Meeting Summary April 4, 2024

Attending: Hultgren, Serazo, Clark, Thorne, Waldburger, Brazeau, O’Keefe

The meeting began at 7:02pm in the lobby of the Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center.
Hultgren reported that the Town had adopted the draft Bicycle/Pedestrian Master Plan and when it is put on the Town’s website, he will let members know to read the final version so that at a future meeting we can discuss what action items Bike Mansfield can assist with.

On the 4th grade bicycle education project, several planning meetings with the school staff have been scheduled for the rest of April and May. Hultgren asked for help in assembling a flip book of 20 or more traffic signs for the off-the-bike instruction. O’keefe said that he could do this. Serazo said she was ready to start signing up volunteers to help with the program as soon as the school finalizes the bike class schedule.

Thorne led a discussion of the CWA chapter establishment and what remained to be done. He said that all the information needed to be submitted with the insurance application was available now and he would be putting a package together for final review this week. Other things that need to be done before start-up include compiling/testing the ride routes, setting up ride scheduling/software for pilots and passengers and training pilots (which will probably mean creating a training manual). He said that he had been contacted by several interested UConn Departments that could help with supplying pilots. In the following discussion it was agreed that the program should start small and that a liaison in each living area served will be needed.

Hultgren suggested that the Town bike route map should be reprinted in 2024 so that the Business Member listing will be current with 2024 members, but that future editions should probably be electronic and interactive if possible.

The Lions Club 2023 Fall Picnic and car show (which was postponed last fall due to rain and is now being held on May 19th) was discussed as Bike Mansfield was invited to have a presence at the event to inform people about the 4th grade bike education program that will begin on May 28th. Volunteers will staff a table, show what will be involved in the program and provide/demonstrate information. The display/table will be active from 12 to 2PM. Hultgren said he will bring a couple of the new student bikes, and some of the teaching materials, and would appreciate some other Bike Mansfield representation at the event.

Clark updated members on some of the progress being made in making the UConn campus more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. She said that the Planning, Construction and Design Office had applied for a $2.2M RAISE federal grant through the Capital Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) to implement some of the recommendations of UConn’s Active Transportation Plan.

Reminders: The Town’s Earth Day event will be held on Saturday April 27th and Bike Mansfield will have a table there. The Ride of Silence will be held on Wed May 15th beginning at the Town & MCC parking lot – gather at 6:50PM.

The meeting concluded at 8:12pm.
Lon Hultgren, Sec-Treas
Bike Mansfield