April 2021 Metro Meeting
04/27/2021
Benno’s
West Allis, Wi
27 members in attendance
David did board introductions
Present: Absent:
James Mattox Chris McArdle
Dave Burch Isaac Olsen
Dan Kutz
Beth Kazinski
Ron Stawicki
Mission Statement
Metro Mountain Bikers is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to safeguarding the future of mountain biking through the preservation and promotion of responsible off-road bicycling opportunities. Which includes the education, sponsoring events, trail construction, and trail maintenance.
Elections:
November 2020 Elections were postponed due to Covid. Everyone please start thinking about participating and if you have any questions on what a particular position entails, just contact us. Positions up for election:
Co-Chair, Dave Burch will move into Chair position
Secretary, Beth Kazinski
Member at Large, Ron Stawicki
Member at Large, Chris McArdle
Financial Report – Dan Kutz
Club is in a strong position. $37,800
Insurance renewal this month of $3,142. There really is only one Company that insures clubs like us. We tried shopping around. This does include heavy equipment.
Membership is holding steady at 192 paid members. Up from last year
Donation of $75 from last year’s Banquet
Milwaukee County Parks Update – Marty & Dave
Kegel Alpha - Dave has been working on the MKE Right of Entry Permit that is required to be completed every year going forward. This gives Metro permission to maintain trails and signage in their parks. This was the first event that that halted the Kegel Alpha workdays. Dave has completed and submitted to MKE Parks. The second item was the bill presented by the county supervisors on behalf of the neighbors that boarder the park. The board voted and it did NOT pass 8-10. Close. We appreciate everyone who wrote their city officials on behalf on keeping the trails and how important they are to the communities.
We will be scheduling a meeting with the supervisors to walk the trails before we schedule more workdays to complete the new 2.0 project.
Eagle scout project on signage at Kegel Alpha will resume. We are hoping to have this done by June but TBD.
We also need to do an Annual Report on work completed and what we are planning for the coming year.
Suggestion of putting together a video to update county supervisors on what is happening at Alpha and other parks. Might be a better way to communicate then a typed letter that most likely doesn’t get read.
Tosa Trails. Watch for workdays coming on Oak Hill 3. Oak Hill 4 is going through its 3-season review with MKE Parks. Should be through in 2022. The Baja is being rebuilt again and Parks is aware. We are trying to get a bike park legitimized somewhere because there is certainly a want/need for it.
Minooka Park Update - James
Phase 1 – gateway sign. All the lumber is delivered and on site. The sign will be facing the new parking lot with trails behind it on the hill. We will be doing some clean up over the next couple of weeks and holes for the new sign should be in next week.
Dave has been working diligently on fundraising with local business to help fund the staging area. It will have 50 to 80 stalls much like the parking lot in area 5. Suburban Asphalt is donating the materials which will save us a lot of money. He is also working with local service clubs and Waukesha County community organizations. Remember we need additional parking before we can build out the bike park because there isn’t enough parking as it is. Park can’t fund the project for 10 years, so we needed to fundraise get the bike park in sooner.
Heritage Trail Update – James
Good news, it already has a parking lot! James with Shore Line Trails has been out rough cutting a trail already and soon will need to schedule workdays to do the finish work. Gavin McCloud has been out building the jump lines in the bike park section. We are hoping to open in August.
Future expansion will include 3 more miles of trail then connect to Glacial Hills. This is a 10-year plan.
OCMB Trails – Eric Hackbarth sent update
Pleasant Valley
- Just completed switching out a 16ft length of the bridge over the creek on the advanced loop. It took a direct hit from a large, downed tree floating down the creek and was severely damaged. Repair successful and bridge is in good shape. Also, several other adding boardwalks will have work done to replace pieces starting to rot.
- The log jump on the 2-way stretch on the intermediate loop was built up to a tabletop end of last year
- The log jump on the 2-way stretch on the advanced loop is being built up to something similar. Work is in progress
- Look for upgrades to the skills course pieces next to the kids loop by the shelter.
Port Trails
We have identified more potential new trail along the bluffs and will be requesting permission to flag and get approval to put in. Probably about a half mile segment. Overlooks the marina so it will be pretty.
- We will be seeking approval to put a line of turfstone across the main creek crossing. This will help maintain a consistent surface to go across.
- Eagle Scout Project. A local scout will be designing/building/installing a kiosk bulletin board at the trailhead at the Guenther park parking lot.
Fat Bike Grooming – Bryan Douglas, Chair
Thank you to everyone who helped groom and snowshoe. We are still deciding for next year if we should have snowshoeing at Minooka due to it NOT being a mutli-use trail. It sends the wrong message to those that are hiking that they can walk on the MTB trails. All other trails it definitely helped!
We do need to look at storage for the Snowdog at Minooka. It is a haul to get it from the barn to area 5. Something we need to discuss with the Park. We are also looking at transportation and upgrades for faster grooming process next year.
Heritage trails was a great add for this past season. CALL OUT! When purchasing a Washington County Sticker there is an option to donate to the MTB trail so please donate!!
Volunteer – Dave Cullbertson
We have a new Volunteer Coordinator Dave Cullbertson who was not present. Dave records hours and collects waivers. Make sure to send to him. The counties use these hours toward grants and donations.
With 20 volunteer hours you get a “trail fairy” shirt. So, send those hours in! We will have to review for 2020 and get shirts ordered.
Other Business
Marty asked about Wednesday Night Races. Stuart Scholz stepped up to run the event. It may not be every Wednesday and may or may not be traveling but we will have something. Dan Kutz volunteer to help Stuart when he can. Stay tuned!!! Need to talk to Wheel about insurance for the event.
Shed at Minooka was broken into, but nothing was stolen. We do need to replace but not sure if we should buy another shed or POD. Will be discussed at Board meeting and with Parks.
Next meeting will be a social meeting end of May.
8:59pm Meeting adjourned.
