Bicycle Douglas County

Meeting Minutes 1/12/04

            From Bicycle Colorado website.  “Momentum in cycling means everything.  Momentum keeps bikes upright and wheels rolling.  It carries you up the next hill. Momentum gives you a push.”  Momentum gives us a great start into ’04 advocacy.

Judy Siel reviewed the ’03 goals and actions plan.  Bicycle Douglas County accomplished many things since our first ”call to action” meeting last February:

• Established name, goals, missions, vision, and action plan for Bicycle Douglas County;

• Received non-profit status from the state of CO;
• Developed brochures;
• Sent letters about our group to the Douglas County Commissioners, Public Works Dept and Sheriff;
• Established our own web site:  www.bicycledouglascounty.org
• Held our first trail cleaning project;
• Wrote our position statement and received endorsement from Highlands Ranch Community Assoc.; 
• Sent a list to the Road and Maintenance Dept for roads that need to be swept more often;
• Sent a list to the Public Work Engineers which roads would benefit from “Share the Road” signs;
• Hosted a booth at Elephant Rock; manned an aid station at Park-to-Park bike ride hosted by Bicycle CO; manned a booth at the Safety Fair at ACE Hardware;
• Had an article, editorial, and letter to the editor in the local weekly papers about Bicycle Douglas County and bicycling.

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Discussion about updating Bicycle Douglas County action plan for 2004: 

• Develop membership drive and a volunteer to champion membership.

• Develop and maintain partnerships, rapport and ongoing communications with county planners and commissioners.
• Nurture the working relationship with Douglas County Public Works Dept.
• Maintain e-mail based communication network to keep Douglas County bicyclists informed and involved.
• Maintain and update web site for Bicycle Douglas County.
• Update and distribute brochures for Bicycle Douglas County.
• Participate in several community service projects:  trail cleaning, aid stations at Elephant Rock, Park-to-Park, & Bike to Work Day and a booth at Velo Swap.
• Learn about existing mountain bike trails and opportunities to get our group involved.

Video/Douglas County Channel 8.  Jay Wuchner will talk to Jess Steinbrook (employee at DC8) about the possibility of producing or using a already made videos as a public service announcement for bike safety, rules of the roads, benefits of being a bicyclist, ect… as an avenue to educated the public about cycling.

Schedule for our community service projects: Trail Cleaning Dates 5/8/04 and late summer, Elephant Rock 6/6/04; Park-to-Park early 9/04, Velo Swap 10/23/04.  Volunteers will be given a membership discount for the next year.  Volunteers needed to coordinate projects (let Judy Siel know which project/date you can be in charge of at: judy@bicycledouglascounty.org).  Send your suggestions location/site of trails that need cleaning or TLC.  We will needed 25-30 volunteers to help at Elephant Rock, suggestion that we utilize high school kids needing to get some community service hours for their school.

Financial Report:  Income for last 2 months: $170 from memberships payment/donations and donation from Elephant Rock organizer Scot Harris.  Expenses:  Web site $19.95/month and $83.58 for 1,000 new brochures.  Balance:  $380.  Discussion about getting businesses to be sponsors and then give members discounts at their shops; and discount membership renewals for a multi year renewal. Also the possibility or setting up credit card payment for dues will be researched.

Upcoming first quarter Douglas County Town Meetings: 

· Jan. 29 Acres Green and Lone Tree;

· Feb. 12 Franktown;

· February 19 Parker;

· March 11 Highlands Ranch;

· March 25 Castle Rock/Larkspur/Sedalia:

  Please check www.douglas.co.us for time and locations, usually at 6:30 pm.  The town meetings usually have low attendance and an easy way to bend the ear of your local officials about bicycling issues and get informed about changes that may be coming to your neighborhood.  Send any news of interest for bicyclists to judy@bicycliedoulascounty.org

Next meeting February 9^th at 7:00 pm.

Guest speaker Jim Paulmeno from CDOT (a local bicyclist) will present proposed changes to C-470 and the bike trail.  See you there!!