people.
    - Likes the idea of creating trail crew t-shirts and giving them out. Would likely cost $1500 to make them.
    - Also idea of creating “volunteers at work signs”
    - General support for concept
  - Communications
    - Trailhead news
      - Ernie: was well received. People from across the country were impressed by everything we are doing.
        
        Dave M: great content but thinks it could have used some more pictures and needed a typo proof reading.
      - Ernie included blurb in Trailhead news about Pete Beers
        
        Rob: was volunteer since the late 90s. We had been very active in the club at various points
        
        Led gravel and coffee shop rides
        
        Overall a really well known and nice guy
        
        Really huge lost to everyone. Four memorial rides so far and several more planned over next couple of weeks.
      - Annual Report
        
        Ernie: Andrew did fantastic job on report.
        
        Will send to major donors and anyone who asks.

BOD August Activity Reports

President – Ernest (Ernie) Rodriguez
- Finalized MORE's 2019 Annual Report with Neil, Dave, Andrew and Peggy
- Worked with Andrew to order and have received printed copies of 2019 Annual Report
- Participated in Mastenbrook grant review
- Participated on VA/DC liaisons zoom call
- Worked with Peggy, Dave and Montgomery County Parks to plan Discover Montgomery County Virtual Ride series
- Sent "Thank you" notes to trail donors
- Supporting Peggy with Youth Advisory Council

Executive Director – Peggy Flaxman
- Distributed signs to liaisons and put up signage for Discover Montgomery Series
- Worked with David and others to create MORE Trails event, including
  - RWGPS event w/64 routes
  - Advertised event via social media and Constant Contact
  - Processed registration via MORE website, sent confirmations
  - Sponsors coordination,
  - t-shirts
  - Event webpage and leaderboard
  - Advertised event via social media and Constant Contact
- Worked with Kathy on new trailhead signs with IMBA Rules of the Trail and MORE Trails event info
- Continued updates to “Where to Ride” on MORE website (ongoing)
- MORE social media communication (24,467 people reached in last 28 days, +217%)
- American Trails webinars (Adaptive MTB and Signage)

Vice President – David Beugelmans
- Designed and assisted with creation of MORE Trails event, including:
  - Finalization of routes and trail collections
  - Drafting of rules for event
  - Provided input to Peggy on website and leaderboard methodology
  - Leading social media advertising blitz and tracked registrations to drive more than 350 participants
- Coordinated creation and launch of print on demand front fenders fundraising product
- Waterworks
  - Lead trailwork day
  - Completed signs project
  - Conducted misc ad hoc maintenance

MD Advocacy Director – Dave Magill
- Continued MoCo mapping work with Kathy Mihm
- Recruiting new liaisons for Seneca Greenway Trail and Seneca Bluffs Trail
- Continued work on Patuxent – preparation for professional building to start by October, flagging with Tom Newton, bridge materials
- Vegetation clearing work at Schaeffer and Patuxent
- Assisted in finalizing gps routes, placing signs for MORE Trails
- Assisted in finalizing gps routes, placing signs for Discover Montgomery rides

VA Advocacy Director – Tom Howe
- Youth Advisory Council Trail Work and Advocacy Seminar at Wakefield Park
- Monthly September DC/VA Liaisons Zoom Meeting
- Ad Hoc Trail Work at Wakefield Park

Membership Director – Rob Lowe
- August Membership Reporting
- August Membership Emails
- Fall Camping Membership Submission to IMBA - 1st Set
- Membership Cleanup Sent to IMBA - 1 of...TBD (2nd in Progress)
- Ad-Hoc Trailwork at Wakefield

Activities Director – Sharon Maloid
- Working with Philip vanWerkhoven to coordinate the Fall Camping trip
- Cabin lottery completed, winners notified
- Calls with Fall Camping venue POC to inquire on bathhouse cleaning frequency, get contact information for firewood delivery, updated trail maps, discuss collection of BigBear Camplands waiver, POC for weekend, "organic" rides

Back to Meeting Minutes

Trails & Events

September 2020 Board Meeting Minutes

Leave a comment

Tags