Meeting Summary, March 2, 2017

Attending: Palmer, Gosselin, Hultgren, Weinland, Manizza, O’Keefe, Ferron, Pociask, Hankins

The meeting was begun at 7:05 pm in the Nash Zimmer Transportation Center. The meeting summary for the January 11, 2017 meeting was reviewed and approved by consensus.

Hultgren reported that memberships have started to come into the organization through the PayPal button on the website. He said that about $180 had been received so far from 2 organizational memberships and about 10 individual memberships. He said that Pierce would be completing the membership stickers order as soon as she gets back from Europe (mid-March), and he handed around a draft thank you email for suggestions/edits before he sends it out to the new members.

The winter workshop scheduled for the following week was discussed. O’Keefe said he would bring refreshments and Hultgren said there were left over waters and juices in the bike storage area that also could be used. The PowerPoint presentation on the BFC application was previewed. Members noted that the number of slides and questions on the application were far too many to present at the workshop and suggested sample questions be shown for each of the application’s major subject areas. Hultgren said he would revise the PowerPoint accordingly. Hultgren also said that he had met with the Town’s staff to give them copies of a preliminary draft of the Ped/Bike plan, and said he would have copies to distribute at the workshop as well as a PowerPoint presentation outlining the plan’s content. Finally, the PP presentation on the 3 GPS smart phone apps for cycling was reviewed with Manizza who will be speaking in that part of the workshop. Manizza said he would announce the coming workshop on his weekly radio show (Bicycle Talk) and encouraged Bike Mansfield to author public service announcements (PSA) that he could get WHUS to air.

Ferron invited Bike Mansfield to participate in a youth cycling event to be held on April 23rd at the Goodwin School. Volunteers will be needed for helmet size checks, route guidance/street crossings and parking lot riding supervision. Several members said they could help. The announcement will go out to the full email list this month.

Hultgren said the Town’s annual Festival on the Square would be held this year on September 17th and he would secure booth space for Bike Mansfield ($25). He also said that Bike Mansfield was invited to have a table on UConn’s Fairfield Way for its Earth Day “Spring Fling” celebration to be held April 18th from 11 to 2. Palmer said he could assist, and other members are encouraged to stop by.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 pm. The next meeting is scheduled for April 6, 2017 (1st Thurs).

Lon Hultgren, Secretary-Treasurer
info@bikemansfield.com