Blog

February 21, 2023, 7 p.m.

Frog Hollow Bikes, Middlebury

Board Members:

Bold indicated people in attendance

Others in Attendance:  Erik Remsen

George called meeting to order at 7 p.m. 

REGULAR BUSINESS

1. Accept meeting minutes from November 15 and January 17. Alan made a motion to approve; Ashar seconded. Unanimous. Motion carried. 

President’s Report

1. $500 donation from the Copeland Family Charitable Fund for trails in Midd area
2. Free Onx Maps https://www.onxmaps.com/ subscriptions for 3 people, let Joe@VMBA.com know by 2/23
3. Q1 Trail Grant applications due March 1. Do we want to apply? (there are opportunities to apply each quarter in 2023). We’ll let this quarter’s opportunity pass.
4. Tim Steele has groomed New Leaf twice with the new Snowdog. Stickers (yet to be applied) have been provided by Ranch Camp.  
5. Pump track: three contenders. All have appropriate equipment. A & B have done pump tracks before. They all have time to do the work in Summer 2023. George to write RFP and request proposals back. Give area dimensions. Basing bid on lineal footage and we’ll work on exact design once bid is won. 
   1. Tom Lepesqueur – Lepesqueur and Daughters
   2. Brooke Scratchard – Sinuosity. Could potentially build in April if ground is dry enough. Otherwise August. 
   3. Dana Cabrera – Mountain Trailworx – started at Cochran’s
6. By what criteria do we want to choose?
   1. Availability/timing
   2. Cost
   3. Experience
   4. What else

Treasurer’s Report

Assets: $21,443.97

Expenses: $422.61 to George Lawrence (Snow Dog equipment), $252.00 (Leah Klatzer, Round up food), $6998.00 to/for Snow Dog.

Income:  $646.80 Fat bike Roundup, $500 (donation), $6510.30 (Better Places Grant)

Membership Report  (one new member since last report)

Sue to send email to members mid-March for membership renewal

Social Media Report – Alan Hebert 

The following topics were posted in the last month: 

• #1 MTB state
• Membership reminder
• Pics & video from RoundUp

We’re getting a couple of new people with each photo. FB posts are also posting to Instagram.

Middlebury College – Alex Takoudes

Club fair held on February 21st for incoming Feb students. Next club meeting is scheduled for February 28th, 4:30 pm, with new members. Ashar & George will attend at 5 pm. The club will prioritize other projects instead of slalom track, such as bike rentals. 

Trails Report Middlebury – Andrew Hirsch 

Ashar still needs to do landowner agreement for Chipman Hill lands.

Trails Report Moosalamoo – Ashar Nelson 

Connector Trail landowner agreement signed, in hand, complete for next 5 years anyway.

The USFS has the Trail project open for public comment.

Additional information is available here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=61909

Trails Report Bristol – Seth Beck 

We have had the new Ranch Camp Snow Dog out at New Leaf learning the intricacies of grooming. Tim Steele has been taking the lead in operations with a support cast of snowshoers to pack down the upper loop. Unfortunately the weather has not cooperated recently. Hoping with snow on the way, we can get a full loop groomed and riding.

Trails Report Vergennes – Ben Hatch

Not much to report. Has not completed MOU document to present to city. 

Events 

• Recap Fat Bike Roundup 
• All trail work days posted to website and FB

NEW/OTHER BUSINESS 

• Logo/shirt – Online store. Sue recommends Ascend. Will send spreadsheet out to board members. 
• Landowner resources: VMBA has more than adequate information, video, and resources on its website. Recommend referring people to that site: https://vmba.org/landowner/
• Sue to get quote from 802 Print for stationery

NEXT MEETING

March 21, 2023 

ADJOURN

Alan moved to adjourn at 8:04 p.m.; seconded by George. Unanimously approved. 

Parking lot:

• Tech shirts
• Host in-person VMBA meeting