4/16/08: Our follow-up meeting on April 14th was an unqualified success, thanks to all the many wonderful people and organizations who participated and helped to make it possible!  A total of 26 enthusiastic supporters attended, and 24 signed up for continued participation!!  We started to form a number of subcommittees to tackle various projects and tasks to move RideBuzz toward achieving its goals.  Newcomers are welcome to join.  We have started to use Google Groups to share information between members, so active participants should join here to stay informed:

OVERVIEW:

RideBuzz will hold a follow-up meeting on Monday, April 14, 2008, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., at the Media Education Foundation (MEF) community room, 60 Masonic Street, Northampton, MA (map). This second meeting will be a continuation of our successful kickoff meeting held on April 3rd.  Read all about it below and come and get in on the "ground floor" to launch this initiative!
 

GOALS:

The purpose of our second meeting is to address the mechanics of how to formally organize RideBuzz to achieve its mission and objectives in an acceptable time frame.  The plan is to walk away from this meeting with:

• Better knowledge of RideBuzz: who we are as a group with different skills
• How we are going to do it
• Who is going to do it (get talented and dedicated people on board to help in a variety of capacities)
• Our next milestones, objectives, time lines:
•    Agree on legal structure/organizational framework
•    Start grant applications
•    Activate committees, working in synergy
•    Engage professors for fall/spring class integrated projects:

    1. Pursue research grants
    2. Recruit interns
• Outreach work to form appropriate Board of Directors and Board of Advisors (all with strengths, overlap and synergy, imbued with the positivity and strong belief to actuate the changes we are creating)
• Continued engagement of key institutional, organizational, and municipal players (including colleges, businesses, non-profits, municipalities)
• Continued web development plans

AGENDA:

Our Proposed Agenda is as follows:

 1. [7:30 - 7:40]: Preliminary Items: Assign person to record Minutes of Meeting.  Circulate sign-up sheet; distribute info on how to sign onto Google Group.

 2. [7:40 - 7:45]: Welcome, introduction; review Meeting Agenda; motions for amendments; approval.

 3. [7:45 - 8:00]: Recap results from April 3rd Meeting.  Invite additional comments and input from those who could not attend the April 3rd Meeting.

 4. [8:00 - 8:15]: Group introductions.  Adapt vision to incorporate vital input from key players.  Agree on overarching Mission Statement for RideBuzz (or note portions that need further consideration and refinement).

 5. [8:15 - 9:15]: Organizational Planning:

  (a) Discuss how best to organize – what type of organization to form.  Consider various legal structures:

• Non-profit vs. for-profit vs. co-operative.
• Tax-exempt vs. not tax-exempt (non-profit only).
• Other forms.

  (b) Articles of Organization – need a focus group to create and propose, based on Mission Statement.

  (c) Agree on initial formation of committees.  Seek volunteers for initial committees, which could include:

• Organizing Committee (to establish Articles of Organization, determine best organizational-/ legal structure, propose initial set of by-laws and officer positions)
• Nominating Committee for Board of Directors and Officers
• Volunteer Recruitment Committee
• Fund-raising Committee
• Publicity and Outreach Committee
• Transportation Market Research and Planning Committee
• Technical Advisory Committee

 6. [9:15 - 9:30]: Closing Items:

  (a) Organize through Google Group:

  (b) Discuss and decide on when and where to meet regularly, frequency that works best for steering group.

  (c) Discuss and decide on agenda for next meeting.

  (d) Adjourn.

 7. [?? - 9:30]: Optional Items:

  (a) Discuss funding sources, grants etc.
 

TRANSPORTATION:

Carpool or Rideshare To and From the Meeting!

Please contact us here!

Please see the Strategic Plan shown on this page until it can be updated by the organization's Board of Directors.

Define Major Committee Focus Areas, which could include:

• Advocacy/Marketing
• Events
• Funding
• Technology
• Access issues

   * Disabilities
   * Economically Disadvantaged
• Low tech/High tech integration strategies (different committee representatives that work together to assess and design for needs)

   * Geographic:
    - Drop off/pick up Zones
    - Multi-modal integration
    - Hilltown areas
    - Businesses
    - Primary Trips: Commute and regular scheduling
    - Secondary Trips: One time events, weekends, shopping
   * Demographic Strategies (accessibility)
    - Elderly
    - Disabled
    - Economically Disadvantaged
    - Labor Pools

• Summarize roles
• Define next step tasks, ownership, and time lines for tasks