November 15, 2022, 7 p.m.
Frog Hollow Bikes, Middlebury
Board Members:
| George Lawrence- President | Ashar Nelson, Moosalamoo |
| Andrew Hirsch, Middlebury Trail Manager | Alan Hebert |
| Carl Robinson, Treasurer | Seth Beck, Bristol |
| Ben Hatch, Vergennes | Merideth McFarland |
| Eric Berg | Sue Hoxie, Administrator |
| Alex Takoudes, Middlebury College |
Bold indicated people in attendance
Others in Attendance: Jon Bowdish
Meeting called to order at 7:05 p.m.
REGULAR BUSINESS
- The minutes from the October 2022 board meeting were reviewed. Andrew made a motion to approve; Seth seconded. No discussion. The minutes were unanimously approved.
President’s Report
- Pump track: A stormwater permit may be required for the project. The committee is sorting it out with the state. Per Ashar: permitting for the entire school site may be considered. Might be easier to subdivide .25 acre. Otter Creek Engineering has been retained by the school. The skateboard park will likely have the same issue.
- The $5,000 payment for the Cabot grant has been received and deposited to the old M&T account. Carl will transfer funds to the new NBMVT account.
- The club sent out an email notice of no raking/blowing in Middlebury this fall. Perhaps made the trails too slippery? Make note of that if we send similar notice for next year.
- VMBA 2022 Trail Grants are due December 2nd. Potential ideas:
- Seth would like to see 2 or 3 more trails at New Leaf. One could be done professionally. Seth to consider and let George know.
- George is now serving on the Trail Grants committee
- VMBA dinner in Richmond on December 9th. Andrew will go as George’s plus one.
- No biking at Rikert until they are open for on-snow riding. George will be grooming the singletrack again. Rikert trails have been pulled off of TrailForks at college’s request. MTB not a proposed use of that land when conserved. College is doing an evaluation. George met with Rikert’s new manager, Robert Drake–OK to keep grooming at Rikert.
- Discussed goals for 2023:
- Another place to build trails in Bristol. Sue sent introductory email to Bill Sayre; George followed up. A. Johnson Lumber is the largest landowner in Vermont.
- 200+ members
- Stu Bennett – 75 acres of trail on his private land, but may be willing to open them to the public. Seth will contact him, show him around New Leaf.
- Targeted video for future landowners.
- What can ACBC do for the youth team? ACBC should be a sponsor of the team with its emblem on the jerseys.
- Have club host monthly group rides. Bryan Grundon – ride/food
- More partnerships
- Move the meetings around – one in Vergennes and Bristol
Eric Berg: No report
Treasurer’s Report
Assets:
- M&T account: $7,000.92
- NBMVT account: $6,257.30
- Will move M&T funds to NBMVT
- +/- $3K for Vergennes grant
Expenses:
- VMBA services/tools – $134.28
- New Expenses October – $272.25 Maple Run Marketing – 42.34 Go Daddy
Income:
- Memberships
Carl will close M&T account in November. QR code for PayPay for memberships.
Membership Report (Activity from 10/11/22 to 11/15/22)
- New memberships
- (0) Individual
- (0) U25
- (0) Family of 2
- (0) Family of 3
- (0) Family of 4
- Returning memberships
- (1) Individual
- (0) U25
- (0) Family of 2
- (0) Family of 3
- (0) Family of 4
- (0) Family of 5
| 2022 (as of 11/11/22) | 2021 | |
| Primary Memberships/Individuals | 90 / 174 | 80 / 161 |
| Add-on Memberships/Individuals | 15 / 20 | 21 / 31 |
VMBA’s Add-on-a-Thon campaign did not create any new memberships (full or add-on)
Social Media Report – Alan Hebert – No report
Middlebury College – Alex Takoudes
- Club members want to build dual slalom track. Clarkson has one on campus. Twenty seconds from top to bottom.
- Needs to be in town. George to research. Maybe Jeremy Parker’s land? Dutton property? New Leaf?
Trails Report Middlebury – Andrew Hirsch
- Trails are riding well and leaves are getting ridden in. They really are providing great protection to the trail in terms of minimizing erosion.
- Leaves have been blown on Super 7.
- We should do one more blast about the no leaf blowing plan to the membership.
- (Carl) TAM trail – reroute of trail in gorge – trail committee is for it.
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Trails Report Moosalamoo – Ashar Nelson
- Temporarily closed Nettles until trailwork can be conducted–on list of proposed FY2024 project list. Boon to both riders and skiers. Get wet areas bridged or armored – less damaging.
- Moosalamoo Connector – Landowner meeting (Bagnulo) on November 15th. Successful meeting. Issues with ATVs–not our or FS problems. They’ll sign agreement and FS can proceed with their process. Still on schedule with Lepesquer. Agreement has significant match.
- Work on Oak Ridge parking lot has begun
Trails Report Bristol – Seth Beck
- Trails are named, signs/kiosk by spring
- Berms are fixed up
- 5 Town riders and town school kids – workday on 10/19 – has names and will add photos to Google drive
- Parking lot being expanded
- Looking at two new trails in 2023.
- New trail names: Dinner at the inlaws (uphill), Heathcliff, Funnel Cake, Twisted Sister, Mud Muffin
Trails Report Vergennes – Ben Hatch
- Ben working with City Manager to re-write the MOU between ACBC and the City; the current MOU is too stringent in its requirements for meetings between the City and ACBC; requires monthly inspections plus an inspection after every significant storm, etc., which aren’t necessary. Plus it specifically precludes the possibility of parking being provided; the City is interested in making parking happen somehow, but wants to sign a new MOU that doesn’t specifically prohibit parking before taking any concrete steps.
- Trails in MacIntosh Park have been raked/blown by local riders
- Overgrown rail trail between Comfort Hill and police station
- City has VOREC grant for $140K to build Connector Trail – New Haven Rd to Outdoor Classroom trails (elementary school) to Mossy Brook (boardwalk $$), skirt around HS fields and solar field – end up in HS parking lot
Events
- Fat Bike Roundup at Rikert: January 28th with January 29th as an alternate date. Sue has posted to 8 event calendars. So-ful Sisters will be there again. Hold off another month before email marketing, social media
NEW/OTHER BUSINESS
- Fall/Holiday fundraising, especially w/ pump track fundraising. Hold off until stormwater stuff is resolved
- Trail improvements: proposed Tilly Trail improvement/re-route plus eliminate stairs
- Could we have cattle guards at MALT/Horse farm Road?
- Carl will introduce George to MALT; Andrew will work with MALT
- Town Forest Management Survey: Carl and George meet with Battell Trust
- Do we want to order any fat bike signs?
No meeting in December 2022.
NEXT MEETING
January 17, 2023, 7 pm
Meeting adjourned 7:52pm
Parking lot:
- Tech shirts
- Host in-person VMBA meeting
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