I never thought I would be campaigning for president but I am happy to volunteer and continue to work on behalf of the club. My goal going forward is the same it has been for last two years - to promote mountain biking in the Lehigh valley by creating an atmosphere where people can step up, get involved and take ownership of projects and events. It's part of my leadership style and has worked for me in my corporate life. I really don't know if people like it or not but it is what it is. As you can tell I am not big on meetings and believe that successes speak for themselves. There are downsides to avoiding "bureaucracy" and unfortunately transparency is one of them. It's a weakness and an area that I know can be improved. We are moving in the right direction.
The Mtn bike community is a diverse group of people with a broad range of interests and lots of good ideas. Our strength comes from that diversity and we need to encourage that. I've tried to do away with the drama and infighting because the actions of the individuals reflect on all of us whether it is good or bad. We lose credibility in the community and it discourages volunteers. I know "bashing the volunteers/club" has become a bit of a sport but I would like to think we have been successful in marginalizing most the negative, disruptive people that detract from our efforts and image. The major events keep getting bigger and new events are getting started.
With that said, I want to personally thank all those people that donate their time, energy and materials to improve biking in the Lehigh Valley. A lot of people step up and take lead roles on significant events and projects. That needs to continue. As President, I'm lucky to build on a strong foundation put in place by past volunteers and will continue to work with current groups to build and maintain trails encouraging a tightknit community of riders with mutual respect so we can increase our access to trails throughout the region. In the end, the goal is clear – to ride our bikes more. If you would like me to continue as president I am happy to do it. Come out Tuesday, vote and get involved. It looks like the meeting will be another popular one. I take it as a sign of our success and an indication that we can still improve. Get involved, stay involved and most importantly - ride.
mtv