September 2021 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes and Activity Reports
September 2021 MORE Board of Director Meeting Minutes
· Financial Updates (Neil)
o Neil: This was a good month overall and revenues from MoCo are coming in strong.
o General + $19.6K
o Revenues $35K
§ MoCo Epic $17k
§ PPP loan forgiven $10.4k
§ Memberships (estimate) $5.5k
§ Other $2.1
o Expenses $15.3k
o MoCo Epic $7.2k
§ ED $4.5k
§ Fall Camping Trip $1k
§ Trail liaisons meeting $0.9k
§ Other 1.5k
o Restricted ($23.1k)
§ Revenues 2.9k
· Arlington Trails $1k
· Bacon Ridge $1.4k
· Other 0.5k
§ Expenses $26k
· Patuxent $22.2k
· General trails fund $2.7 (trail features)
· Other $1.1k
· Create or designate an Executive Director budget (Ernie)
o Ernie: Concerned that Peggy doesn’t have a budget. She can spend money for MoCo, but we need to give her a budget of about $5000 so she can spend it without prior approvals.
§ Thinks Peggy needs a budget that she can use.
§ Peggy: There is some software that she is using a personal license for and its expiring. So she sent Ernie a long email asking about it.
§ Neil: Propose that as long as the amount is under a certain amount and there’s a budget line item you can spend against, then you don’t need to send an email, but if its over that amount, then please send an email.
§ Dave M: Understands the issue. Would support giving about $1000, no questions asked.
§ Neil: Doesn’t want to create a random budget because practically anything will relate to another line item.
§ Ernie: Likes the idea of line item spending.
§ Peggy: Let’s wait until we do a new budget, but in the future we will add ED to lines and also create an ED line item
· General agreement from BoD on this point.
· Membership updates (Rob L)
o August was a good month for us even being a "slow" month and a slower than usual start of the month, we ended up pre-IMBA fee's $600 ahead. Post fee's it's about $6255.
o Larger donors are still a bit slow, in November we should run a campaign to try and get them to re-join or even donate out of band.
o I will try and get a summary done this month for membership loss over last 8-9 months and some comparison's to last year at this point but my work is CRAZY currently.
o Total Memberships Funds - We should cross the 60K mark before the end of the week (Pre-Fee) putting us in VERY good shape to match or exceed last year's $83K.
o Dave M
§ Idea of providing incentive for people to sign up auto renew, like a discount, etc.
· Rob – We can try this in November.
· Dave B – Idea of giving out t-shirts or other gift if they stay signed up for a certain number of months.
o Dave M – We need to do better with membership in Prince George’ County and Southern Maryland.
§ We should consider targeting marketing to eastern Maryland to increase membership in that area.
§ Dave B – Idea of trying some targeted ads on Facebook based on geography
o Rob – Agree that we should do more work on auto-renewing to sign up more auto-renewing members.
· Communications (Kathy)
o Needs to get with Peggy to see if she needs anything for MoCo Epic
o Dave M: Would you be willing to update people on the event on Sunday
§ Kathy: It looks like a wonderful event. Montgomery County was interested in starting a program with kids riding bikes targeting aversity.
· Arranged to loan bikes from Prince George’s County and met at Fairland. 3-4 people from MORE attended.
· MORE was a co-sponsor of the event.
o Dave M: Had a call with a new trails club out of Poolesville High School. Said they found out about MORE from signs at Schafer.
o End of September should next newsletter.
· Events
o TKMD
§ Peggy: Entire month of October is take a kid mountain biking day. We should do something, but don’t know what to do.
· This is different than sMOREs because it supports IMBAs effort to get kids on the trails. We could use this to include more people
· With the epic we are asking a lot of people, so maybe the end of month makes sense.
· This is a nation wide effort to take a kid mountain biking.
§ Ernie: We can promote this on social media to promote what we are already doing.
§ Dave B – Idea of trying to rope into MoCo Epic because there’s already a kids component to that.
§ Clay – Has been thinking about this. If we do this, we need to do it soon in order to register with IMBA. Was going to throw out October 24 to do this.
· Suggest we do something. We have a strong sMOREs program. It is a good message.
§ Dave M: We should brand sMOREs, the MoCo Epic Kids Ridges, and the MoCo Parks program as TKMD in October.
§ Peggy will coordinate with Kathy on getting information out in October.
o MoCo Epic Update (Peggy)
§ We nearly as many registrations as we did the week before in 2019, but we don’t know what that means. We don’t know if people are registering early. We tried to see the overlap between now and 2019.
§ Most of the people who have registered have no registered in 2019.
§ Bike Reg gives you a predictor based off 2020 off road events. They are estimating we get 1,546 registrations for the MoCo, which is about double where we are now.
§ In the past, we have 75% of our registrations in the last 21 days.
§ We are trying to figure out what this looks like.
§ We are going to do generic tags with no numbers so we can use extras in the following year. The tag with emergency information is going to be on the back.
§ Sent out the first rider communication this week and laid our the groundwork for mask requirements. It really depends on where we are in October.
§ We have good support from sponsors this year. Invited all sponsors to come to festival area.
§ Aid Station 5 is still not covered. DCMTB is trying to figure out what they want to do.
§ We have three food vendors.
o Fall Camping (Clay)
§ Don’t have much to say, but make sure to thank Sharon and Phillip and they are closing in on a fun event.
§ 80 adults, 40 kids signed up. We still have a couple weeks left.
§ Would like to see more members/beginners sign up.
§ Peggy: Wondering if there’s someone who could lead a group ride.
· Clay: Is going to look into whether there’s someone who can do it.
· Ernie: The good news is Big Bear is very friendly and it’s easy to get around.
o Trails are Common Ground (Peggy)
§ This is a new initiative from IMBA to gather trail users to get them all on the same page.
§ This is all trail users, including motorized used.
§ MORE is signed on as a partner. It’s an IMBA initiative.
§ Dave M: Ernie and Peggy should ask IMBA to produce stuff that does not mention motorized vehicles because that’s not relevant to this area.
· Trails
o Virginia (Larry)
§ Recruited an assistant (Larry)
§ Had a successful VA-DC liaison meeting
§ Personally been supporting the Eagle Scout project at Wakefield. The one he is support is building a bridge over a perpetually wet area.
§ Lake Fairfax is raising funds to do additional work on a loop. Issue a report to Tony letting him know what his current status is.
§ We are planning a ribbon cutting at Locust Shade. Had over 30 volunteers at trailwork days this past weekend. Martin is about to open new trails.
o Maryland (Dave)
§ Frederick Watershed – the big event is October 23 – National Marathon Mountain bike rice.
§ Rivers Edge is waiting on RTP grant
§ Windy Ridge, which is a trail in development outside of Mt. Airy, is making process. Been allocated a $50k grant. Hopefully they will get a design study going on this 90 acres.
§ In MoCo, the liaison team has been great to do trailwork to get ready for Epic. Going around all trails to fix them up.
· MoCo is working on connection off ten mile creek trail through buck lodge part, which would be a 5 mile add on.
§ Work is underway for Fairland skills park. Got a $300,000 budget for this park.
· Some of the features build by Austin are being removed because they are being replaced with a full program of skills activities.
§ Believe that Schools Out Loop is almost done in Patapsco
§ At Patuxent, we’ve broken a few log jams
§ There is a Ribbon Cutting for Kent Island Terrapin Park, and it’s going to have some local press, with a ride following.
§ There has been progress in Calvert County, which has applied for an RTP grant for a trail near Lusby.
§ In MoCo, county has built 5 miles of trail that’s great for beginners in Paint Branch. All machine built and fun trail near Burtonsvilles. Less of a mile connection to Fairland.
· Bike Boxes (Peggy)
o These have been popular since we started advertising them.
o One of them was broken by American Airlines and working to replace.
o The person who borrowed as somewhat fixed it.
o Make her start thinking that this is a good way to draw in new users.
o The boxes we have are not good for big bikes.
o We should think about getting more and larger ones.
· Ernie
o Would like an increase to the President’s budget by $2,500, bringing it to $3,500. Going to nudge Peggy to buy 9 additional MORE flags. This year we should try to assign a flag to every aid station.
§ Moved to increase president’s budget by $2,500.
· Motion passed.
August 2021 Activity Reports
· President – Ernest (Ernie) Rodriguez
o Attend and help with annual liaison meeting
o Social Media posts for rides and events
o MoCo Epic planning activities and meeting
o Purcellville pump track/bike park discussions
o Outreach and Sheduro support
o Mowing at Wakefield Park
o Thank you notes for restricted fund trail donors
o Revisit MoCo Ride Center application with IMBA
o Catoctin Trail update meeting
o Discussion to explore opportunities for Middletown trail system to Potomac River
o Support VA Advocacy Director with monthly liaison meeting
o Support Loch Raven team with advocacy work
o Support Terrapin Nature Center trail liaison Steve Pringle
o Support Fall Camping Trip planning
o Support IMBA with Trails are Common Ground campaign
· Executive Director – Peggy Flaxman
o MoCo Epic
§ Registration
n 817 Online Registratons (riders + volunteers),
n $57,827 Total Income
§ Permits
n Waiting on M-NCPPC, Alcohol Permit & NPS
§ Sponsorships
n $9250 in cash (not all in hand)
§ Aid Stations
n *All covered except AS 5
§ Partners invited
n Black People Ride Bikes, Phoenix Bikes, Gearin’ Up & TYO invited to put tents in festival area
n Courses
n finalized, all items for course marking received and delivered to Michael Winings
§ Liaison Discounts Offered
§ Food/Water
§ Water to be provided (and delivered) by Drinkmore
§ $200 gift card Wegmans for AS fruit
§ Caterer (Rio Grande Cafe) and 2 food trucks - food $15 pp
§ Beer @ wholesale from Rockwell & Idiom. Need 12, will bring 15 only pay for what is tapped
§ Contacted all area IMBA chapters (MD, VA, PA) with notification of Epic
o Swag Mailed
o Annual Liaison Meeting
o Monthly VA Liaison Meeting
o IMBA Trails are Common Ground Webinar
o Liaison Spreadsheet/Office 365 Distribution List Updated
o Created Loch Raven Page
o Created Windy Ridge Page
o Updated Hashawha Page
o sMORE’s Support
o Trail Management Webinar
o Bike Box Coordination
o Sheduro Support
· Vice President – David Beugelmans
o Leave due to injury
o Staffed Shed DH Open at check-in
· MD Advocacy Director – Dave Magill
o Obtained modified bridge design for Patuxent and obtained approval to build the last bridge in Phase 1
o Working to modify Patuxent Phase 2 scope and kick off NEPA review
o Met with Mt Airy parks Dept personnel to discuss the path forward for Windy Ridge Trails
o Discussions and emails w Jaron Shaul on the path forward at Loch Raven
o Conducted liaisons meeting with help from many.
o Lots of MoCo Epic prep including coordinating survey and clean up of the trails.
· VA Advocacy Director – Tom Howe
o Recruited an Assistant VA Advocacy Director: Larry Cautilli
o Held Monthly VA / DC Liaisons Meeting
o Supported an Eagle Scout Project at Wakefield Park this past weekend to create an elevated boardwalk in the Bowl over an outflow pipe discharge basin and runoff area which is modeled after Sky Bridge
· Membership Director – Rob Lowe
o Membership Thank You's and Reminders
o Lead Rides
o 3 Ad-Hoc Trailwork's in Evening.
· Communications Director – Kathy Mihm
o Prepared and printed business cards for MoCo Epic event - these are available if anyone wants any for distribution to bike shops, bike events, etc.
o Prepared and published the Summer 2021 Trailhead Newsletter.
o Attended and helped organize and clean up/set up the MORE Summer Picnic event. Took leftover food to a local food pantry.
o Edited and transferred gpx tracks for Trailforks upload/correction.
o Organized and lead/sweep Womens Cabin John Rides on Thursday evenings.
o Held Basic Skills clinic at the Summer Picnic and lead beginner ride.
o Lead MoCo Epic Training ride for 30-miler
· Treasurer – Neil Blake
o General + $19.6K
o Revenues $35K
§ - MoCo Epic $17k
§ - PPP loan forgiven $10.4k
§ - Memberships (estimate) $5.5k
§ - Other $2.1
o Expenses $15.3k
§ - MoCo Epic $7.2k
§ - ED $4.5k
§ - Fall Camping Trip $1k
§ - Trail liaisons meeting $0.9k
§ - Other 1.5k
o Restricted ($23.1k)
§ Revenues 2.9k
n - Arlington Trails $1k
n - Bacon Ridge $1.4k
n - Other 0.5k
§ Expenses $26k
n - Patuxent $22.2k
n - General trails fund $2.7 (trail features)
n - Other $1.1k
· Activities Director – Clay Deming
o sMORE's ride
o Submitted MoCo Epic Alcohol License with Peggy
o Worked on ride leader lists for sMORE's and adults