Meeting Minutes

Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition
117 North Division Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan
734/487-9058
www.wbwc.org

   Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition Meeting Minutes- 3/1/2007

   Present: Lily Guzman, Mark Higbee, Pete Hines, Ana Iacob, Bob Klingler,
   Bob Krzewinski, Frank Schwende, Dorothy and Paul Steedle, Kris Talley.

   1. Approval of previous meeting minutes - no minutes to approve

   2. Treasurer's report - $2366.93.

   3. New member/attendee intros: Mark Higbee from Ypsilanti EMU Alliance;
   Dorothy and Paul Steedle from Washtenaw Wanderers.

   4. 2007 Goals

   A. Curb Your Car month/Get Active Ypsilanti (May)

   - Public Presentation on AA/Washtenaw NoMo plans 5/3

   Bob Krzewinski will invite Jan Bender from Pittsfield Township. Should we
   invite a journalist as well?

   - Ride of Silence 5/17

   Event posted on the LMB website.

   Bob K. will find out who's the person to talk to about putting `ghost
   bikes' around town, for about a week, in connection with this ride.

   - "Other Voices" article ideas and writers

   This `ghost bikes' could be a story, if it comes through. Kris and Erica:
   Article against giving free parking to Google. Bob K.: about his hit and
   run accident. Maybe an article about `ticketing' bikers for not respecting
   the traffic laws. Klingler about sidewalks by the golf course on Main
   Street.

     * Film Screening?

   As a fundraiser for WBWC. Outdoors? Indoors with the Ann Arbor Film
   Festival?

     * Get Active Ypsi

   Last year it was a week long. This year it will be a month. Lily sent out
   a lot of e-mails - so far little response.

   The Washtenaw Wanderers might organize a walk for this. They meet ever
   second Tue of the month at 7 pm at the Gallup Park Canoe livery.

   B. "Share the Road" campaign (June)

   Kris met with the Ann Arbor police and representatives from the UM and
   ABTS. MAYBE the police cars will use the bumper stickers once they are
   available. Need police training: there was no consensus among officers if
   an accident involving a bike is a "vehicle incident".

   C. Bike Fest at the Green Fair (June)

   - Repair stand(s) - Phil or Pete?

   - T-shirt/transfer display/sales?

   - Commuter info/bike light display - use the LMB plastic bags?

   - Something interactive? - Pete will think of something

   D. Safe Routes to School

   - SR2S Training (3/13)

   Not many registered. Mark gave Lily contact info for potential interested
   people.

   E. Legislative/Planning

   - EMU Street Closing discussion

   Mark - contra, Bob K. - pro. For now WBWC is not

   endorsing it: need more information. WBWC would like to propose a viable
   alternative that encourages non-motorized transportation.

   Bob K. will write a letter asking why there are no bike racks at the new
   student building.

   - Ann Arbor Discovering Downtown (A2D2) Parking and Transportation
   Strategy Study focus groups

   Eli Cooper asked us to suggest dates during the weeks of March 26 and May
   7. We voted on Tue, Marc 27, in the evening.

   - Other:

   Bob K. sent the letter in support of a grant for Pittsfield Township and
   another one to the City Council regarding repaving Huron River Street.

   Bob K. got a phone call from the WCC's president regarding the bike path
   that was eliminated during construction.

   Nobody went to the Platt Rd hearing.

   5. Upcoming Events

   - Global Warming Rally (4/14) Need materials for this. Banner?

   - WCC Earth Day (4/19) - we have volunteers for this

   - AA Earth Day (4/22) - no volunteers yet

   6. WBWC General Business

   A. Membership Report (Schwende)

   - Finalize retail and affiliate membership arrangements

   Frank will take the decals (to be ready soon) to the bike and fitness
   shops

   - Direct mail to AABTS?

   Frank will look into it.

   - Identify AABTS liaison

   We decided AABTS is our lifetime member.

   B. Newsletter (Krzewinski) - will be sent out soon

   C. Materials for info tables

   - One-page "resource" flyer for bike packets/info table

   - Review membership brochure

   We have the draft for a new one. Need to add walkers in the picture and
   the website address on first page. Waiting for Erica's suggestions to
   finalize it. Instead of the panel for nailing we could add a list of
   sponsors, other groups, stores, etc. Reformat the text that's centered.

   D. "To-do" list for volunteers

   7. Reports from other groups/events (if time permits)

   League of Michigan Bicyclists ()

   Washtenaw Public Health (Guzman)

   Ypsi Health Coalition (Krzewinski, Guzman)

   U-M Non-motorized Transportation (Talley)

   ALT Committee (Talley, Briggs)

   GetDowntown program (Briggs)

   AA Environmental Commission Transportation Committee (Briggs)

   AABTS Safety Committee ()

   Parks and Recreation (Krzewinski)

   We talked about the bridge by Dexter across Huron (?!) and a new (what?)
   at Geddes at Dixboro.

   7. Adjournment - Next meeting: April 5, 2007