April

Rhode Island Chapter

New England Mountain Bike Association

April 2021 Meeting Agenda

RINEMBA April Meeting: 7:00 p.m. April 6, 2021 by Zoom.

1. Thank you Jenna for the minutes, Shannon for cat herding.

   1. Member #’s, account $, etc.

   2. $3,000 in bank including t-shirt sales

   3. Donation to Johnny Cake Center – have no record of check, stop payment and re-issue another check. Glenn to deliver new check.

2. Welcome to any newcomers.

3. Tee shirt order (RINEMBA ‘anchored in dirt’)

   1. Status

      1. 40 pre-orders ready to go – most orders were through ‘Stripe’

      2. 140 for total order

      3. Remaining 64 shirts to be made available on website

      4. 1st week of May for shipment, Chris F will email everyone that ordered

   2. Quantity for shops

      1. Mythic, Remy’s, Blackstone on board

      2. 10-12 for each shop

4. Adventure Ride.

   1. Status

      1. Set to launch May 1st and wrap up last Sunday of June.

   2. Photo contest

      1. Sponsored/judged by George Ross. Found a plug-in where you can upload photos, vote, etc.

      2. Prizes are organized

      3. 2 categories for entries

   3. Loops

      1. Dennis/Melissa are collecting the loops, mostly complete (determining if Diamond Hill should be included)

      2. Need instructional videos on how to download routes

      3. Trailforks does not have turn-by-turn directions, ride with GPS should

      4. Dennis to send GPX example to Chris H to see if ride with GPS turn-by-turn directions work

   4. Bike Reg

      1. People will register through this, there will be links on the website

   5. Help with Chris' house (raffle n.g.; auction? “door prize”?) – maybe should be a separate event (when we have physical rides)

      1. Considered a gaming event and requires legal approval. Needs application, approved by chief of police where raffle is pulled, and approved by the gaming board.

      2. In RI online raffles are illegal

      3. Dennis to send information on RI gaming laws to Chris H for review

5. 2021 event calendar. Try for a date (mid August or later)?

   1. Try for in-person fun ride (mid August/Sept)

   2. Determine next month where we do it and how

   3. Limited to 75 people per event. Sell tickets on bike reg?

   4. Gear toward people that are not comfortable with GPX files?

6. Big River Earth Day Cleanup.

   1. 4/24

   2. 90% of cleanup will be roadside trash

   3. Zoom meeting Thursday night w/ West Greenwich Conservation Commission

   4. Wayne will be a roadside crew leader, as well as Chris Hughes, Dennis to check with trail volunteers to see if anyone interested, Mark Savage, Shannon (tentatively)

      1. Additional volunteers needed

      2. Please bring GoPros!

   5. Want to put on social media, Tabitha to create infographic

7. Corporate <=> Chapter relationship

   1. Funds supposed to go to corporate NEMBA and then distributed to RI NEMBA, so all money is going through corporate for audit/IRS purposes. Impacts non-profit status.

   2. Trail Karma et al – already uses corporate paypal account

   3. Bike Reg - No need to change current adventure ride, but future events should.

8. New Business from board?

   1. NEHSCA member (part of TASC) approached DEM about doing trail improvement in Carolina Management Area. Need liability insurance. NEMBA has general insurance policy, covering trail days. People working on the trail days need to be NEMBA members.

      1. Need memorandum of understanding so whatever we build is approved by DEM

      2. NEHSCA member should send proposal with what they want to do to Dennis/Wayne. Wayne can bring up to NEMBA corporate for guidance. Might need to be NEMBA sponsored event.

   2. Is TASC (trail advocates of south county RI) covered under NEMBA insurance?

      1. Not unless NEMBA event/trail day?

   3. Bridge on Big River – DEM acknowledges that they need it. DEM will likely do the work, but Chris volunteered us to be there/help where needed.

   4. Wahneeta bridge – Alan checked it, could not identify it. About 100 yards upstream there is evidence of a road/slab on east side. Could possibly be grandfathered in/get permission for bridge.

9. Comments/requests/concerns/questions/complaints from newcomers?

   1. Leo’s son has NEMBA brush cutter – Dennis to pick up

10. Groundhog Day items follow

    1. John Machata trail grant. In process. DEM working on a new standard bridge design and this project will be first to use it.

    2. NST maintenance: Alan still to repost to hopefully get better response.

       1. Alan needs a waiver signed to participate

    3. Woody Hill access

       1. Glenn trying to get different access point, working with town.

       2. Section on Charlestown town land – meeting with parks and rec for final approval. One section they felt was too close to wetlands. Glenn rerouted. Will go on next town council meeting. Has support from Parks and Rec.

       3. Access to pond through DEM gate not allowed at this time

    4. Tent - will be part of corporate bulk order.

    5. Legal task force did not meet in Mar. Alan fail.

    6. Ideas for 75 problem?

       1. Force limit with registration? (overflow would still appear to be the event; food truck bail)

       2. 2 day event?

       3. Beginner, intermediate, advanced start times?

       4. Staggered start times.

       5. Regulatory relief.

    7. DEM survey. Thanks to folks who posted.

       1. Interesting that NEMBA was specifically named

       2. Based on concern for funding, trying to identify who uses state lands.

       3. Runs through April, might get results by the end of 2021.

    8. Web Site Review.

       1. FAQ section (when can you run your dog? When do you wear orange? What are the riding hours? Official rule information. How to follow a GPX track while riding? Basic technology tutorials)

       2. Chris can provide quick tutorial on navigating if necessary

       3. Update events page to include zoom link

       4. Can include link to merchandise, if we get it made.

    9. Consider potential uses of funds from grant money, etc. Creative, new uses.