Blog

October 18, 2022, 7 p.m.

Frog Hollow Bikes, Middlebury

Board Members:

Bold indicated people in attendance

Others in Attendance:  Ben Hatch, Jon Bowdish

REGULAR BUSINESS

Board Members: 

1. Alex Takoudes was unanimously elected to serve on ACBC’s board. Welcome! 
2. Scott Hardy has resigned from the board. Ben Hatch, a member of Vergennes’ Recreation Committee, assumes Scott’s responsibilities on ACBC’s board
   1. Carl made a motion to accept these changes to the board slate; Seth seconded; the motion was unanimously approved

President’s Report

1. The grant application to Press Forward (snow dog) was unsuccessful. 
2. The grant application to Cabot Cheese/Agrimark for the Middlebury pump track was approved in the amount of $5,000. Nick Managan is the contact at Cabot. 
   1. George is working with Erik Remsen. Going to selectboard meeting on 10/25. 
   2. Erik is creating a fundraising website
   3. Design & build by Jay Rosenbaum (Killington)
   4. Cabot will want a volunteer day, pictures, and article
   5. Name it Cheesy Street?
3. Landowner agreements:
   1. Agreement approved with Jeremy & Liz Parker. VMBA structure, 10 year agreement
   2. A motion was made to support George’s efforts to contact landowners. The motion passed unanimously. 
   3. Cindy: complained about bikes in Means Woods
      1. Closed to bikes
      2. No bikes sign: Bikes with arrow 
      3. Remove MW1 trail from TrailForks
   4. Middlebury College: Ashar to contact Marc Lapin

Eric Berg: Outreach opportunities

1. Airbnb on real estate – door stickers (example Slate Valley decal)
2. UVMHN Wellness Fund
3. Rikert, fat bikes
   1. George will connect with new Rikert director, Robert Drake

Treasurer’s Report

Assets:

• M&T account: $7,000
• NBMVT account: $6,571.89
• Will move M&T funds to NBMVT
• +/- $3K for Vergennes grant

Expenses:

• VMBA services/tools
• Maple Run Marketing
• New checks

Income: 

• Memberships

Other: 

• VMBA membership payments have been mapped to NBMVT
• Erik Remsen will direct fundraising payments to NBM account (for pump track match)

Membership Report (Activity from 9/5/22 to 10/11/22)

• New memberships
  • (0) Individual 
  • (0) U25
  • (0) Family of 2
  • (0) Family of 3
  • (0) Family of 4
• Returning memberships
  • (0) Individual
  • (0) U25
  • (0) Family of 2
  • (0) Family of 3
  • (0) Family of 4
  • (0) Family of 5

Status of VMBA’s Add-on-a-thon from Krysy Steckler: We unfortunately haven’t been seeing the increase in Add-Ons since the start of our add-on-athon on Oct. 1st. We’ve seen about a dozen come through in total – however we have been seeing the messaging across all of the Chapters and their channels (thanks for sharing/posting!). Our current plan is to ramp up the messaging a little more and see where we land closer to the end of the month. If we still aren’t close to our target, we’ve talked about extending the messaging or even adding an incentive, such as a prize, to all members that have added on this season (still in discussion about that).

Social Media Report – Alan Hebert – No report

Middlebury College – Alex Takoudes- No report

Trails Report Middlebury – Andrew Hirsch 

• Andrew and Doreen have been in Battell Woods and Chipman cleaning blowdowns
• Electric chainsaw is broken. Andrew will pursue getting it fixed
• Leaves: Don’t blow. George will talk to Eli

Trails Report Moosalamoo – Ashar Nelson 

• Moosalamoo Connector – Landowner meeting (Bagnulo) on November 15th

Trails Report Bristol – Seth Beck

• Trails are named, signs by spring
• Berms are fixed up
• 5 Town riders and town school kids – workday on 10/19
• Parking lot being expanded

Trails Report Vergennes – Ben Hatch

• Rec committee discussed parking and pump track – rec committee not enthused
• Next committee meeting on 11/2, 6 pm, via Zoom or at City Hall

Events 

• Fat Bike Roundup at Rikert: January 28th with January 29th as an alternate date. Sue has posted to 8 event calendars. 
• Non-fatbike riding at Rikert on pause. 

NEW/OTHER BUSINESS

• Fall/Holiday fundraising, especially w/ pump track fundraising
• Trail improvements: proposed Tilly Trail improvement/re-route plus eliminate stairs
• Cattle guards at MALT/Morgan Horse Farm Road?
• Carl will introduce George to MALT; Andrew will work with MALT
• Town Forest Management Surevey: Carl and George meet with Battell Trust

NEXT MEETING

November 15, 2022, 7 pm  

Parking lot:

• Tech shirts
• Host in-person VMBA meeting