July 12, 2017 Board Meeting

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING

OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

RANDONNEURS USA, INC.

Held JULY 12, 2017

 

 

A regular meeting of the RUSA Board of Directors was convened by telephone conference and called to order at 2000 EDT by the President.

 

The following Directors were in attendance:

  • Debra Banks
  • John Lee Ellis
  • Nigel Greene
  • Susan Otcenas
  • Paul Rozelle
  • Lois Springsteen
  • Dave Thompson

 

No others were in attendance.  Otcenas was present until 2145.

 

The minutes from the regular meeting of June 14, 2017 were approved as amended.

 

A report was received from the Treasurer on the financial position, including membership numbers and data.  At the end of May, there were 3167 active RUSA members, of whom 1622 had done a randonnée in 2017.  Discussion was had on the number of new and renewed members who do not participate in a randonnée and strategies for increasing their participation in the sport. 

 

Discussion was next had on the state of the RUSA store, including receiving an inventory report from the Treasurer and discussion of various old, unpopular, and odd-sized store items to write down.  A motion to write-down approximately $2,000 of these inventory items was made, seconded, and passed after discussion.  Following passage of the motion, further discussion was had about new items to carry in the RUSA store and the “care packages” that RUSA sends to new RBAs.

 

An update was received and further discussion was had on the creation of a RUSA members-only Google Group to facilitate discussion among RUSA members.

 

Further discussion was had concerning a Board Covenant, which would be continued by email and telephone, as necessary.

 

Discussion was next had concerning the 20th Anniversary of RUSA, which will take place on Saturday, August 18, 2018, and commemoration of this milestone, including ideas for a celebratory event, unique medals for participation in the anniversary event, and store items that RUSA could distribute or members could purchase commemorating the anniversary.

 

With PBP 2019 soon upon us, extensive discussion was held about getting RUSA, RBAs, and members ready for that event.  Among the topics discussed were the creation of a RUSA PBP jersey and inquiring of the ACP whether there would be a preregistration priority based on events completed in 2018 as there had been for the 2015 and 2011 editions of PBP (e.g., preregistration would be based on the longest ACP event completed in the year prior to PBP) so that RBAs would have sufficient time to place these ACP events on their 2018 calendars.

 

Discussion was held concerning the submission of the 2018 ACP calendar and the deadlines associated with that (e.g., the ACP’s deadline to RUSA, and the deadline for the RBAs to submit their calendars to RUSA).

 

Further discussion was held concerning publicizing RUSA and randonneuring within the larger cycling community, including at events such as the Philly Bike Expo and cross-fertilization with cyclists who participate in events such as the Dirty Kanza, CTC, and Gran Fondos.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 2159 EDT.

 

Next meeting: August 9, 2017, at 2000 EDT.