March 2023

Written By Charles Picard

Rhode Island Chapter

New England Mountain Bike Association


March 2023 Meeting Agenda


RINEMBA Meeting: 6:00 p.m. March 7, via Zoom.


  1. Roll Call

  • Mark Savage 

  • Dennis Wilson 

  • Wayne Asselin 

  • Shannon  Lonardo

  • Peter Haney 

  • Jason Shuford 

  • Chris Hughes 

  • Peter Gengler (online) 

  • Charles Picard 

  • Meg Marcille 

  • Adam Brule

  1. Welcome to any newcomers.

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

  3. Administration

    1. Membership numbers 261

    2. Financial summary

Opening balance: $5,676.00

Income: $1,172.00

Expenses: ($1,221.89)

Closing balance: $5,626.11

Missing receipts for Woody Hill bridgework and reimbursements for Leadership Summit

  1. Next meeting – April 4 7pm

  2. Annual Business Report to RI Department of State

Due May 31, 2023

$20 filing fee

Complete – needs to be filed 

Mark prefers electronic, there is a filing fee for electronic

Shannon to share bank info with Wayne

  1. Certificate or Liability Insurance renewal

Expires March 1, 2023

Wayne is working on this - submitted today, expecting a certificate by Thursday

  1. NEMBA Board of Directors Meeting (Feb-13)

    1. Wayne and Adam attending –debrief

  • Strategic plan coming together from corporate based on Chapter feedback

  • Website being built out, change in vendors

  • Chapter Handbook being developed

  1. Glocester Land Trust Meeting (Feb-28)

    1. Attended by Dennis Wilson, Jeff Doyle (QCNEMBA), and Kate McPherson (RINEMBA member, DEM Environmental Scientist, Gloucester resident).


Glocester town council person reached out to us to see what it would take to build a relationship with GLT to find a path for building out mtb trails. Dennis and Mark spent some time at Sprague Farm doing recon for potential trails. Full slide deck available if anyone is interested.


Their own trail builder (Roy Rudnicki(sp.)) has plans to build/continue to build doubletrack trails. Finances may not be a problem, and there seems to be interest in professionally-built single track. 


Dennis to follow up in a few months.

  1. NEMBA Leadership Summit (March 24-25)

    1. Cape Codder Resort & Spa - Cape Cod

    2. Cost: $130 registration + hotel (~$175)

    3. Interested members: Adam, Cyndi , Wayne, Shannon, Dennis, Tabitha, Jake, Meg, Mark, Jay S,

Please send receipts to Shannon

  1. EMPTY Nip Bottle Collection by Friends of the Saugatucket (Ends Mar-27)

    1. Started 27-Dec, Runs for 90 days

    2. Drop off spots for collections, NBX, Trek Warwick, Remys, Blackstone

Set for pickup from bike shops > Dennis pickup from B;ackstone on the 24th and get to Alan. Alan gets the balance to Saugatuck.

  1. Teach MTB Skills to Women this Season (Saturday April 8)

    1. Teach women leaders how to teach mountain bike skills

    2. NEMBA corporate lead, Westwood MA

    3. Interested members: Cyndi, Meg, Tabitha, Linda, Shannon

Dennis to email Mark open email thread for visibility

  1. Diamond Hill trail maintenance day (Saturday April 15)

    1. Ice cream machine side of Diamond Hill 

  • Trimming, deadfall, leaf litter - DEM allowing leaf blowers, specifically noted on permit. Patrick leading this effort. More hands = better. Seems like a good one to spread the word on and recruit more help.

  • RINEMBA does not currently own a leafblower. Mark has one and can take this on for this event. 

  1. DEM Permit submitted with leaf blowing


  1. Earth Day Activities (Saturday April-22)

    1. Activities

    2. Locations 

      1. Midway parking area (DEM Permit submitted, DEM to collect trash)

Needs DEM permit - submitted, need insurance cert to proceed 

  1. Big River (Covered under WGCC special use permit)

Permit in place, already covered

  1. Riverpoint Park (Mike Iafrate to contact West Warwick)

No update. Possible this one drops off if no one is taking lead.

  1. Merino Park - Dumpster Available (Colin to contact Providence)

Jay spoke with Colin, city of PVD will place a dumpster on site. Colin and Donny Green working with the city on this, should be good to go. Charles to support Colin and leverage 1PVD network to increase turnout


Looking to engage youth cycling teams. 


Some questions and discussion about food. Vote and 2nd to provide pizza for sites other than Big River,

  1. Donation to WGCC $250 approved Feb 2023 meeting

  1. Foundation skills clinic (April 29 & 30)

    1. Partnership with Remy’s

    2. Woody Hill

    3. DEM permit rejected ~ Feb 23. 

Need to chat with Paul and Chris Perez - should be able to do this clinic without getting on DEM land at all by sticking to the area near the lacrosse fields. Opening weekend for Turkey hunting.

  1. Donation from NEMBA

  1. NEMBA Trail School (May 6-7)

    1. Course layout

      1. Virtual work ahead of the event

      2. Friday - Leader arrive and scout trails

      3. Saturday – Classes all day

      4. Sunday – Classes all morning

      5. Expecting 10 Leaders, 40 participants

    2. 20 campsites in Burlingame reserved, DEM absorbing fees, no cost to participants

    3. 6 positions reserved for DEM, cost covered by NEMBA

    4. 2 positions reserved for WLT, proposed costs covered by RINEMBA $300

    5. RINEMBA sponsorship for members, $150 each??

Mark in favor of this. Candidates should be vetted, Willem Cooper has some CCF kids that would be interested. Dennis made a good case to involve CCF kids, Willem willing to provide guardianship under his org for those <18. 


Dennis to get a list of names, conditional on RINEMBA membership.

  1. RINEMBA leader representation

Paul K, Chris Perez, and Jeff Doyle. Need confirmation from Chris, Dennis might try to track him down in person.

  1. Add adaptive multi-use trails to program

Chris Quirk to lead, corporate supporting this portion of the event. Some coordination needed to make certain the right audiences can attend and learn about this aspect of the sport.

  1. Useful to have political/economic implication session

  1. Regularly Scheduled Group Rides DEM agreement expires 4/30, should alert them of any and all changes.

    1. Daylight savings starts Sunday March 12

    2. Diamond Hill - non permitted daylight rides until interest generated

    3. Lincoln Woods - non permitted daylight rides until interest generated

    4. Woody Hill - add Wednesday nights at Woody Hill starting March 15th at 5:30

    5. Land manager permits needed for group sizes 10 or more


Mellow Monday splintering to a 2nd ride - low gear ladies.


Tuesdays - Carolina XC ride has a gap in leader coverage. Dennis proposes a 100% beginner ride. 


Looking into getting clipboards (some with storage)  and printing LOTS of waivers



  1. Trailforks

    1. With Glenn’s departure, leaves RI under-represented - Jenna Ducharme interested

Dennis confirmed - she’s ready to dive in

  1. Close Carolina stream crossing on Trail forks 

All set

  1. DEM:

    1. Night riding agreement ends April 30 should alert them of any and all changes. Mark has been handling all comms.

    2. Waivers. Collect DEM-specific waivers; give to Mark. 

    3. Night Ride leaders – need more

    4. Night riding pilot. 2022/2023 season ends April 30.  DEM planning to do one more pilot 2023/2024 and then approach changing their regulations to make it permanent

    5. Snow grooming – Park for next winter

    6. Management planning project underway in Big River.  Trail cameras installed.  NEMBA will be consulted for input.


AMC using DEM maps to update trails and trail names - some conflicts coming up with MTB authorized trails showing on DEM (ArcGIS) as unauthorized. AMC also pushing to get these signs into Arcadia:


  1. Ride area reps

    1. Updates from the riding areas

  2. Woody Hill

    1. WLT MOU (Chris P/Paul K) – indefinite hold

    2. Any update and/or help required?

  3. Any news from corporate? (Wayne)

No date for NEMBAfest just yet - August but exact date and locale TBD

  1. NEMBA is hiring

    1. Bookkeeper

    2. Remote, part time, rate of pay is $30 hr.

  2. New Business from the board?


Dennis: NBX wants to sponsor a trail day (Arcadia), and generally just partner up. RINEMBA gear and swag wanted to sell!!! Stickers, shirts, hats.Maybe a return of the Anchored in Dirt tees? Another potential collab is an infographic that shows local ride spots and suggested routes.




Adjourned 9:26pm


Appendix A - Finances


Opening balance:

$5,676.00

Income:

NEMBA chapter rebate

NEMBA chapter rebate

$1,112.00

$60.00

Expenses:

Cumberland parks and Rec

Zoom 

Squarespace

($1,200.00)

($16.04)

($5.85)

Closing balance:

$5,626.11


Projected expenses: $1,400 – Woody Hilly

$300 – Trail school sponsorship for WLT

$600 – Trail school sponsorship for RINEMBA members

$1,300 – NEMBA Leadership Summit sponsorship

$300 – Beginner Mountain Bike ride clinic

$250 – Earth Day donation WGCC

$20 – Annual Business Report to RI Department of State


Total Projected expenses: $4,170 


($900 – Trail school sponsorship for DEM covered by NEMBA)



Appendix B – Event Dates


2023 event dates:

  • Woody Hill: July 9, rain date July 16

  • Diamond Hill: Aug 13, rain date Aug 20

  • Big River: Sep 17, rain date Oct 8

  • Lincoln Woods: Nov 12, rain date Nov 19



Appendix C – Remaining winter 2023 hunting season


Season

Animal

From

To

DEM Zone

Management area

Youth

Turkey

17-Apr-23

23-Apr-23

All

All

Paraplegic Hunter

Turkey

22-Apr-23

23-Apr-23

All

All

Spring

Turkey

27-Apr-23

21-May-23

All

All



Charles Picard
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February 2023