February 13, 2025 Board Meeting

Randonneurs USA Board of Director Minutes

February 13, 2025

 

  1. Call to order: The meeting on February 13, 2025 was called to order at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, over Zoom. The following members were present.
    1. Bill Bryant
    2. Dawn Piech
    3. Charlie Martin
    4. Chris Argo
    5. Gardner Duvall
    6. Dave Thompson
    7. John Lee Ellis
       
  2. The minutes of the January 2025 Board meeting were approved.
     
  3. The Treasurer submitted a written report for January.
     
  4. Gardner reported that the Financial Audit Committee reviewed the January Treasurer Report, without taking action on it.
     
  5. Chris made the RBA-L report. He stated that an RBA with a lapsed membership has not stayed in contact, so his region has gone dark. Chris has started having meetings with RBAs to get acquainted. There was a discussion about having quarterly meetings with the RBA community, and topics that might be addressed to start that process.
     
  6. Charlie led a discussion about a complaint against an RBA who Charlie and Rob Hawks had previously investigated. In contrast to the substance of the complaint, the rider has not had any RUSA results since that RBA was appointed. The ongoing follow-up to the original investigation was discussed.
     
  7. The Web Team submitted a written report. That report will be published at RUSA.org. RBAs will soon have the opportunity to associate a name with an event when calendaring the event. There was a discussion about the forthcoming rollout of RUSA.org functions that require a login. This rollout is expected to start with RBAs, including their delegates as appropriate. Processes around the American Explorer award were discussed.
     
  8. Dawn reported that the Board had received the January report concerning member engagement with Between Controls. The February Between Controls was published on February 12 with a 67% open rate in less than 24 hours.
  9. Dave asked for Board support in writing up the status of the Board’s 2024 goals and 2025 goals. There was discussion specifically about what to say regarding Marketing, Rules & Procedures, Internal Organization (including a charter for the Awards Review Committee), Event Registration & Support, Awards, and Website.
     
  10. There was follow-up to the December 2024 Gender Survey. A meeting occurred January 16 with Dave, Dawn, Charlie, and six RUSA members, mostly to consider the adequacy of the Gender Survey design. A consensus was achieved January 16, which is supported by the Board, to have gender/sex designations of Man, Woman, Non-Binary, and Decline to State. Board reporting to the membership of the results of the Gender Survey was discussed. Work on any gender designation in awards continues, including the importance of privacy and possibility of different approaches between the American Randonneur and RUSA.org and a follow up meeting with the group of six members being considered in March-April. Dawn to facilitate this.
     
  11. Dawn led a discussion about RUSA’s presence at the Philadelphia Bike Expo, which includes a booth, an interactive panel seminar and 100k populaire hosted by the Pennsylvania Randonneurs. There are 16 members from various regions who will be there to volunteer and assist, between the booth and panel. Additionally, Dawn discussed the marketing initiatives which included the booth design, postcards at the booth, booth giveaways (ie. RUSA pins, ankle bands, stickers as well as previous American Randonneur issues). Additionally, Pennsylvania Randonneurs is hosting a 100k on Saturday, March 8th during the expo. Dawn expressed gratitude to all of the volunteers who assisted her in planning and organizing this since July 2024, with a special note of gratitude to Deb Banks, Nigel Greene, Bill Bryant, Lydia Trott and Lisa Charlebois.
     
  12. There was a continued discussion about membership of the Award Review Committee, and what skills would be useful to add to that committee, either among the members or as data consultants.
     
  13. There was the beginning of a discussion about cell phone use by riders, legal compliance, and distracted riding, initiated by an RBA. The subject was carried to the March meeting.
     
  14. The Board had exchanged emails about changing the RBA application form. Development of the new form was not completed at the February meeting.
     
  15. A member asked the Board for a R12/P12 rule change, based on the challenges of winter riding in some parts of the country. The Board continued the prior practice of recognizing that climate, and topography, are not at all uniform throughout the United States, and that the essence of the R12 and P12 is outdoor riding for 12 consecutive months in the face of the challenges that arise.
     
  16. The next meeting was set for March 19, 2025, and then April 16, 2025.
     
  17. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 10:06 Eastern time, without objection.