Meeting convened at 19:00.
Attendance: Counts, Felker, Mazur, Nicholson, Ranson, Readinger.
The board previously approved the April minutes by email.
1. President's report. Felker updated on his plans to purchase DCR lapel pins. He also congratulated Emily and the volunteers for the successful brevets so far this spring, including her work to make sure riders could sign up for the Middletown 300K on April 30 despite an unexpected web site outage.
2. Treasurer's report. Nicholson briefed on the club's bank balance and membership growth.
3. RBA report. Ranson reported positive comments from riders about the Cacapon 200K. She reviewed the upcoming 400K, 600K and Firefly 400K in June. The board agreed, 5-1, to lower the fee for the Firefly to $25 due to lower expected expenses associated with an evening start. Ranson also suggested setting up a secondary email account to communicate with members and former members, with no objection.
4. Counts briefed on the DCR web site outage on April 28, noting this is the first outage we've experienced and that it was a third party problem that our hosting provider communicated to us and sought to fix as quickly as possible.
5. Chris Readinger briefed on the Mother of all 300Ks brevet and suggested the club consider using a newer hotel in Strasburg, Va. as a future start due to declining conditions at the hotel in Middletown. The board agreed to look at that option for 2024. He also suggested additional communication with riders about required lights and reflectives for the brevets with night riding.
6. The board discussed the need to set a location for the PBP sendoff party in August and agreed to have Felker pursue further details.
Meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Meeting convened at 19:00.
Attendance: Counts, DeMarco, Felker, Mazur, Nicholson, Ranson, Readinger.
The board previously approved the March minutes by email.
1. President's report. Felker updated on his outreach to a potential supplier of new DCR lapel pins, which he would purchase and sell to club members in time for PBP. He also reported on the condemnation and planned demolition of the former Key Bridge Marriott hotel in Arlington, Va. which has been a fleche finish destination in the past. Felker noted the good turnout for the Both Sides 200K, despite the forecasted rain and cool temperatures.
2. Treasurer's report. Nicholson briefed on club membership signup and expenses to date.
3. RBA report. Ranson reviewed the upcoming fleche and spring brevets. She noted work underway by Roger to confirm available stores along the upcoming 600K. She also noted the work by Gardner Duvall for an upcoming DCR Roleur award series.
Meeting adjourned at 20:05 p.m.
Meeting convened at 19:00.
Attendance: Counts, DeMarco, Felker, Mazur, Nicholson, Ranson, Readinger.
The board previously approved the February minutes by email.
1. President's report. Felker noted the successful Warrenton — Orange 200K. He updated the board on the members' email list, with no changes proposed. He noted the March renewal of the club's Ridewithgps annual subscription. With no objection, the board agreed to continue the subscription.
2. RBA report. Ranson reviewed the upcoming populaire, fleche and spring brevets.
3. Treasurer's report. Nicholson briefed on club finances and reported on his investigation of PBP souvenirs, with no decision made. Felker agreed to further pursue souvenirs.
4. Secretary's report. Counts agreed to compile and present to the board potential improvements to the club web site.
5. General discussion. The board agreed on the value of communications and promotion and to pursue opportunities to raise awareness of the club's spring rides.
Meeting adjourned at 20:15.
Meeting convened at 19:00.
Attendance: Counts, DeMarco, Felker, Mazur, Nicholson, Ranson, Readinger.
1. Treasurer's report. Jack Nicholson reported membership signups for 2023 at 85 through January. Later in the meeting, the board agreed with Nicolson's request to transition the club's bank account access to Ranson from Duvall, also removing Hillas, in addition to retaining himself on the account as treasurer.
2. RBA report. Emily Ranson briefed the board on upcoming brevets and the fleche. Felker agreed to organize the Warrenton 200K on Feb. 25. Ranson noted that Bill Beck will again organize the fleche.
The board discussed a request by Northern Virginia Randonneurs RBA Hamid Akbarian to recognize the plight of women in Iran at the DCR IWD populaire. Ranson agreed to continue communications with him and consult the board.
The board voted 8-0 to eliminate the $5 ride fee for the International Women's Day populaire on March 11, as a promotion to attract signups.
3. Felker briefed on the unofficial members email list. The board agreed to consider alternatives at the March board meeting.
4. PBP souvenirs. Nicolson agreed to research a potential DCR lapel pin order for member purchases before PBP.
Meeting adjourned at approximately 20:15.
Meeting convened at 15:10.
Attendance: 23 Members (17 in person; 6 online)
1. President's Remarks
Club president Roger Hillas welcomed attendees to the first in-person annual meeting since 2020 and thanked them for their active involvement in club affairs.
2. Outgoing RBA's Remarks
Outgoing RBA Gardner Duvall reviewed his tenure, thanked riders, organizers, and board, and summarized the current state of the club's ride program.
3. Incoming RBA's Remarks
Incoming RBA Emily Ranson provided an overview of the ride schedule for 2023 and plans for following seasons.
4. Treasurer's Remarks
Due to AV constraints, club treasurer Jack Nicholson was not able to present the proposed 2023 budget in person. Club president Hillas presented it from notes compiled by the Treasurer. In preparing the budget, the treasurer and board sought to fund general club activities from membership fees and to have individual rides pay for themselves.
Club activities planned for 2023 include a social event in the summer.
Largely because of higher hotel prices, rides long than 200 kilometers have become more expensive to run. The budget includes higher entry fees for those rides.
Bart Desmet noted that charging a ride fee for the International Women's Day populaire, on top of the cost of membership in RUSA and DCR, creates a significant barrier to entry for new riders. The board agreed to consider the matter further.
The cost and risk of running the Mason Dixon 1200 in 2022 and any lessons learned that could be applied to future runnings were discussed at some length.
5. Voting
Voting took three forms: advance voting by Google form, voting in person at the annual meeting, and voting remotely over the meeting Zoom.
A total of 28 members cast votes, with the following results:
Emily Ranson noted that Bob Count's first term as club secretary had expired, so Bob was unanimously elected to a second term as secretary by 17 in person and 3 Zoom voters.
6. Recognition
President Hillas recognized riders who had won a range of international and nation awards, or participated in local events. He also recognized members who organized club rides. Lists of both group have been posted to the dcrandonneurs.org website, with a list of Mason Dixon 1200 volunteers to follow.
Meeting adjourned at 17:10.
Meeting convened at 19:07.
Attendance: Duvall, Hillas, Counts, Felker, Nicholson, Readinger, Ranson (Non-voting)
Board previously approved December minutes by email.
1. Budget
After discussion, the board voted unanimously to approve the draft budget submitted by the Treasurer, pending ratification by club members at the annual meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 20:10.