Valley Futures

Valley Moves Meeting Minutes   January 8, 2009, Wait House, 6pm
Present:  Sue Frechette, Stan Ward, Liz Weller, Bobbi Rood, James Foreman, Erin Russell Story, Dave Cain, Joshua Schwartz, Laura Brines, Brian Fleischer
Agenda:
Working Group Reports:
*  Shared Transportation: James Foreman and Erin Russell Story, Co-Chairs
The State “Go VT” organization has had a staffing shake up, their website will not be up & running until March ’09 (many months later than expected);  James is developing a website, Madriverforum.com, which he hopes to introduce at the “Hopeful Inauguration” celebration for feedback.  One of the features of this forum will be that folks can post info re. carpooling or vanpooling  possibilities…
James will submit an article about the new website, etc. to the VR in February.

*   Valley Walk and Roll Festival- Dave Cain, Chair
The Festival will be May 11-15, which coincides with the National Bike to Work Week; The State “Way to Go” week, which encourages businesses to support alternative transportation ideas will be, May 5-8.  Dave has been in touch with Steve Gladzuck, of “Way to Go”, and some joint PR will take place.
The Festival will be the same as last year’s, with some new ideas under consideration:
•    A Bike Clinic-  folks would learn how to maintain their bikes by working on the fleet of Mad Bikes (helping the Mad Bikes get serviced while learning new skills)
•    A bike swap (similar to the Ski & Skate Sale)
•    A Women’s Bike Clinic, sponsored by Sugarbush
•    A raffle for a new bike  (fundraiser for the Mad Bikes)
•    2-3 hour bike education courses
•    Other?
Next meeting of the Valley Walk & Roll Festival Working Group:  Feb. 2, 7:30 a.m. at the Three Mtn. Café.  All are welcome!

*  Mad Bikes of Waitsfield- a Town of Waitsfield Committee:  Bobbi Rood, Laura Brines, Liz Weller, Kari Dolan, Peter Lazorchak, Sue Frechette and Troy Kingsbury
The fleet of bikes and all the new bike racks are being stored in James Foreman’s barn;  Laura will write a report for the Waitsfield Town Report;  Hopefully some of the bikes will be worked on by Steve Skilton’s shop class at Harwood Union High School over the winter (Troy will contact Steve);  $2000 grant was received to support this project by the Mad River Valley Rec District.

2.  Valley Moves structure
Working Group Chair functions:  Each working group of Valley Moves has a Chair or Co-Chair.  The Chair(s) will keep in touch via email, and call meetings when needed.  Info regarding these meetings will be posted on the VFN website, via email to the list, and on the new Madriverforum.com
If anyone has a new idea for transportation related project, either share it at the monthly VFN meetings, the quarterly Valley Moves meetings, or communicate via email to create a new working group.

Set 2009 quarterly meeting dates for Valley Moves:
Acting Chairs will: publicize the meeting, create an agenda, take minutes,
bring snacks ☺, etc.
April 9:  Dave, acting Chair
July 9:  Erin, acting Chair
October 8:  Bobbi, acting Chair

VFN Monthly meeting attendance:  we decided not to structure this, 1 or more Valley Moves members will try to attend monthly.

3.  Other ideas:
*  Wind Powered  Electric Cars /Batteries – Dave Sellers:  Bobbi described Dave’s exciting       idea!
•     Brian Fleischer told us about a petition to get businesses in the Ag District (Am. Flatbread, for ex.) to have more flexible zoning possibilities.
•    MRPA survey-  Laura encouraged everyone to do the survey.  The MRPA is in the midst of Strategic Planning.
•    Central VT Rec Trail Group:  Joshua talked about this new initiative, they are working on developing a Central VT Trail Website, similar to Localmotion’s (Burl.)  Hopefully the MRPA will collaborate with this initiative.

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