Meeting Summary, October 4, 2018
Attending: Waldburger, Palmer, Clark, Hultgren, Yakovleff, Weinland, Hankins. Manizza
The meeting was begun at 6:33 pm in the Nash Zimmer Transportation Center. The meeting summary for the September 6th, 2018 meeting was reviewed and approved by consensus.
Hultgren gave a brief Treasurer’s report indicating there was about $500 in the checking account, with recent expenditures for the Town Festival booth and photo contest prize gift certificates. Hultgren said that 2019 membership renewal notices should be sent out soon. Palmer said that he had modified the website “join” button to include “renewal” so that members can renew on line. Bike Mansfield received a thank you letter from the Mansfield Downtown Partnership for its participation in the Town Festival which was circulated at the meeting.
Bike Mansfield’s Festival booth was discussed. Suggestions for improving the booth/presence next year included: (1) Signage about the photo contest (“Vote Here!” Or “Photo Contest!”) should be prominently displayed so that walkers by can know what is going on in the booth. (2) Use a smaller table so there is more room for voters, visitors, etc. in the booth area. (3) Have some type of give-away or bicycling swag/trinket for everyone visiting the booth.
Clark gave an update on the effort to get UConn going on a BFU application noting that at this stage they are figuring out what departments are interested (and share some responsibility) and what role they should play. She said they are still working to involve the UConn PD and the undergraduates (grad students are willing participants). Organizational meetings are taking place now at roughly monthly intervals.
Waldburger updated members on the status of the Charter Oak Greenway construction in Bolton Notch. While construction is nearing completion, the path is not going to be officially opened until Spring.
Hultgren reported that the People for Bikes grant application for help in funding bicycle parking symbols for the Town Square railings requires a “letter of intent” well in advance of the application deadline (currently mid-October). As a result, it is too late to compete for this Fall’s grant, but since there should be a Spring grant cycle, a letter/application can be made in early 2019.
Hultgren said he emailed the Middle School Principal and PE teachers about starting a 5th grade bicycle education program in the Middle School patterned after the program in South Windsor. At the time of this meeting, a response had not yet been received. (Note: since the meeting a positive response was received from the Principal and a first meeting will be set up sometime in November).
The recent bicycle/car accident on Maple Road was discussed. According to the local resident state troopers, the cyclist was travelling in the left shoulder (against the traffic) and swerved out into the path of a car in the travel lane to miss a branch in the shoulder of the road. (Good news: The rider has recovered and is back in school!)
It was suggested that the safety tips card be made available on the website, and if it is reprinted that it be a little less wordy. Members were encouraged to continue to find public places for its distribution.
John Hankins, who is also Treasurer of the Thread City Cyclers Club in Windham, presented Bike Mansfield with a check for $450 which represents ¼ of the proceeds of TCC’s Century event this past summer. Manizza said he was hoping to have a similar proceeds donation from the Mansfield Hollow Cyclocross Race this fall.
Yakovleff announced a 20 mile ride for the Scouts on the Hop River Trail on October 13th. He also said he had an extra large Univega bicycle in excellent condition available should anyone know of a big rider in need of one.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:25 pm. The next meeting is scheduled for the 1st Thursday in October (Oct 4th).
Lon Hultgren, Secretary Treasurer