Board Members Present

Members Present

Guests Present

• Meeting was called to order by Dave at approximately 7:00 p.m.

BOARD MEETING:

• Approval of Minutes:
  • November 20, 2007 minutes approved.

• Treasurer’s Report: Tom Foote. 

• Introductions:  Everyone gave a brief self-introduction.
• Actions:  Dave Thomas.

Jodi Peterson is chairman of the Membership Committee. Other members have expressed interest. Tom Gattiker will gave Dave Thomas information for the strategic plan.

• Watchman Trail:  Ridge to Rivers applied for an RTP Grant to construct the Watchman Trail from the top of Three Bears to the top of Five Mile Gulch. An online SWIMBA vote unanimously approved $1,000 and a letter supporting the grant application. Grant results are unknown until June or July. If approved construction would start in September and would be a contracted trail, no volunteer time.

• Green Expo:  Deferred to next meeting.

• Thank you:  Note from Sylvia Cooper thanking SWIMBA for work at Bogus was read.

• Education Committee Report: Tom Gattiker – first meeting is 1/24/08 at 7:00 pm. At Foothills Learning Center. Ridge to Rivers is working on signing some trails re: etiquette, including Crestline and Kestril, with which SWIMBA is tasked, along with environmentally sound riding. Tom needs more committee members.

• Marketing Committee Report: Jill Giese – Brett Magnuson, graphic designer, has donated his time and Geoff Guilford with Open Space Web Solutions, programmer, is donating his time. Cody, Harley, Terry & Jill have held two meetings. Primary focus is marketing events, races, etc. and website. Next meeting is 1/17/08 at Smokey Mountain at Park Center. Jill asks the board to get ideas on marketing and website to her.

• MembershipCommittee Report: Dave Thomas thanks Jodi for stepping up.

• Trails Committee Report: Al and Dan – The have had one meeting. The freeriders are stepping up, they put Brad Nelson in touch with Dave Beck at the Velopark. Al is working on RTP grant. 

Gardner Peak: Dan is working on Gardner Peak – Needed is a point of agreement for SWIMBA responsibility to maintain the trail. If we fail they’ll close it. Dan and Al don’t see a problem, they believe it will be easy to get someone to adopt it. Dan recommends putting it in writing and looking at it next meeting. ¾ of it is existing road, we need to brush it now. Larry Donahoo has OK’d it. The section is 1.2-1.5 miles long. The second half Ridge to Rivers and Bogus Basin want for the Round the Mountain Trail. Dan thinks it will take 40 hours labor for one season. Dan plans to fix a lot of erosion. The trails will go almost to Dry Creek. The agencies have chosen to shut down some motorized trails, including Daggett. The motorcycle guys are working together to keep one trail. Chel noted we need to be committed to following through if we say yes to maintain our good name with the land managers. Dave Thomas will contact Larry Donahoo and may re-draft the commitment. He wants to keep the gold standard with the agencies, we have a good working relationship with Larry Trip and Larry Donahoo, they are happy to partner with us. Terry noted we should review our long term commitments such as Hulls Gulch and Rock Island as part of the consideration. Dave Thomas wants to confirm future commitments. 

Eastside Parking Lot – RTP Grant Process: Letters requesting support will be sought from Mayor Bieter, Lori Otter, Dave Beck (along with his inkind docation), Vertigals, Velodrome, Dave Gordon and a standing letter from the Forest Service. Natalie Bartley (advisory board) was contacted and attempts have been made to contact Janice Shields. The Hiker Chicks and Vertigals are supporting it.

Al did get a response from IDPR, there is tremendous support, the matching funds are higher at $10,000, and IDPR staff made some recommendation Al implemented. Al had made contact with Ernie Lombard at a grant writing workshop, who indicated interest in riding up there. We are at 23.5% matching funds.

Cycle Park – Dave Beck said it is getting national attention, it is something SWIMBA is integral to and an opportunity for tremendous publicity. It is a world class park, has elements of Whistler and Sea Otter, and could be the best trail system in the country. The landfill people were asked for additional ground to tap into trails in Seamans Gulch. The North side of the park will hook into Avimor and Hidden Springs trails and end up at Ridge to Rivers trailhead at Bogus Basin Road at the area of the grant application. There are 5 miles of trails in the park. The Ridge to Rivers trail is always open to the public, other loops are Cycle Park trails under an agreement for building and maintenance between the Park and Ada County. REI has contributed $5,000 of a $30,000 project. The Cycle Park trails can be closed for races. There will be gravity lines for freeride. They have $60,000 in the bank for the project. Judd Duval contracted with Randy Spangler and Eric Carter to build the trails. Trails will include sport crosstrack, mountain crosstrack, dual slalom, and can be updated to pro caliber. The Jeep Challenge Series is interested. There are 3 jump lines, and will be five. There are pump trails to teach how to use a bike effectively. BMX is coming on later this year, it is $100,000 project and about a year out. There is a contract with Ada County on the trail system around the park, it is laid out and building will start tomorrow. There is a concessionaire agreement with City of Eagle. 

Eagle signed a construction contract with Wright Bros Building to manage construction. The City of Eagle committed $1m. Wright Bros has experience with inkind donations, They are not sure they have enough donations to pour concrete, but hope someone will step up to place it. 

The project is about 4-5 months behind target. Most of the construction will be by contractors, the goal is to have something for community pride.

Brad Nelson and Chris Cook put together volunteers for freeride trails, and those volunteers will help finish those trails. Dave may run the Nelson crew through the SWIMBA trails committee.

Detail work in /around cross country trails is needed. Dave needs a volunteer liaison between the crews and him. He requests a SWIMBA volunteer work crew monthly. Signage is needed, split rail fences and crews to lay out the skills park designed by Duval. Dave needs a monthly leader for crews, the first trail day is Saturday, 1/26 at 2:30 for sign installation.

It is important to take ownership and keep cyclists off landfill area, those managers will be getting more aggressive in enforcement.

Face time has been granted in Eagle Magazine, and a couple of riders are needed at the park, SWIMBA members are welcome. There will be an article in Men’s Journal in March. Jill got a call from Men’s Journal which she redirected to some photographers in the area.

Dave expects national and international events, along with local events. Sprockids will headquarter there. Doug Tobin will manage the Cycle Park with cross country, after school, freeride and adult classes. Coaches will be certified cycling coaches. There will be a tremendous demand for certified cycling coaches to work with kids and adults. He is asking for folks to coach, which requires a background check and basic cycling techniques.

Dave wants SWIMBA board to send our schedule for availability so he can let people know when volunteer opportunities come up.

• Ridge to Rivers:  Plans to post trail conditions on web site in effort to protect muddy trails.

• Nominating Committee:  Chel offered to work on the committee again. Last year he worked with Dan and Chris Hess, wants to put same rigor to the process and bring mountain bikers and those with skills in other areas in. He solicits suggestions for potential board members. Dan and Jill will assist.

• REI Grants:  Chel said REI is starting their employee nomination process for grants and will finish at the end of February. The last few years $50,000 has gone to cycling. He would like to see $5,000-$10,000 for 2008. If we want to be considered we need to get in touch with REI employees. There is an organization out there called volunteer match, Sylvia can help. REI.com has volunteer match and you can get Idaho through the zip code.

Meeting Adjourned: