The FVMBA Annual General Meeting was held on February 26, 2018 at the Sandman Hotel (32720 Simon Ave, Abbotsford, BC V2T 0B8). Below is a summary. One of the highlights of the event, was recognition and celebration of all of the AMAZING volunteer trail builders in the Fraser Valley. These people work their tails off to build and maintain the trails that more than 15,000 people use regularly. If you are one of these people, please make sure to purchase your annual membership because your membership fees are what put tools in these builders hands to do this.

Minutes from the AGM

• Welcome and Call to Order – Meeting Chair
  
• Territorial Acknowledgement
• Financial Update – Mark Sawatzky, Treasurer
  
  • FVMBA bal sh 2016-17 AGM
  • FVMBA-is 2017-16-AGM
• Approval of Budget – Mark Sawatzky & Meeting Chair
  
  • FVMBA actual vs budget 17-18 -AGM
• Land Manager & Stakeholder Acknowledgment
• Reporting & Information
  • Looking At the Last Ride – what 2017 looked like from the President, Ernie Kliever
    • Highlights from Presidency:
      • Established a social media presence
      • Continued Financial Growth
      • Continued Professionalism of the Organization
      • Built Relationships with Land Managers
      • Completed Trail Projects
      • Strategic Planning Workshops
      • Established a Trail Management Plan
      • A Number of Successful Events were Organized
      • The Board Continued to Grow
      • Legalization of Trails
      • Addition of Staff
    • Accomplishments in 2017:
      • SprocKIDS iRide Program in Mission
      • Vedder Mountain Classic and Canadian National Enduro Series
      • Trail Legalization
      • Sumas Mountain Inventory and Inspection
      • Strategic Planning
      • Financial Growth
      • Hired Staff
    • Trail Legalization: What Gives us our Legal Rights?
      • Section 56 (1)(a) of the Forest and Range Practices Act
        • Creates legal establishment of a recreation site, trail or interpretive forest site.
      • Section 57 (1) of the Forest and Range Practices Act
        • No unauthorized tail construction, rehabilitation or maintenance without permission from the Minister in writing
      • Section 118 (1) of the Forest and Range Practices Act
        • Allows government to enter a Partnership Agreement with a non-governmental body for the management of a recreation site or trail
      • Section 87 (3)(b) and (4) of the Forest and Range Practices Act
        • Consequences of breaching s 57. Fines from $5,000 to $100, 000 and/or 6-12 months in jail.
    • Trail Legalization: What is the Process?
      • Gather GPS Data
      • TEST Environmental Document
      • Write a formal proposal
      • Reviewed by District Recreation Officer
      • Complete Revisions
      • Approval from District Recreation Officer
      • Application to Front Counter BC
      • Application goes out for referral
      • 30 day comment period
      • 60 days for Aboriginal groups
      • Any comments back during referral re-sets clock to zero
      • Process can take 6 months to several years
      • Application approved
      • Forest Minister signs off on it in Victoria
      • Partnership Agreement Formed
    • Trail Legalization: What are the benefits?
      •  Insurance
        • $2 million liability Insurance
      • FVMBA recognized as a Stakeholder
        • Part of consultation when industry looks at extracting resources
        • Some remedies available after
      • Access to Government funding
      • Trails are Established and Legalized
        • Legal permission to work on trails
    • Trail Legalization: Where are we at Currently?

• Looking At the Current Trail – moving East and West
• LMBA Merger – Rocky Blondin
• Manning Park Update and Project – Ian Ferch
• Looking to the next Climb  – Strategic Plan – 2018 – 2020 – Rocky Blondin, Mission Director
  
  • FVMBA undertook two strategic planning sessions to develop a unified vision for the purpose and goals of the FVMBA
    • Visioning & SWOT/TOWS with Mark Wood
    • Organizational Strategy with Deb McClellan
  • Our Mission:
    Building a culture of inclusive mountain bike communities and sustainable trail networks.
  • Our Vision:
    Thriving Trails & Communities.
  • Target Key Result Areas:
    • Operational Excellence
      Getting our stuff together and creating process, policy and procedures.
    • Building Community
      Grow our membership and serve them well.
    • Financial Capacity
      Develop and secure the financial resources to sustain the organization needed to do the job at hand.
    • Communication & Promotion
      Tell the stories and share the vision.
    • Advocacy
      Become better stewards of the land on which our trails live.
    • Trail Capacity
      Identify what we have, what is missing and how we can fill those gaps.
• Next Steps for 2018-19
  
  • Hire Operational Staff Role
    • Take on the paperwork and day-to-day of the shovels in the ground aspect of what we do
  • Create a Governance Committee to develop the policies needed to run smoothly
  • Add other committees as needed to achieve the goals of the plan
  • Undertake an implementation exercise to turn the strategy into actions
    • New role to get resources into the trails – lead trail days, supply buildersAppoint Trail Reps in each region/area
  • Review our progress at year-end and chart the course for the following year
  • Capitalize on regional re-alignment and refocus local efforts
  • Further develop the Community aspect of what we do
• Builder Roll Call & Appreciation – Ernie Kliever & Rocky Blondin
  • Special THANK YOU to our volunteer trail builders!

• Special Resolution – Adoption of New Bylaws
  • Due to changes in the BC Societies Act (in 2016), FVMBA has updated our bylaws to ensure compliance with the Act. The membership approved the new bylaws at the AGM.
    • NEW BYLAWS:
      SCHEDULE A: FVMBA Bylaws – 2017 Updated (click to view). 
• Election – By Acclamation (Election was not required)
  • Board Positions – All elected to Board as Directors At Large
    • Amanda Porsild
    • Chelsea Cromarty
    • Crystal Lambert
    • Emma Kliever
    • Ernie Kliever
    • Julie Henderson
    • Mark Sawatzky
    • Michael Woods
    • Rocky Blondin
    • Wes Macaulay
  • Executive and Specific Roles to be elected at first board meeting
• Open Floor – Questions & Discussion
  
  • Members stressed the importance of building the membership base
    • This funds are trails
  • Members had questions about the trail legalization process
  • Members applauded the efforts and work accomplished by Ernie Kliever during his Presidency
  • Members thanked Kevin Koopmans for his work and achievements during his time on the Board as President and Vice President
• Motion to Adjourn – Meeting Chair