February 2025

Written By tabitha harkin

Rhode Island Chapter

New England Mountain Bike Association

February 2025 Meeting Agenda
Date/Time: February 5, 2024, 7:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom

1. Roll Call / Welcome Newcomers 

Adam C. ; Shannon L. ; Charles P. ; Dennis W. ; Tabitha W. ; Wayne A.; Paul K.

2. Public Comment

None

3. Administration

  • December Meeting Minutes 

    • Motion approved (1st- Charles, 2nd-Wayne)

    • For efficiency, membership Update & Financial Summaries moved to all Chapter meetings per vote of the team (1st-Wayne, 2nd- Charles)- HOWEVER, if an item is a priority it will be placed on the next available meeting agenda.

  • Next Leadership Meeting

    • Tuesday March 4, 2025 on zoom

  • Next All Chapter Meeting

    • Sunday April 27 Crafted Hope Brewing. Tabtiha to book.

    • All Chapter January meeting was a huge success. Over 40 people showed up and the host, Crafted Hope, wants to continue to work with us.

  • RINEMBA Needs Help!

    • Ride Leaders night rides, looking to create a form for ride leaders to choose specific days to lead, Still in need of more mellow ride leaders!

  • Ride Lead Coordinator, new leadership position?

  • Sales, fulfillment, and inventory of merch

  • Trail Bosses: Trail days.

  • Volunteer Coordinator: Events and trail days.

  • Adam Carroll - put out a marketing push?

4. Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM)

  • Night rides approved- Dennis went over the details related to routes, schedules, conduct, weather policy and waivers. Contact Dennis if you have questions.

  • Still Orange Season until March.

  • 2025 Fun Rides

    • Still waiting on license agreement- legal taking longer than expected.

  • Submitted to become vendor in order to receive funds for Echo Lake

  • Request submitted for location for chainsaw classes 

5. NEMBA Corporate Updates

  • RINEMBA to submit annual corporate filing Feb 1; Discussion at the Executive Committee about insurance requirements for rides; As part of the work of the  restructuring committee, there will be change to the bylaws, altering the number of people on the board and representatives per state.

  • Charles to attend next BOD meeting as alternate in Waynes stead

  • Dennis brought up that Corporate is moving things from Golden Volunteer to eventbrite, and we will be starting with the April 6 XC race.

6. Safe Trails

  • Crescent Lake CT incident

    • Conversation about fatal accident at Crescent Lake in CT- Dennis pointed out 3 major concerns that he learned from being at the site of the accident - Rides with features should be called out by the ride leader; No one knew CPR; There needs to be better access in and out for emergencies. This led to a discussion on ride leader best practices, safety. 

    • Charles to draft a ride lead BMP guide, contact Mary McCarthy from Boston for template.

    • Inspired Corporate NEMBA to donate to the riders family and members of the RINEMBA leadership team put a project together in his honor, seeking funds from a Trail Capacity grant to install evacuation signage at Lincoln Woods and train ride leaders on first aid and CPR. 

    • Trail Capacity Grant (Tabitha): CPR/Signage- $5000 ask, due to hear back in March.

    • Evacuation signage (Charles) link to draft proposal Charles has established working relationship with fire. DEM wants trail evacuation signage and road work to be packaged together.

7. Events and Rides

  • March 30th Arcadia Trail Clean up with Rovers and maybe NEYC.

    • Need to submit permits and identify issues

  • April 6th Ryan Park XC Race

    • Need RINEMBA Ambassador to oversee

  • April 13th Arcadia NEYC Ride Event - Shannon tentatively to lead. 

  • Big River Clean Up: Saturday, April 19 or April 26 Wayne to contact Peter/Allen.

  • Woody Hill Fun Ride (MBAS): June 29 (fits lacrosse schedules)

    • Paul to schedule with WLT and WMLT. 

    • Dennis lead. Paul will be available to support.

    • Keene’s available for food? 

  • Big River Fun Ride: Sunday, September 14 

    • Wayne to lead; park n ride partially closed now, might conflict with Tour De Rhody, Dr. Tom has not set a date for TDR- Shannon believes he may be out- getting married.

  • Lincoln Woods Fun Ride: November 9

  • Charles to lead

8. Member Opportunities

  • Group Rides: night rides, weekend ride in february. Check the calendar.

8. Glocester Land Trust Partnership

  • Project is on hold for easement negotiations

  • GLT is working with DEM and Nature Conservancy

9. Echo Lake

  • 15k for phase I planning and design

  • Site visit, very promising, lake, features, campground.

  • Earth day cleanup proposal -MP

  • Tulip trails on board

10. Ride Area Updates

  • Lincoln - Road Rebuild Project - Charles

  • Diamond Hill- snowy, frozen

  • Woody- Possible land acquisition abutting woody hill that could eventually bne used for trails, will take time. Pump track to be constructed at BRadford SChool site, Paul to check about contractors.

  • Arcadia - Frozen, snowy, trees down

  • Big River - great fartbiking recently, night group ride of 16+ riders last week.

  • Burlingame - bridge planks need repair. AMC may already have a budget for that. - Need to follow up with AMC. Any takers for a Trail Boss? 

  • Ryan Park

  • Sprague

11. New Business

  • Open floor for new topics from the board 

12. Motion to adjourn.

 1st Shannon, 2nd Charles

tabitha harkin
Next

January All Chapter Meeting 2025