LAB Reform Meeting Notes
LAB BOARD MEETING, Sept. 4, 2004, Jasper, IN.

Notes taken by Bill Hoffman


LAB Reform presents these notes because the official minutes typically are not detailed enough, so that someone who did not attend the meeting is unlikely to grasp the arguments raised about the issues in question or know how much time was devoted to a given topic.  In addition, the minutes are not posted until many months after the meeting — an excessive delay.

The League does not made the minutes of board meetings available to members at large, unless they specifically ask and then there is a long delay.  Hence, we offer Bill’s notes here.

Attendance:
Directors present: Chris Kegel, Brenda Pulley, John Allen, Joe Stafford, Paul Wessel, Preston Tyree
Directors absent: Martha Roskowski, Rich Killingsworth, Mike Greehan, Donald Sparks, Amanda Jones.
Staff present: Andy Clarke
Guests present: Fred Oswald, Chuck Smith, Mike Abrams, Steve Gottlieb, Don Burrell, Bill Hoffman

5:05P  Introductions of directors and guests.

~5:08  BikeFest report by Andy.  Don’t have final attendance yet
(Bill’s note: Connie Schmucker had told me that it was over 200).

~5:10  Members’ comments. Fred Oswald read his prepared statement likening LAB’s actions to groupthink that allowed poor decision making leading to the Space Shuttle crashes at NASA.  He then read LABreform’s list of issues.

Steve Gottlieb was disturbed by the decline of democracy in LAB.  When he first joined, he opted to put his support with LAW rather than Bikecentennial (now Adventure Cycling) because the League had real elections, which continued during his tenure on the Board.  He said the bylaws should be restored to their 2003 (or earlier) version, and all directors should be elected.  He said he will work for these changes but he prefers that the Board make them.

5:18  125th anniversary. There will be a rally and dinner on May 27-29 in RI or MA, kicking off (about) 125 days of celebrations, many of them locally based, culminating in a gala dinner at Interbike in Las Vegas on Sept. 30.  Bike Month will focus on the past and future of cycling; there will be an anniversary patch, a Smithsonian touring exhibition, an on-line bike museum, a historical lecture at BELC (May 2-4) by a speaker in NYC who has an antique bike collection, and the League will join with Joe Bowen’s ride around the perimeter of the US (which he described at the welcome party Friday night).  The National Rally will be tied into Cycle Oregon.  About 2500 cyclists are expected, compared to 700 this year.

Joe said that the schedule conflict with this year’s BikeFest and Pro-Bike/Pro-Walk, the Thunderhead retreat, and the Midwest Tandem rally should have been brought up last year.  Andy said that there shouldn’t be any conflicts with the New England and Oregon events.

Chris said that anyone we partner with should have the expertise to do the event, as LAB is not the best at putting on events.

5:41  Interbike Board meeting agenda.  The meeting will start Friday, Oct. 8 at 2PM and end on Saturday around 5PM, with the possibility of working Friday evening.  Agenda will include the ’05 budget, BELC, the Summit, BikeFest final plans, and the 125th anniversary.

(Bill’s note: according to the Bylaws, the fall meeting also includes the election of officers and the vote on the Nominating Committee’s slate for the Board seats due for election or appointment, as well as the ExDir’s performance review.)

Other business. Paul said that the final draft of the March 6 minutes was sent by Don Sparks, but nobody saw it.  Therefore, a vote on those minutes will occur in October.  Paul also said that the Nominating Committee made a report on the ’05 election timing, but it was not acted on by the Board.  NomCom includes Paul, Martha, and Amanda.

The financial results for June are not out yet, but some major fundraising is behind budget.  Some expense cuts are needed to balance the budget, as there is a $100K operating deficit year-to-date.  The fundraising consultant wasn’t working out and was dropped.

Joe asked what the current cash flow is, and what’s owed to the Life Trust.  The ’03 year-end audit is ready, per Andy, and will be sent out.  Paul has one copy with him which anyone can inspect.

Joe said that at Interbike he will introduce a motion to rescind one of the Oct., 2003 bylaws changes and will seek to establish a policy that the Executive Committee, except for the treasurer, shall be comprised only of elected directors.  Joe was not sure if that should be a bylaws amendment or a regular motion.

John, speaking about the bylaws, said that NomCom should have presented its slate and it should have been voted on at this meeting.  He also said that the annual meeting should be a business meeting, not the format that’s being used this year and was used last year.  He also mentioned that many of LAB’s archives and historical documents are still being stored in Tom Helm’s basement.

Joe said the Board needs advance notice of NomCom’s candidates and all others who applied or were considered for Board seats.

Steve Gottlieb asked why this Board meeting was so perfunctory.  Paul replied that it was due to schedule conflicts.  Joe said the meeting cycle changed due to the Summit and the loss of the League’s traditional summer rally.  Paul suggested that the national rally be assigned to a different regional director each year, and that the director so assigned would be charged with finding a site in his/her region.

Meeting adjourned about 6:15P.

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Last Revised 12/ 1/04.