October 2023
RINEMBA Meeting: 7:00 p.m. October 3, Tavern on the Hill, 809 Nooseneck Hill Rd, West Greenwich, RI 02817
1. Roll Call – Chris H, Wayne, Mark, Dennis, Shannon
2. Welcome to any newcomers.
3. Comments/requests/concerns/questions/complaints from newcomers?
4. Administration
a) Membership numbers - unavailable
b) Financial summary – August 2023
Opening balance: $7,553.13
Income: $7,119.13
Expenses: ($6,913.37)
Closing balance: $7,758.89
DiHi Funds need to go to Youth Camp $1200 – Dennis to get Shan address
c) Next meeting – November 7, Location? Time? 7PM – no location yet
d) RINEMBA.org web page updates – Waiting on night ride program approval.
5. Glocester Land Trust Meeting
a) Revisit in the fall – Meeting to be set soon with Dennis
6. Big River Fun Ride (Sunday September 17)
a) Feedback from participants. – Route arrowing issue on Alans land. Alan says still arrows out there.
7. Rhody Rovers permitted rides in Big River
a) Permitted rides occurred Jun-9 and Jul-23
b) Elements of the MTB community advocating to have motorcycling permits banned.
c) Oct-15 event tentatively scheduled, permit not approved – moved to private land
d) DEM plans to invite other stakeholders to review proposed Rhody Rover routes
e) DEM would also seek input from other stakeholders to assess trails after a ride
8. DEM
a) Night riding agreement MOU underway – DEM editing again 2nd draft
Waives needed. Golden Volunteer Waiver will be OK for Electronic Consent
b) DEM have completed the first phase of updating their regulations – rearranging regulations but no changes. – possibility for permanent night riding in new regs
c) Phase two of updating their regulations (involves changes to the regulations) will be completed late fall/early winter and will be released for public comment. DEM has encouraged NEMBA respond to the public comment period by providing supporting comments. – run post on socials about comment form
d) Permanent changes: minimum 3 riders per group, out of the woods by 9 pm, specific ride locations/days – we can give input to DEM – don’t want to be tied to current ride schedule
9. DEM - Rhody Rovers
a) DEM is developing a MOU and license agreement with Rhody Rovers that will include route inspection before and after the rides and input from other user groups for the rout review, pre and post event trail inspection.
b) The license agreement needs to be reviewed by the Attorney Generals office and the DEM administration, both of which are committees that the proposed agreement may not pass through the committees smoothly
10. DEM – Snow grooming
a) Do we want to pursue Snow Grooming Pilot renewal or permanent agreement. – DEM sees Snow Dogg as a motorized vehicle which will need to abide by established regulations. With the general lack of snow in recent years, the chapter votes to address with DEM when significant snow hits rather than tie up cycles.
11. Joint trail build RINEMBA/Rhody Rovers
a) Need an experienced trail builder
b) Project in Big River on Pumphouse
c) Date not set
d) Rhody Rovers will take care of permits. -did not happen
-Waiting for approval form DEM. Dennis contacted Jeff Arnold. No movement.
12. RINEMBA 2024 Fun ride planning
a) How many – Hoping to vote for events at next meeting
b) Dates – avoid conflicting events
c) Locations
d) DEM Special Licensing
13. RINEMBA board
a) Looking for active participants to join the board for 2024 – social media post
b) Current roles interested in 2024.
c) Review for at large members
14. NEMBA board and Executive Committee
a) Looking for candidates – Talk to Matt S
15. NEMBA Singletracks
a) Looking for brief chapter highlights for 2023 – Due Friday
Ladies Clinic, This many hours of volunteers, Trail School, raffle, DEM Relationship, Organized group rides 100+? -Dennis to submit
16. Regularly Scheduled Group Rides
a) Daylight savings ends November 5
b) Diamond Hill - non permitted daylight rides until interest generated
c) Lincoln Woods - non permitted daylight rides until interest generated
d) Woody Hill – 6 pm Monday Momentum and Low Gear Ladies, Wednesday nights at 5:30
e) Ryan Park – needs a mellow ride
f) Arcadia – Tuesday, moved to 5:30
g) Group sizes 10 or more need to split into groups less than 10
17. Trailforks
a) Pat Dowling- is our Trailforks champion – any help/guidance needed?
b) Adaptive Trails- Speak to adaptive riders – Hughes to reach out to Chris Quirk
18. Ride area reps
a) Updates from the riding areas
19. Any news from corporate? (Wayne)
a) Accounting error and budget issue resulted in 2 FLT being laid off, and org going into austerity budget. No trail grants. More information to come.
b) Executive Committee to be reorganized.
20. New Business from the board?
Ryan Park trail day. Crushed stone to be spread by John Machata and crew Oct 15th.
21. Holiday party -Charles might be able to book. Tilted Barn? Ask around. $2000 budget.
Appendix A – Finances
Opening balance: $7,553.13
Income:
Stripe transfer - shirts 1928.13
Diamond Hill fun ride – on-site collection 722.00
Big River fun ride – on-site collection 2135.00
Big River fun ride – online registration 2280.00
Expenses:
Zoom (17.11)
J Mack – T-shirts (2503.00)
Foster Land Trust – materials (500.00)
NEMBA Corp. - gift memberships (120.00)
J Mack – T-shirts (672.00)
Trail day (Dennis Wilson) (128.73)
T-Shirts (Dennis Wilson) ($1957.75)
Woody Hill Fun Ride - Maps and Water Stop (Dennis) (149.05)
Squarespace – T-shirt shipping (113.74)
Big River Fun Ride Water Stop (93.34)
NEMBA Corp. - memberships (535.00)
USPS postage (9.65)
NEMBA Corp. – Registration fee (114.00)
Closing balance: $6,913.37
Appendix B – Event Dates
2023 event dates:
• Lincoln Woods: Nov 12, rain date Nov 19
