Nick,

Here's what I mean when I say torpedo: A little over a year ago the whole bike board identified and organized sets of goals: Infrastructure, Education, Commuting, etc. Committees formed and worked way above and beyond the call of duty to create comprehensive recommendations to the Traffic Commission in the areas of Infrastructure, Education and Commuting. The TC accepted those recommendations. Among the Infrastructure recommendations were the chevrons and the Campus Connector. Those both have traction with the Traffic Commission. The City has budgeted for the chevrons. The City Manager has directed the Director of Public Works to make them happen. They have been reviewed by the WVDOH. To support our Eduction recommendations, the City Manager has submitted a grant application to the WVDOH. The Mayor, City Manager and Executive Director of the MPO carefully reviewed, discussed with us and signed and submitted our Bicycle Friendly Community award application. Having people who are not members of the Bicycle Board presenting ideas to government officials as if they were approved by the Bicycle Board when they were not even reviewed by the Bicycle Board can torpedo both our recommendations and our team spririt, as it were.

Frank

director wrote:

Frank, I'll be giving the update on this. I've been attending the meetings. Please contact me privately with your concerns, I wouldn't want to do anything that would torpedo anything else I'm doing. I'm not certain how you see that would happen with this but I'm happy to listen.

I would like to share a story from a pre-school bike rodeo I did last Saturday. We had an indoor course setup in a room at the Fun Factory last Saturday. All day long pre-school kids were driving around this course with mini-traffic signs. Toward the end of the day as discipline started getting a little slack some older siblings started coming onto the course. When they would get a little too wild we'd take them aside and tell them that we were teaching the younger kids to share the road safely. Older kids could either help with the teaching or would have to leave. They stayed and taught. At the very end a baby crawled from another room right into the middle of the track. The kids' first reaction was "We've got to get the baby out of the way!" to which I responded "No, this road is for everyone - not just the ones on wheels."

I didn't have to do anything else. The kids all made room for the baby and everyone continued to ride safely, just because they were all looking out for each other.

It drove home with me the point that if we can change the minds of drivers, we'll have a lot less work to do changing roads.

Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks. Nick

---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Frank Gmeindl fgmeindl@verizon.net Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:54:09 -0500

...

Bicycle Board Members,

Please read the thread below. I have no idea what the Bicycle Board should do about this, if anything. I'm concerned that things like this can torpedo the projects to which the Traffic Commission and the Assistant City Manager, and, most recently, the MPO have signed up for. Perhaps we can discuss this during the action items update on Thursday when somebody gives an update on Max's Challenge. I understand neither John Lozier nor Marilyn Newcome will be there.

Frank

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [Fwd: RE: Uphill Struggle] Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:07:17 -0500 From: Frank Gmeindl fgmeindl@verizon.net To: John Lozier jl@harpingforharmony.org CC: Newcome Marilyn mjcycling@msn.com, Laura Kemp-Rye Kemprye@verizon.net References: 45E6C992.8020509@verizon.net DF8CEEBB-5F9B-428D-8523-62454276B0F9@harpingforharmony.org

John,

So no one is responsible for this project. Then, how do you see the relationship between this project and its task groups and the Bicycle Board?

Frank

John Lozier wrote:

...

Frank, I'm out of the picture till March 25, so I'll say little more.

The project has lots of energy, several new participants, has grown beyond Bike Board. Although Marilyn is chair, there are several task groups, Laura Kemp-Rye chairs one of them, there is a lot of mutual trust so "responsibility for leading" is somewhat distributed.

Took a ride today, along Uphill Struggle route, I think it will work out great. 15 minutes, at moderate speed, from Seneca Center to Star City Park. I hope the chevrons can be placed on Monongahela Boulevard before August.

Best,

John

On Mar 1, 2007, at 7:39 AM, Frank Gmeindl wrote:

...

John, Marilyn,

What is this about a path? I don't recall that being part of Max's Challenge. You guys need to come back through the Bicycle Board if you're going to change the scope. Rr, quit saying that these things have been approved by the Bicycle Board.

Will one of you please take responsibility for leading this project and contain errant communications?

Frank

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: RE: Uphill Struggle Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:45:45 -0500 From: Laura Kemp-Rye kemprye@verizon.net To: 'John Lozier' jl@harpingforharmony.org, 'Gmeindl Frank' fgmeindl@verizon.net CC: 'Newcome Marilyn' mjcycling@msn.com References: A0A242E5-EF10-4FC2-98B9-C7D176FCA364@harpingforharmony.org

Hi -- I've got an even more recent update. Max and I met with Chet Parsons of the MPO today at the Moose. I wanted to work with him to get an estimate for the path. He heard about the whole thing and is really helpful on some next steps to take. I think he sees this as a simple opportunity to get support for the non-vehicular part of the transportation plan, which the county will just have to inch toward.

In the past, he has worked with Barbara Evans Fleisheur (sp?) on Safe Routes To School. He would support and assist in transportation enhancement (through Bikes Belong) and Safe Routes to Schools Grants.

Great meeting overall. He saw some potential alliances that could all work in the same direction, the Green team, bikes, schools, etc. These are all groups that they've had lackluster support from before.

He asked if I would email him the resolution and if you would present it this evening.

Call if you need me.

Laura Kemp-Rye Office: 304.291.5485 Cell: 304.216.5485 kemprye@verizon.net

---

*From:* John Lozier [mailto:jl@harpingforharmony.org] *Sent:* Thursday, February 28, 2008 8:57 AM *To:* Gmeindl Frank *Cc:* Laura Kemp-Rye; Newcome Marilyn *Subject:* Uphill Struggle

Frank, this is just a heads-up for MPO presentation.

Uphill Struggle met Tuesday and will meet again next Tuesday. I'm leaving for three weeks starting Wednesday, this is why I'm trying not to be the spokesperson, but Marilyn might not be in touch before tonight. We have working groups, budget (and sponsorship goals), good energy, new participants, contacts with Mon County Schools, etc.

In a nutshell, Uphill Struggle is a project to encourage Morgantown residents of all ages to consider bicycles as an appropriate form of transportation. It involves a program of uphill training on Decker's Creek trail, starting in April, and a "main event" on Monongahela Boulevard in August.

Here are two points for you to consider in relation to MPO:

1. Uphill Struggle is considering raising money to create a path

(bike, walking) to Mountainview School, from the top ofGrand Avenue. Maybe raise matching funds for WV Transportation Enhancement grant?

2. Uphill Struggle is soliciting endorsements from organizations,

perhaps from MPO. (Draft resolution in a separate message.)

John Lozier "It's an UPHILL STRUGGLE to get folks to think of bikes as TRANSPORTATION"

-- Nick Hein Director, Positive Spin Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --