George,
I agree we need to give more to each member when they join other than saying that you will receive a newsletter. I agree that the home page of our website is as you quoted. It does not say off-calendar rides are allowed to be posted on the club's message board during the riding season.
I agree that fun and bicylce safety is something that we need to promote. This means that MBC members need to do a better job of obeying all traffic laws.
Bill G.
Hey George - thanks for pointing that out in the "mission statement". I guess it's not completely clear that it means - off-calendar rides as in off season rides - Meaning that many members post rides between November and March - 'off-calendar rides'. Perhaps we need to have our entire mission statement re-wordsmithed.
We currently do not have a rules and regs manual, or a membership manual, or even a brochure that describes the club - but if you'd like to volunteer to take that on, we'd love to have your assistance. We do have bylaws, and I'm happy to share those with you if you do not have a copy in hand.
Our next officers meeting is on Monday evening, August 13 at my house - these are open meetings, and any member is welcome to attend. Meetings start generally around 6:00 - 6:30 - depending on when everyone can get there from their paying job.
Let me know how you'd like to help out.
Sarah
SarahL,
At the last meeting it was mentioned that there are 155+/- members in the club. The 2012 population of 'Boro was 108,755 people. The 'Boro Bike Club has only 00.15% of the population of the town.
Not everyone has regular Mon-Fri work or even day work. As many have pointed out their schedule may conflict club calendar posted rides.
The message board should be used to communicate to the general public all rides with the possiblity of the club reaching new members.
One person mentioned a turn out of about 30% of members at Barfield meeting. It was closer to only 15%. That's about 23 members out of 155?
I've volunteered to help at the Readyville rest stop.
There is a saying that I came across several years ago. "People either build you up or tear you down. There is no status quo."
George
George,
I think Sarah was inviting you to volunteer to put a membership packet to give out to current members and new members that includes club rules. Thank you for volunteering to work a rest stop at the HOT100.
Why don't you put a ride on the calendar with Keith Whitaker or Bill Heim earlier in the day on any day of the week? Each member is able to put a ride on the calendar and lead the ride. We can have as many rides on the calendar as anyone would like. We just need a ride leader.
Bill G.
Bill,
Sarah knows me better than you. We have an understanding as to how I stand.
George
HBC has utilized a google group email list that has facilitated alternative rides (to the posted club outings) for many years now, and that club is thriving. A lesson should be taken from that.
I just looked at the HBC site they do not have a public message board such as this. There may be one hidden under there password protected section of their website. Unless I missed it. Before, our message board the club utilized a phone tree for alternative rides.
Bill G.
Bill,
It's a Google Group. It functions either as a message board or an email list depending on how you set it up for yourself.
http://harpethbikeclub.com/email-lists
Again, they've had this for years and it seems to work for them since people don't have to necessarily browse to an actual web site to see if there are ride options posted. If you sign up, you'll actually see where a member has recently asked if there are other options to the club ride because it was too far away for them.... with no objections.
I'm not trying to sell anyone on HBC or their particular model. I'm just showing what they do 'officially' in addition to their calendar rides.
I want to thank the club officers for all they do to administer the club and to promote cycling. They, along with those who volunteer to lead rides, work events, and various other activities, donate their time and effort to make the club better. We may sometimes have disagreements over how things should be done, but we should discuss those issues in a respectful and productive manner.
I have found the officers receptive to ideas and suggestions. As members, we have to be willing to make suggestions and contribute. We cannot expect the officers to do everything. I feel strongly that if we present a problem for discussion we should also be prepared to offer a solution and be willing to work towards that solution.
A "rant", or speaking in a wild or vehement way, is often counter-productive and does nothing to resolve that about which one declaims. If the goal is to develop a means of posting alternative rides or developing rules for when these rides may be posted there are better ways of doing so. Suggestions can be made to the officers or brought up at meetings. Rules may then be developed and adopted to govern this issue.