Sounds like a good idea to me.
Alice
On Fri, Jul 27, 2012 at 5:09 AM, Frank Gmeindl <
fgmeindl@gmail.com> wrote:
Bicycle Board Members,
A local bicyclist who wishes to remain anonymous observed to me that
regarding Positive Spin, he thinks Mark Wise has someone who is willing to
do bicycle mechanical work, but there still needs to be some administrative
oversight of the PS center. He suggests that the Bicycle Board establish a
committee of three persons to run the center, communicate with the public
and BOPARC, supervise the work of the mechanic and have the center generally
overseen as an education and resource center of the BB. Perhaps the
committee of three could be non-BB members recruited for that purpose.
Perhaps the BB could ask the city for an extra $5 grand to operate the
structure and to pay the rent to BOPARC. He believes that BOPARC might
support you on that. The “rent” is $200 a month. The rest of the cash could
be used for operation expenses, education of school kids, etc. The Positive
Spin has made unique significant contributions doing some bike education and
bike distribution in the area, and it would be unfortunate to let its
marketing and reputation for success completely die. Even if the PS center
could just be open for sales and swaps on Saturday mornings but hold
periodic classes and special events after school and on weekday evenings.
Perhaps the BB could even install a black board and hold a couple of its
meetings each year at the center.
Frank
On Jul 16, 2012, at 10:33 PM, director wrote:
Butch, Frank, Marc et al,
Positive Spin has always netted some income at the end each year, primarily
from the sale of recycled bikes. This is only because our overhead is quite
low. I'll be happy to give a financial summary if interested parties can
get together as group so I only have to do it once. This year, which is our
best ever, we have grossed about $16000 up to now - as much as we have ever
made in an entire year. I'm in the process of getting together monthly
reports for this year but an average month has about $1000 expenses. We do
a lot of unpaid activities like Toy Drive, Bikes for the World (overseas)
that serve to clear out our otherwise unusable inventory. If you advertised
through the Bike League or Alliance for Biking and Walking I'm sure you
could find someone much better trained and experienced for the job. If they
could add kids' "cycling skills" classes, mechanic training, camps, etc.
they could bring in additional net income - probably enough to pay them a
living wage.
Currently I plan to close the doors Aug. 1 but if there is enough interest
in keeping things going I'll hold off the fire sale until someone has been
appointed to pay the bills. There are several volunteers who are not in
this social circle who would like to continue volunteering in non-leadership
roles. Jen Previll - data entry, showroom help. Ken Rice, Bill Jones -
repair, freakbikes, showroom help. Joe Sallmen-repair, shop help. Danielle
Williams and Derek Springston have expressed keen interest in keeping things
going in some way. My suggestion to Marc was that the mission be scaled
back from sustainable transportation to bike recycling/bike-ped education.
This would drop the advocacy and infrastructure aspects, as well as
transit/carpool travel modes.
It's late and I'm tired, so that's all the coherent stuff I can contribute
at the moment. I'm anxious to see new leadership emerge to continue filling
this important niche of getting bikes that wouldn't get used otherwise to
people who wouldn't be able to get one otherwise. And training them to use
them safely and enjoyably. Thanks to all of you, for all you've done so far
and for the kind words of grattitude. The best thanks, though, will be to
see what I've started continue after I'm gone.
Nick
Nick Hein LCI# 1705
Director, Positive Spin
803 East Brockway Ave
Morgantown, WV
ph 304-276-0213
-----Original Message-----
From: "Graber, Stephen" <sggraber@hsc.wvu.edu>
Sent 7/16/2012 9:57:26 PM
To: "Frank Gmeindl" <fgmeindl@gmail.com>, "Bicycle Board"
<bikeboard@cheat.org>
Subject: Re: [Bikeboard] Fwd: Positive Spin
Was Nick able to derive any income at all from Positive Spin? If so perhaps
it could be "sold" (I know it's a non-profit) to some like-minded individual
and perhaps the BB could help BoParc advertise and interview candidates.
With the right person and possibly help from the City and/or BoParc I would
think the operation might continue almost as is while providing just enough
income to support a "director" that would manage things and oversee whatever
volunteers are manning the place now. Doubtful anyone will ever give quite
as much as Nick but perhaps they could come close enough to keep Positive
Spin spinning.
Butch
-------------------------------------------
Stephen G. Graber
Biochem & Mol Pharmacology
PO Box 9142, HSN-3122
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV 26506-9142
phone: 304-293-2305
------ _0
------ _ \<,_
---- (*)/ (*)
________________________________
From: bikeboard-bounces@cheat.org [bikeboard-bounces@cheat.org] On Behalf Of
Frank Gmeindl [fgmeindl@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 6:35 PM
To: Bicycle Board
Subject: [Bikeboard] Fwd: Positive Spin
Bicycle Board Members,
Please reply-to-all at your earliest convenience with your thoughts or
recommendations for a response to Mark. He is director of BOPARC.
Frank D. Gmeindl
Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board
LCI #1703
491 WilsonAvenue
Morgantown, WV 26501
304-376-0446
Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Mark Wise" <mwise@boparc.org>
Date: July 16, 2012 3:05:47 PM EDT
To: <fgmeindl@gmail.com>
Frank, I was hoping to speak to the Bike Board about a concern I have
related to Bike activities in our community. As you may know Nick Hein of
Positive Spin is leaving the area. He has been a vital part of the Positive
Spin operation. He has approached BOPARC about continuing the services that
Positive Spin provided. We do not have the staffing or expertise to do this
but think that it is an important service to offer our community. Do you
have any thoughts on how we could integrate the Positive Spin operation
under the Bike Board and BOPARC’s umbrella of responsibility? I know we
cannot do this alone. Any thoughts? Mark Wise mwise@boparc.org
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