March 2016 Board Minutes

Wednesday, 3/16/2016 7:00 – 9:00 PM,

Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor’s Center Library

One Father Junipero Serra Trail San Diego, CA 92119

For information contact: info@SDMBA.com or

Kevin Loomis President

President@sdmba.com  619.501.4567

 

Introductions/Roll Call

Meeting begins at 7:03 PM

 

Board members present: Jeff Tanzola, Kevin Loomis, Jose Galaz, Mike Jennings, Ben Stone, Jay Showalter, Skii Fleeton-Essenfeld, Minette Ozaki (arrived 7:15)

Executive Director Susie Murphy

Also present, from Tour of California: Ed Clancy, Kim Merrill

Richard La China – Ninja Mountain Bike Skills, Team Ninja

 

Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items (2 mins. limit per individual; must fill out comment card prior to call to order) Opportunity for members of the public to speak to the Board on any subject matter not on tonight’s agenda

 

Call to Order

Introductions  

 

Presentations:

Tour of California Local Organizing Committee presentation – Ed Clancy, Kim Merrill
Ed, Kim, and Susie Murphy have met numerous times and the Tour of California has some exciting things that we may be able to participate in. These could help us be more visible in the community.
Race will be in San Diego for the first time. Why is this important to us? Mountain biking is in the fabric of our culture, bike clubs, ride to school, etc. Ed’s background is in grassroots. We should engage the community in why active living/healthy lifestyle is important.
Ed reached out to AEG for a multi-year deal to reach out and engage communities.
Some events: School/Bicycle giveaways, Warm up events with sponsors, cycling showcase on May 13th. May 13th international press comes into San Diego and host a luncheon. It is a showcase on manufactured bike goods in San Diego.
Question from Mike Jennings – what are we doing? Susie – there is a proposal to be agreed to. If we buy into this, the coverage that would be given as far as sharing logo and website. On print and digital collateral, social media, etc.
On the night of the 13th, team rider presentation at Sea World. SDMBA can be broadcasted.
Not just about getting logo and website out there and having a booth. Advocacy groups could have an area in the festival, Paul from ZOIC and Ride Cyclery are involved already. Bike SD and SD Bicycle Coalition are not confirmed at this time.
Ben – Is there a portion of the race that can draw attention to some of issues here? Issues include fatality for pedestrian/cyclists and IDs for mountain bike trails along the Tour of California route.
This could be a great asset for the bike Advocacy committee, and a bike master plan.We can have a voice to work from the grassroots up.
Route in Supervisor Jacobs’ district mainly? Yes
Vision for SDMBA – make San diego a year-round destination for cycling’
Title sponsor – San Diego tourism authority. They have been looking at cycling events, hoping to also bring in mountain biking events.
There are elements calling attention to issues regarding bicycles in San Diego.
Other things in the works, from Ed: John Holloway Subberry property in Mission Valley on the north side of Friars road. A friend is a manager for that area. That discussion is back! Wants to propose by May, that the first pump track park will be opened in San Diego. The obvious pivot point is with insurance for this. There are some logistics to figure out from now until May.
Ben – City of San Diego may not be ready to jump on everything. The recreational immunities that a public entity has a private entity does not have. These say that if you are a public agency, certain things apply. City of San Diego needs to take some responsibility for it. Private landowner wants insurance, and they will take insurance from wherever.
Separate meeting with Ben, Jay, and Susie with Ed Clancy to help figure out logistics for this pump track proposed.
Go to the supervisor, get them to start talking about it.
Ride Like A Ninja – Richard LaChina
Richard is looking for a way to help, has been traveling a lot and teaching skills clinics. Camps and instruction are included in this. 14 cities 5 states, 100 events a year. 2000 students per year. Most clients are here and many in Orange County. Also professional racer.
How to better support SDMBA? Have everyone that attends clinics join SDMBA. Teach trail etiquette, trail building, etc. along with building skills.
How to get them there? Brochure, send them a link, be more proactive. Richard would offer a discount on camps (significant) to SDMBA members.
Find out a way to reimburse members? Give them a 35$ credit toward a camp or clinic if they join SDMBA.
Camps are 499 a weekend to 699 a weekend depending on location. 149 for a half day clinic.
More people as part of the solution, in exchange for giving some publicity to camps and events. Quarterly membership drives through Richard’s organization.
Make everything simple! Create a code to click on that will allow enrolling and getting the discount easily.
15 people on elite team – paid riders that have social media requirements. 15,000 followers on facebook and twitter. Mailing list of 4000. 5000 friends on facebook.
More advocacy? What is the point of you getting involved? From Skii.
Richard wants more people to be involved, trails to stop disappearing, and his riders need distance rides and a lot of capacity.
Richard has reach to thousands of people that would be able to make this happen. Representatives at every meeting, taking notes, etc. including Ben Wojcik. Ran TAKMBD last year with great volunteers.
Talk to Brian Nixon, who manages SDMBA Memberships and needs to figure out a code that would work. Email membership, get the discount code.
 

Consent Agenda

Meeting Minutes. Approval of 2/17/2016 minutes – Kevin Loomis  
Motion made by Mike Jennings, seconded by Ben, unanimously approved
 

February Financial Report of 2/29/2016
Scott is not here with end of February. Request for continuance.
Old Business

Strategic Plan – Kevin (20 mins) overview options and vote
Get into this and vote! Need to make a decision on Maven or Non-profit Management Solutions (NMS).
To refresh the room, the costs:
Maven – $2400 for strategic plan  with 3 planning sessions
Coaching element per month for year – 6400 total

Lenore – 3500 with homework beforehand, meetings beforehand and post meetings
 

Pros and cons. Pros: Maven more than one person. Guys that ride. Have worked with nonprofits previously. Books, coaches, out of the box thinking. New business for them that they want it to happen.
Cons: this is a new company, is has not successfully done work with a lot of non-profits. Not as many classes as NMS has.
NMS (Lenore Lowe) has done this time and time again. She is experienced and a good listener and has been in San Diego doing this for a long time, and has networking connections. Calm, even-handed, group dynamic is good. Experience with successful nonprofits.
Jose can see experience from NMS, Jeff was impressed with her class. Skii liked the way that Lenore expressed herself and experience.
Minette likes Maven for their drive and passion, but likes that Lenore has so much experience and many resources that we have free access to.
Jay would like to speak with Lenore again to put together something more specific. This is the board, and we need to be a board. She is prepping us to make decisions. We need the experience from Lenore.
Make a motion to approve Non-Profit Management Solutions for the amount of $3500 for strategic planning. Kevin makes motion, is there any discussion?
Need to do next steps: Jay connect with Susie and Lenore. By next board meeting, get a schedule/dates and ranges for strategic plan. Jay to attend one of Lenore’s classes.
Any other discussion? Start to plan dates for when this is going to happen immediately. Let’s pin down dates for that. Lenore can do accountability and follow up.
Write up a memorandum of understanding, 1500 due as a deposit, 1500 due upon completion, and additional $500.
ACTION ITEM:  SDMBA Strategic planning consultant – Mavin or NMS/Lenore Lowe.

Motion:  Kevin    Second: Minette   

Non-Profit Management Solutions, approving $3500 in total with the understanding that more may be spent later
Passed with 7 votes (Ben Stone abstained as he was not present at proposal meetings)

 

Airport Signs – (Jose) (5 mins)
Been Talking to Robert Craddock, has not heard from individual but believes that we should go to the corporate office.
Believes that we will need to come up with a new picture. This may cost another $1000.
Same sign, same picture, etc. But usually they want a new or fresh one. Now after over a year they will want a new picture.
Are we willing to consider spending this money to engage in a new conversation?
Approve discussion of money for this to be officially approved at the next board meeting.
ACTION ITEM:  Jose to speak with decision makers about airport signs with board to

Approve expenditure at next meeting.  

Motion:  Kevin Second: Mike

Unanimously approved

 

Major Donor Event w/IMBA- update – Susie (5 mins)
Robert and Susie met at Karl Strauss. The venue is great for a number of things.
Bottom line is we are doing our own gig. Looking at late June for this fundraiser. Early June no, late June 20-something would work. Have to work around Karl Strauss’ hours of operation, etc.
One of the goals is to have plenty of funds to get Susie employed full time. We would like to get close to two employees to get there or to go bigger next year.
 

Trail Care Crew – recap and thoughts – Ben (5 mins)
Susie – it was well attended and participants really liked it! Jordan and Lani were very professional, it was a bit rushed when we had to go to a backup plan because of their schedule.
Ben – Jordan and Lani were are trying to protect the best possible process. It ended up getting tough to do some trail work out there that day. We could have done a better trail work event.
The land manager class pushed it over this time, last year we had 70 and this year we only had a few. We could have gotten a lot more done that day. For the future, we need enough lead time to get land managers out there. Next year, if we do it,  we should not rush it.
Ben – hold our own training clinic for on-the-field work.
 

Discussion Agenda (Indicate action items)

Item 1.  IMBA – Wilderness and potential Leadership Challenge – (Kevin) 10 mins  

Ben – we have to see how IMBA public poll pans out.
Kevin – we have asked them and they agreed to do a public poll. The article and things that went out may have been unpleasant for them.
Ben made a wilderness map that is excellent and it is incredibly vast. We will discuss this again when there has been some time for this issue to settle.
Federal and state wilderness wall. Sync with Evan (Kevin tells Ben) to fill in any potential gaps. Can we put it on a slide on our homepage to show that wilderness is a real thing?
 

Item 2.  Insurance Vote (Kevin)

Insurance is going to go up a bit, 9500 or 9300 a few hundred dollars more than last year.
Why did this go up? We need to have all members insured, even the non-active ones with the same coverage.
This is separate from our board policy.
Ben agrees, we have the funds to do this. We are also getting bike parks so we have liability potential.
ACTION ITEM:  Approve expenditure for 2016-17 insurance policy renewal

Motion:  Kevin  Second: Ben

Unanimously approved.

 

Item 3.  Arch Ride 4/30/2016 planning  – Update (Skii)  5 mins.

Had a meeting with Minette, Robert, and Brian Furby a few weeks ago and went through all logistics. Went through it again today with Susie
How good are we with route? Route pretty much set, Minette is just meeting with one more private property owner. She wants her to go out there and approve this. Trails that parallel Harmony Grove – very short segment.
Rode with Dave Stanton – Trail Committee Elfin Forest/Harmony Grove Town Council. Wants to advertise our organization as people who can help them. La Costa Canyon High school said that they are available as a start venue.
Aid stations: get volunteers and bike shops to staff aid stations and make them fun! Themed.
Ninja wanted to do aid stations last year but they would at least do one this year. We want to make the aid stations fun!
We can get any sport nutrition supplement at wholesale cost from Performance.
 

Is there a bike shop that would do that? Zumwalts? Poway Bikes? Ride Cyclery.
Skii is doing a great job! Everyone is accountable to her. Keep her in the loop and keep that going! Basecamp timeline for the Arch Ride is working!
The board to meet outside of the board meeting to follow up with Project Manager. All of this needs to be in its own meeting. Needs to have at least one more meeting before actual event – April 30th is day of the Arch Ride!
Get Brian Nixon engaged with these meetings. Because it is so similar, we can use the announcement from last year.
Brian Nixon will send announcement in TrailNews. 30 days before the event he will open registration. Discussing the price, Skii thinks it should be $100. Take registration to $95.  Most endurance rides of similar distance and support are over $100.
 

Item 4.  California Trails and Greenways Conference, registration/lodging (Ben S./Susie) 5 mins.

ACTION ITEM: $120 Auction item donation  – Ben to purchase 2 Rogue Hoes

Motion: Kevin  Second: Ben

Unanimously approved.

 

Item 5.  Facebook Procedures Regarding Visitor Comments Vote (Minette) 5 mins

Guidelines for board on people inappropriately commenting or voicing counter arguments. On control settings, certain words are flagged that will be hidden from our page. Contrary comments should not be engaged.
It’s not the board’s responsibility to respond. The comments should remain, but they should not be engaged or banned.
Comments from Ben – we are not a public entity, but we are responsible to our members. We are creating a place for people to talk about things.
Website and TrailNews is what we control.
Arguing will never change point of view, so it is a waste of time.
We want to be the San Diego trail organization that represents everyone – trail runners, equestrians, etc.
Ping the group if there is something big that need to be regulated on social media.
Item 6.  Grant updates: REI 2015 and 2016, NEEF –  update: (Susie) 5 mins

Old grants – 2015 bike stands. Mission Trails wants to put bike stands at campground. The campground does not make sense. Kevin will talk to them with Susie. Will work on Black Mountain/ PQ later.
2016 REI grant to be turned in tomorrow. Mostly will be for Black Mountain, and help to assist others with trails. San Diego Canyon Lands, San Diegutio River Valley Conservancy, and SD River Park Foundation are writing us in as helping out with trails on REI grants.
Harrah’s grant to apply, for a vote. Top prize is $40,000.
California Green Sticker is one to look into from Ben.
Patagonia grant due at the end of April. Black Mountain may cost more than the REI money. Storage containers, etc.
  

Item 7.  MCAS Update and Strategy (Kevin) 5 minutes

We will know more at the end of month. 2 meetings happening one in DC and one in San Diego. Skii went to Hunter’s office in DC and met with staffers and military liaison during National Bike Summit.  
 

Item 8.     Crow’s Nest MOU update (Minette) 5 mins.

Revised MOU will be sent before Minette signs it. They want us to put a deposit down for future water use.
Minette offered $300. Get Scott to authorize $300.
When can dirt be moved? In about 3 weeks to get back in there.
Keep talking to Steve Ford about shade structure. Money already set aside for this.  
 

Item 9.     McCain Valley/Chaparral Land Conservancy (Ben) 5 mins

Ben talked to BLM on eastern edge. Wind farm is getting put in there as well.
Green Sticker Grant – $350,000.
None of this is moto, it is only hike/bike and goes into federal wilderness.
They would like a letter of support from us. Wants a financial contribution as well, especially of work hours.
How many people will come to Boulevard? How much do we want to offer?
Fences going up for entire east side to block motos and ATVs. This is a project that they want to make happen. Help to try to control access to more sensitive areas.
Help to survey and ride trails to track trail in wilderness.
Is 100 hours reasonable? 300 hours would be even better.
It is approximately an hour drive east. It’s a period of a few years.
Camping trip overnight possible? Free camping possible with the BLM.
Chaparral Land Conservancy will sign on to David Hogan’s trails plan. It would be a great avenue for races also in the future.
Decision:SDMBA will volunteer 300 hours to help with this project.
 

Item 10.   Development update Del Mar Mesa Position (Ben ) 5 mins

DJ – Came late to advocacy meeting – endurance runner chair that wants to get groups in line together. He is a land use attorney.
Could Ben’s dad, also an attorney,  get involved? He may be willing to give a block of time to discuss this. We want to move forward with Deerfield as well.
Item 11.   Tour of California Marketing Proposal (Susie) 5 mins

 

ACTION ITEM:   $1500 for Tour of CA booth/promotion/development

Not just for booth fee – for publicity, logo, networking, donation of $350.  
Motion: Skii   Second: Kevin

Unanimously Approved.   

 

Item 12.     Bike Valet at Arch ride.  (Skii) 5 mins

Moved by Bike rack is an 8 bike rack for $220. Are we looking for just the Arch Ride or looking toward the future?
Do we need bike racks to park bikes in valet. Mike Jennings can bring stands.
SDCBC has a valet service it is $300-400 and they do everything. This is for a 5-6 hour bike valet. Finish line is at Green Flash, much better to do bike valet.
Arch Ride expenses either way, a bike valet would definitely be a good idea. Amounts and funds to be discussed later on.
Skii to follow up with SDCBC.
 

Item 13.   Ray White/National Mountain Bike Proposal

      

Ray national mountain bike patrol instructor. His proposal to pay for his membership in exchange for classes for people. Navigation/orienteering, Wilderness first aid, survival, etc.
ACTION ITEM:  $50 for NMBP membership for Ray White in exchange for classes

Motion: Kevin  Second: Skii

Unanimously approved

 

Item 14.     

ACTION ITEM:  Porta Potty cost for River Kid day $186.20

Motion: Ben  Second:  Skii second.

Unanimously approved

(Jeff T. to be reimbursed)

 

Item 15.     

ACTION ITEM: Purchase for resale 20 Timber Bells $200

 

Item 16.     

ACTION ITEM:  SDMBA 2500 promo postcards $55  

Motion: Ben Second: Jason

Unanimously approved.

 

Item 17.     

ACTION ITEM:  10 X 10 Canopy REI 2013 grant  $1000

Motion Ben, Second: Jeff

Discussion: it is aluminum so slightly more expensive. Has our logo and is the same color to match our tablecloths.

Unanimously approved.

 

Board member communications

Item 1.  ED updates and upcoming events

Turner bike donated for Arch Ride – Cyclosis $2k retail bike.
IMBA Spring membership drive through May
Pardee sent a check, catering paid for for IMBA day + burritos. Matt and Susie drafting a letter asking for $10k after trail is completed.
80 people at river kid day. With 9-10 volunteers
80+ people at Performance ride with 12-14 volunteers
60 people at Patagonia movie
Veloswap at Patagonia this Saturday
 

Adjournment  9:08 p.m.

 

Next Meeting: April 20, 2016

 

Minutes recorded by: Siobhan Shaffer, SDMBA Secretary