NEBRA Annual Meeting / Elections/ Promoter’s Meeting
Friday, November 12, 2004

Greetings fellow cyclists,

We hope everyone had a successful season this year, and we wish those still competing in cyclocross continued success. We would like to provide you with information about the New England Bicycle Racing Association (NEBRA) and its activities in 2004, as well as invite you to attend the upcoming NEBRA Annual Meeting for election of Directors as well as immediately followed by the promoters’ 2005 race scheduling meeting on December 18, 2004, and the NEBRA banquet on February 5, 2005.

NEBRA was incorporated March 13, 2002, received its formal §501(c)(3) letter ruling from the US Treasury on September 27, 2002, and was subsequently designated by USAC as the District Administrator for cycling in New England. NEBRA is the New England Local Association of USA Cycling, not a separate entity from USA Cycling. Beginning in 2003, in an effort to better serve its membership, USA Cycling began cultivating relationships with established Local Associations and working with local groups to create new associations. Local Associations partnering with USAC have agreed to take over the functions that the former District Representative and current Regional Coordinators perform. USAC has allocated $10 from each adult license and $5 from each add-on license (except NORBA licenses) for NEBRA.

The mission of NEBRA is to help make bicycle racing in New England bigger and better than ever, to help promoters put on quality races, to train new officials and upgrade current officials, and to help racers develop their skills and strengths to represent New England in national and international competitions. NEBRA membership is open to licensed USCF clubs and race promoters for an annual fee of $25.

In 2004, NEBRA conducted several initiatives to improve racing in New England. We hosted an officials’ seminar last February. We provided grants to Union Velo Club to support junior development, to Berkshire Cycling Association to help run a junior cyclocross series, and to the Serotta Women’s P-1-2 race series. We also established criteria for NEBRA-friendly races that include the following:

· Providing finish camera and electronic results.
· Submitting (or arranging for timing service to submit) results to USA Cycling to be included in national ranking system.
· Providing appropriate neutral support, including a pit at criteriums and wheel vans at road races.
· Providing adequate numbers for racers, including two per rider for road races.
· Providing bathroom facilities at the start and finish of the race.
· Providing an organized registration process with sufficient staff, separate lines for pre-registration and day-of registration, and no excessive lines.

The annual promoters’ meeting, open NEBRA meeting, and NEBRA Board of Directors election will be held at 12:00 p.m. on December 18, 2004 at Royal Plaza Best Western Hotel and Trade Center, Route 31 in Fitchburg, MA. Anyone who is a NEBRA member or is part of a NEBRA member club can run for a position on the Board of Directors. All five positions are elected annually. Anyone wishing to run for a Board of Directors position should contact Jonathan Lowenstein ([email protected]), NEBRA Secretary, by December 1, 2004. This meeting is a good opportunity for the race promoters to form a well-balanced race schedule, and for anyone to voice their opinions about how NEBRA can help make cycling better.

The Board of Directors election will be run as follows: only NEBRA members may vote in the election and run for any of five Board positions. All people running for the Board of Directors will be listed on the NEBRA website. In previous years, each member was entitled to five votes, one for each Board position. Members could vote for five different people, one person five times, or any combination of the two. However, this year’s Board has modified the voting slightly. Each member will still have five votes for Board positions, but the votes must be for five different people. If there are any other issues to be voted on, each member has one vote.

The current NEBRA Board of Directors, elected last November, includes co-chairs Mike Norton and Laura Summers, Diane Fortini (administrator), Jonathan Lowenstein (secretary), and Sandy Martin. The Board appointed Bill Black as Treasurer. State representatives from each of the six New England states also provide regional guidance and facilitate communication between members and the NEBRA board.

Any person or club who is eligible to be a NEBRA member, but has not signed up for 2004 can still join and vote in the upcoming election. To form a quorum, we must receive votes from 33.3 percent of the NEBRA membership. Proxy ballots will be sent prior to the meeting; if you are not able to attend, please be sure to vote by proxy.

NEBRA will be hosting a banquet on February 5, 2005 at the Royal Plaza Best Western Hotel and Trade Center, Route 31 in Fitchburg, MA. The event will include guest speakers and a bicycle expo, as well as dinner and cocktails. Awards will be given to those ranked highest in their categories based on the USA Cycling ranking system. It will be a chance for people to catch up with their cycling friends from the circuit, celebrate the 2004 season, and get motivated for the new year of bicycle racing about to begin. Details will be available on the NEBRA Website (ne-bra.org) as they become available.

We look forward to meeting with you and continuing to serve you. We wish you success in all your cycling endeavors.

Sincerely,


The NEBRA Board of Directors

photos by Jonathan McElvery, Jack Milton, and BikeReg.com