Newsletter archive

Dear SF Bicycle Coalition Member,

Thanks for reading my newsletter. I intend to keep you updated on San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) governance and other items of interest. Views in this communication are my own and do not represent the views of the SFBC.

In this newsletter:

1. Next SFBC board meeting – Tuesday, April 25
2. Members for More Representative Elections meeting – Thursday, May 11
3. Golden Wheel Awardees Tell Their Stories – Tuesday, June 6
4. Update on strategic planning
5. SFBC board contact information and 2017 meeting calendar
6. Share this newsletter

Next SFBC board meeting – Tuesday, April 25
The next SFBC board meeting is 6:30 – 8:30pm, Tuesday, April 25 at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street. Members are invited to attend. No RSVP necessary. Read the agenda here. The board will be discussing (but not acting on) a proposal to implement ranked choice voting for board elections.

Members for More Representative Elections meeting – Thursday, May 11
Join Members for More Representative Elections after Bike to Work Day to share experiences, snacks, and new ideas on how this City can be better for biking. How do we make it better? We need to involve lots of members in running for the board, voting, and participating with creative ideas. Join in!

When: 6:30 – 8:30pm, Thursday, May 11
Where: Mission Police Station Community Room, 630 Valencia Street, San Francisco

Golden Wheel Awardees Tell Their Stories – Tuesday, June 6
Come mix and mingle with your fellow SFBC members. Hear a panel of Golden Wheel awardees describe their triumphs and challenges of bringing biking to more people. What motivated them? How did they make progress? How did the SFBC play a role? The Golden Wheel is the SFBC’s annual award for excellence in advocacy.

Featured panelists:
Mary Kay Chin, Yellow Bike, 2015 Golden Wheel winner
Peter Colijn, SF2G, 2015 Golden Wheel winner
Shirley Johnson, BIKES ONboard, 2014 Golden Wheel winner (yes, yours truly)

When: 7 – 9pm, Tuesday, June 6
Where: Chez Poulet, 3359 Cesar Chavez St, San Francisco

Delicious refreshments provided. Valet bike parking. This fundraiser for the SFBC is hosted by three board members (Chema Hernández Gil, Jeremy Pollock, and Jiro Yamamoto) and supported by Save SF Bike. Be ready to donate to support a strong SFBC!

Update on strategic planning
The SFBC is in the midst of updating its five-year strategic plan. The board and strategic planning committee are currently conducting dozens of stakeholder interviews and community listening sessions. The committee will synthesize the data (along with data from the member open house held April 19) to develop draft goals, objectives and strategies.

If you missed the member open house, you can still provide input by writing to [email protected]. The next opportunity for general member input will be a member survey to be conducted this summer. Please visit the strategic planning webpage for more information about the strategic planning process and timeline.

SFBC board contact information and 2017 meeting calendar

You can contact the full board at [email protected]. Below are dates for SFBC board meetings in 2017, all starting at 6:30pm at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street.
Tuesday, April 25
Tuesday, May 23
Tuesday, June 27
Tuesday, July 25
Tuesday, August 22
Tuesday, September 26
Tuesday, October 24
Tuesday, November 28
No December meeting

Share this newsletter

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others. Anyone can join my email list. I am always happy to hear from members and I am interested in your input.

Happy pedaling,
Shirley Johnson
SFBC Board Member

Banner photo: At the top of Mt. Hamilton, San Jose, California. Each April, I ride up Mount Hamilton and then down the far side to Patterson to enjoy the views and admire the wildflowers. I did the ride just last week, but had to take a steep detour due to a washout on Mt. Hamilton Road. The landscape is beautifully green and lush this year!

This Wednesday is a big opportunity to help shape the next five years of bike advocacy in San Francisco.

SFBC Member Open House for Strategic Planning
When: Wednesday, April 19, 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Sports Basement in the Grotto, 1590 Bryant Street

Every five years, the SF Bicycle Coalition creates a new Strategic Plan to guide our work. This Open House is the first opportunity for members to provide input on that. Topics will range from street campaigns to transportation justice/equity to communication to governance plus more.

To prepare for the Open House, I’ve been reviewing the Save SF Bike platform and thinking about which elements of it would be appropriate to include in the Strategic Plan. And here is the link to the SFBC’s 2012-2017 Strategic Plan.

You can RSVP for the Open House here.

Dear SF Bicycle Coalition Member,

Thanks for reading my newsletter. I intend to keep you updated on San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) governance and other items of interest. Views in this communication are my own and do not represent the views of the SFBC.

In this newsletter:

1. Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, March 28
2. Strategic planning open house April 19 – save the date!
3. Minutes from board meeting of January 31
4. SFBC board contact information and 2017 meeting calendar
5. Share this newsletter

Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, March 28
The next SFBC board meeting is 6:30 – 8:30pm, Tuesday, March 28 at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street. Members are invited to attend. No RSVP necessary. Read the agenda here. The board will be voting on the annual budget for the next fiscal year (April ’17 through March ’18).

Strategic planning open house April 19 – save the date!
The SFBC will hold an open house the evening of Wednesday, April 19 for you to share your ideas about strategic direction, as we update our five-year strategic plan. We really want your input – please plan to attend! Keep an eye out for an announcement in the Biker Bulletin and Chain of Events for details.

Please visit the strategic planning webpage for general information about the strategic planning process and timeline.

Minutes from board meeting of January 31
The minutes from the January 31 board meeting are posted. I’d encourage you to have a look. Hats off to Mary Kay Chin, our new board secretary, for writing such great minutes!

SFBC board contact information and 2017 meeting calendar

You can contact the full board at [email protected]. Below are dates for SFBC board meetings in 2017, all starting at 6:30pm at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street.
Tuesday, March 28
Tuesday, April 25
Tuesday, May 23
Tuesday, June 27
Tuesday, July 25
Tuesday, August 22
Tuesday, September 26
Tuesday, October 24
Tuesday, November 28
No December meeting

Share this newsletter

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others. Anyone can join my email list. I am always happy to hear from members and I am interested in your input.

Happy pedaling,
Shirley Johnson
SFBC Board Member

Banner photo: Near Hyder, Alaska. On the first of my two solo rides from Anchorage to San Francisco, I took a side trip to Hyder. On my ‘rest day,’ I rode a gravel road with 3000 feet elevation gain for this amazing vantage point above Salmon Glacier.

Dear SF Bicycle Coalition Member,

Thanks for reading my newsletter. I intend to keep you updated on San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) governance and other items of interest. Views in this communication are my own and do not represent the views of the SFBC.

In this newsletter:

1. Andy Thornley elected to board president
2. Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, February 28
3. Strategic planning shifting into high gear
4. SFBC board contact information and 2017 meeting calendar
5. Share this newsletter

Andy Thornley elected to board president
At the SFBC board meeting on January 31, the board elected Andy Thornley to board president by a secret vote of eight (for Andy) to six (for me) and one (for Lindy Kae Patterson). There was significant discussion before the vote, with several board members favoring a compromise of president/vice-president or co-presidents to create leadership more representative of the differing perspectives on the board. Some board members spoke out against the idea, and it was eventually dropped. Jeremy Pollock motioned (seconded by Adam Keats) to make the vote public. I voted for this motion for greater transparency, but the motion failed (6 in favor, 7 against, and 2 abstentions), resulting in a vote by secret ballot.

As a reminder, Mary Kay Chin and Lawrence Li were elected secretary and treasurer, respectively, at a special board meeting on January 7. Congratulations to all our 2017 board officers!

Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, February 28
The next SFBC board meeting is 6:30 – 8:30pm, Tuesday, February 28 at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street. Members are invited to attend. No RSVP necessary. Read the agenda here. A very welcome change this time is public comment near the beginning of the meeting instead of at the very end.

Strategic planning shifting into high gear
The SFBC’s strategic plan will be updated this year to guide the organization for the next five years. Your input is very important to make the next strategic plan the best it can be!

Please visit the new strategic planning webpage, which shows opportunities for you to provide input. The first opportunity is right now – please complete the form on the webpage.

The Strategic Planning Committee has re-formed for 2017 to include both staff and board. The committee unanimously elected me as the committee chair. Executive Director Brian Wiedenmeier and I are co-leading the strategic planning process.

SFBC board contact information and 2017 meeting calendar

You can contact the full board at [email protected]. Below are dates for SFBC board meetings in 2017, all starting at 6:30pm at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street.
Tuesday, February 28
Tuesday, March 28
Tuesday, April 25
Tuesday, May 23
Tuesday, June 27
Tuesday, July 25
Tuesday, August 22
Tuesday, September 26
Tuesday, October 24
Tuesday, November 28
No December meeting

Share this newsletter

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others. Anyone can join my email list. I am always happy to hear from members and I am interested in your input.

Happy pedaling,
Shirley Johnson
SFBC Board Member

Banner photo: Climbing the Beartooth Highway in Montana on my way to Yellowstone National Park, during a solo bicycle tour of seven western states. The Beartooth Highway has sharp switchbacks up to Beartooth Pass at 10,947 feet on the Wyoming border.

Dear SF Bicycle Coalition Member,

Thanks for reading my newsletter. I intend to keep you updated on San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) governance and other items of interest. Views in this communication are my own and do not represent the views of the SFBC.

In this newsletter:

1. Board secretary, treasurer, and interim president elected at special board meeting on Saturday, January 7
2. Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, January 31
3. SFBC board contact information and 2017 meeting calendar
4. Share this newsletter

Board secretary, treasurer, and interim president elected at special board meeting on Saturday, January 7
At the request of the executive director, the board held a special board meeting on Saturday, January 7 for the sole purpose of electing officers. The board approved Mary Kay Chin as secretary, Lawrence Li as treasurer, and Jenn Fox as interim president.

Secretary and treasurer were uncontested, but both Andy Thornley and I volunteered for president. The board discussed the election of officers at length and some board members expressed concern about rushing the election at a special meeting. In addition, an email from Members for More Representative Elections urged that officers be elected at the regularly scheduled board meeting on January 31. Jenn Fox made a motion (seconded by Amandeep Jawa) to elect Mary Kay Chin as secretary, Lawrence Li as treasurer, and Jenn Fox as interim president. Adam Keats made a substitute motion (seconded by Jeremy Pollock) to elect all officers as interim. The board chose to vote on the original motion, which passed 11 to 4. The non-interim president will be elected at the January 31 board meeting.

Last year, board officers were elected at the first regular board meeting in January. To understand why Executive Director Brian Wiedenmeier requested electing officers in early January this year, see his online post here.

Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, January 31
The next SFBC board meeting is 6:30 – 8:30pm, Tuesday, January 31 at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street. Members are invited to attend. No RSVP necessary. Read the agenda here. The last two agenda items in open session are member general comments and board president election.

SFBC board contact information and 2017 meeting calendar

You can contact the full board at [email protected]. Below are dates for SFBC board meetings in 2017, all starting at 6:30pm at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street.
Tuesday, January 31
Tuesday, February 28
Tuesday, March 28
Tuesday, April 25
Tuesday, May 23
Tuesday, June 27
Tuesday, July 25
Tuesday, August 22
Tuesday, September 26
Tuesday, October 24
Tuesday, November 28
No December meeting

Share this newsletter

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others. Anyone can join my email list. I am always happy to hear from members and I am interested in your input.

Happy pedaling,
Shirley Johnson
SFBC Board Member

Banner photo: My professional headshot. My future newsletters will include photos from my bicycle tours.

Dear SF Bicycle Coalition Member,

Thanks for reading my newsletter. I intend to keep you updated on San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) governance and other items of interest. Views in this communication are my own and do not represent the views of the SFBC.

In this newsletter:

1. Election results for the board of directors
2. No board meeting in December
3. Strategic plan to be updated in 2017
4. SFBC board contact information
5. Share this newsletter

1. Election results for the board of directors
Congratulations to the eight candidates elected to the 2017 board of directors. I’m happy to be joined on the board by six new board members endorsed by Save SF Bike, indicated by [S] in the list of winners below:

Nicholas Jay Aulston [S]
Lindy Kay Patterson [S]
Adam Keats [S]
Jeremy Pollock [S]
Amandeep Jawa
Chema Hernández Gil [S]
Rocky Beach
Jiro Yamamoto [S]

This was an interesting election, with 16 candidates running for eight seats. For details about vote counts and the election process, see the SFBC’s blog post. Many thanks to Members for More Representative Elections for their educational outreach about election methodology and for surveying candidates and publicizing results. And thank you for voting!

If you’re as delighted as I am about these election results, please consider making a yearend tax-deductible donation to the SFBC.

2. No board meeting in December
There is no SFBC board meeting in December.

3. Strategic plan to be updated in 2017
A high priority for the board in 2017 will be updating the five-year strategic plan to cover 2018 through 2022. I am chair of the strategic planning committee, and I’ll keep you informed about ways you’ll be able to provide input to the new strategic plan. Stay tuned!

4. SFBC board contact information
You can contact the board at [email protected].

5. Share this newsletter
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others. Anyone can join my email list. I am always happy to hear from members and I am interested in your input.

Wishing you happy holidays and a wonderful new year!

Happy pedaling,
Shirley Johnson
SFBC board member

We’re excited that 6 of the 8 candidates endorsed by Save SF Bike were elected to the Bicycle Coalition Board of Directors!

Congratulations to Nicolas Jay Aulston, Lindy Kae Patterson, Adam Keats, Jeremy Pollock, Chema Hernández Gil, and Jiro Yamamoto!

We also congratulate the two incumbents who were re-elected, Amandeep Jawa and Rocky Beach, and we look forward to working with them and the rest of the board in the new year.

Like last year, the results were very close. We’re sorry that our other two candidates, Mars Regen and Lauren Sailor, weren’t elected, but we’re glad that they plan to stay actively involved in the Coalition. We hope that all of the other excellent candidates do as well. We also hope that any members with questions or concerns about the Save SF Bike platform will reach out and talk with one of us. We welcome every opportunity to hear alternative perspectives and share our own.

At the annual member meeting, our Executive Director Brian Wiedenmeier laid out a vision for a more inclusive and progressive SFBC that will be ready to respond to the fallout from the Trump presidency. We fully support this and we look forward to participating in the Strategic Planning process to put that vision into action. If you weren’t at the member meeting, we encourage you to watch the video of Brian’s comments.

And lastly, we encourage you all to join us in supporting the coalition! You can make a tax-deductible, year-end donation, or you can click here to join or renew your membership.
 
 
Spread the word: If you support maintaining our voting rights at Bicycle Coalition members, please add your name to our list of supporters using the form below. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Share our website and social media with your friends, fellow SFBC members, staff and board.
 

Endorse Save SF Bike online

Dear SF Bicycle Coalition Member,

Thanks for reading my newsletter. I intend to keep you updated on San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) governance and other items of interest. Views in this communication are my own and do not represent the views of the SFBC.

In this newsletter:

1. Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, November 29
2. Vote for the Save SF Bike slate for the SFBC board of directors
3. Learn more about board candidates: video and MMRE survey
4. Come to Winterfest on December 4
5. SFBC board contact information and 2016 meeting calendar
6. Share this newsletter

1. Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, November 29
The next SFBC board meeting is 6:30pm, Tuesday, November 29 at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street. Members are invited to attend; no RSVP needed. Read the agenda here.

2. Vote for the Save SF Bike slate for the SFBC board of directors
Eight seats on the 15-member board are up for election and voting is happening right now! My personal recommendation is to vote for all eight candidates on the Save SF Bike slate. Only because Save SF Bike saved your right to vote are you allowed to vote in this election. Save SF Bike candidates support a democratic, member-driven SFBC and bring broad experience, diversity, and new ideas to help make the SFBC more powerful and influential. Save SF Bike candidates have [S] after their names on the ballot. Click here to vote now. If you have already voted, thank you!

3. Learn more about board candidates: video and MMRE survey
If you missed the member meeting/candidate forum held November 17, don’t despair. You can watch the video online. Start at 55:00 to hear two-minute statements from each board candidate. Members for More Representative Elections (MMRE) handed out candidates’ responses to MMRE’s survey at the member meeting, providing more great insight into candidates’ positions on important issues.

4. Come to Winterfest on December 4
Winterfest is SFBC’s biggest party of the year, drawing over 1000 members in a fun, festive atmosphere. Winterfest coincides with the last day to vote for your SFBC board of directors, and candidates will be there mingling and sharing their vision for the SFBC. There will be online voting stations available. Hope to see you there!

Time: 6:00pm – 10:30pm, Sunday, December 4
Place: The Village, 969 Market St., San Francisco

5. SFBC board contact information and 2016 meeting calendar
You can contact the board at [email protected]. There is no SFBC board meeting in December.

6. Share this newsletter
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others. Anyone can join my email list. I am always happy to hear from members and I am interested in your input.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Happy pedaling,
Shirley Johnson
SFBC board member

Dear SF Bicycle Coalition Member,

Thanks for reading my newsletter. I intend to keep you updated on San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) governance and other items of interest. Views in this communication are my own and do not represent the views of the SFBC.

In this newsletter:

1. Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, October 25
2. Change in board election voting dates
3. Come to the member meeting/candidate forum on November 17
4. Board approves change in bylaws
5. Why I voted against board recommendations for board candidates
6. Save SF Bike endorses Chema Hernández Gil for SFBC board
7. SFBC board contact information and 2016 meeting calendar
8. Share this newsletter

1. Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, October 25
The next SFBC board meeting is 6:30pm, Tuesday, October 25 at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street. Members are invited to attend, no RSVP needed. Read the agenda here.

2. Change in board election voting dates
Due to a typo in the fall issue of the Tube Times in which the board election was announced, board voting will start November 14 (not November 17) and end December 4. The board approved the change via email between board meetings.

3. Come to the member meeting/board candidate forum on November 17
Save the date for the SFBC member meeting and candidate forum!

Time: 6:00 – 8:00pm, Thursday, November 17
Place: City College Mission Campus, 1125 Valencia St, San Francisco

Board candidates will make short speeches about their candidacy for the board of directors. A similar event was held last year and it was fun and informative. A voting station will be available, so you can vote right then and there, if you wish. Hope to see you there!

4. Board approves change in bylaws
The board unanimously approved a change in the bylaws regarding board elections. Original wording:

approval by ballot shall be valid if a majority of the returned ballots indicate approval of a nominated Director.

New approved wording:

candidates receiving the highest number of votes are elected.

The new wording will solve the problem of last board election when three candidates did not receive a majority of votes to be duly elected according to the bylaws.

5. Why I voted against board recommendations for board candidates
The board approved a process to recommend candidates for the upcoming board election. I was the sole dissenting vote against this process. I wrote a dissenting opinion to include in the board meeting minutes. I have reproduced my dissenting opinion at the bottom of this email as an addendum.

6. Save SF Bike endorses Chema Hernández Gil for SFBC board
Formed in 2015 to uphold SFBC members’ right to vote for the Board of Directors, Save SF Bike remains committed to a democratic and representative San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Save SF Bike recently announced endorsement of Chema Hernández Gil for SFBC board. Save SF Bike previously announced endorsement of Jeremy Pollock and Jiro Yamamoto.

If you are considering running for the SFBC board and you support Save SF Bike’s platform, you may apply for Save SF Bike endorsement by completing the short application form here. The deadline is October 24.

7. SFBC board contact information and 2016 meeting calendar
You can contact the board at [email protected]. Below are dates for the SFBC board meetings remaining in 2016, all starting at 6:30pm at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street:
Tuesday, October 25
Tuesday, November 29
No December meeting

8. Share this newsletter
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others. Anyone can join my email list. I am always happy to hear from members and I am interested in your input.

Happy pedaling,
Shirley Johnson
SFBC board member

Addendum
Summary:
At the September 27 board meeting, the Board Development Committee proposed a process for the board to recommend candidates for the 2016 board election.

Relevant Bylaws Excerpt:
Article V, Section 4. B.
Nominations by Board of Directors. The Board of directors may adopt a procedure for a (sic) Board-approved nominations.

Board vote:
The board voted 11-1 to approve the proposed process for the board to recommend candidates for the 2016 board election.

Dissenting Opinion (Shirley Johnson):
The board recommending candidates is an attempt to officially influence how members vote. I believe the board, as a body, should remain neutral in the election process, just as staff remains neutral. Individual board members, not acting in their official capacity, would still be free to evaluate and recommend candidates.

There are two primary reasons that I voted against board-approved recommendations of board candidates:

1. If the board recommends board candidates, we can limit diversity on the board. A diverse board is a strong board, because good decision-making requires looking at issues from many different perspectives. Subjectivity and unconscious bias can result in the board recommending candidates who are similar to us, particularly in terms of viewpoints and opinions. Diversity in opinion arises in part from diversity in age, race, background, and socioeconomic status, all characteristics prone to bias in a board-recommendation process. The process is further complicated by incumbents running for the board, because the board is obliged to recommend fellow board members. This limits opportunities for new people to be recommended and gives the appearance of a privatized club.
2. In the past, the board-endorsement process has caused some qualified candidates to drop out of the race when they didn’t get endorsed. Even though we may have the best of intentions, the end result has discouraged member engagement. For example, a blog post from the 2014 election states:

   This year, a Board Slate was endorsed including eight individuals for the eight open slots on the board. Several other qualified individuals were not selected for the slate. (All but one of them chose not to run at this time.)

   I believe our goal as a board should be to encourage members to run for the board and to facilitate an open exchange of information about the candidates so that voters can make well-informed decisions to elect a representative board. Instead, the board-endorsement process historically has had the opposite effect. Skewing participation in board elections and limiting diversity on the board expands the gap between the board and the membership, reducing overall membership participation and effectiveness of the SF Bicycle Coalition.

Board members stated that they believe the board provides a service to the membership by recommending candidates. However, the board plans to determine the recommendations in closed session. This closed process does not provide insight to the voting membership, and the membership will not have an opportunity to learn what criteria are ultimately used to determine the recommendations. A closed and unaccountable recommendation process undermines credibility of the board.

Members for More Representative Elections (MMRE), a group of SFBC members who have been working all year to improve board elections, has done extensive analysis of democratic election processes. MMRE does not support board endorsements. I respect the research and analysis of MMRE and agree with the group’s assessment.

For an open and fair democracy, the board should not attempt to officially influence the board election outcome by recommending candidates.

Dear SF Bicycle Coalition Member,

Thanks for reading my newsletter. I intend to keep you updated on San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) governance and other items of interest. Views in this communication are my own and do not represent the views of the SFBC.

In this newsletter:

1. Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, September 27
2. Clarification of board candidate nomination procedure
3. Resolution approved for ranked choice voting in 2017
4. Come to ‘Party with a Purpose 2’ on October 20
5. Save SF Bike endorses Jeremy Pollock and Jiro Yamamoto for SFBC board
6. SFBC board contact information and 2016 meeting calendar
7. Share this newsletter

1. Next SFBC board meeting is Tuesday, September 27
The next SFBC board meeting is 6:30pm, Tuesday, September 27 at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street. Members are invited to attend, no RSVP needed. Read the agenda here. Of particular interest: (1) the board will vote to change the bylaws so that board candidates no longer need a majority of votes to get elected, and (2) the board will vote whether to approve a process for board endorsement of board candidates.

2. Clarification of board candidate nomination procedure
As per the bylaws, any member may nominate himself or herself or any other member to run for the board. The nomination deadline is November 4. Voting will take place November 17 through December 4. Communications about the nomination procedure originally stated that all board candidates must complete a questionnaire and submit a resume by September 6, but communications have since clarified that the questionnaire and resume are optional.

3. Resolution approved for ranked choice voting in 2017
At the August board meeting, board member Mary Kay Chin proposed the following resolution to implement ranked choice voting in 2017:
The Board instructs staff to incorporate multi-winner Rank Choice Voting (RCV) as the voting method to be used for the 2017 Board of Directors’ election. Staff’s annual work plan for 2017 will include RCV implementation, barring any unforeseen reductions in staff capacity or organizational finances.

The resolution was revised by another board member as follows:
The Board Development Committee will take input received from this year’s board election process, input from the strategic planning process, and a review of staff budget and bylaw implications as they move toward refining the voting process with an eye toward implementing ranked choice voting for board elections in 2017.

The board unanimously approved the revised resolution. While the revised resolution is much weaker, I voted for this resolution as a baby step in the right direction. RCV results in better representation of voters than SFBC’s current voting method and RCV avoids the problem of last year’s board election in which three candidates did not receive the required majority of votes to be duly elected according to the bylaws.

4. Come to ‘Party with a Purpose 2’ on October 20
Members for More Representative Elections (MMRE), led by long-time member and former board member Peggy da Silva, is hosting ‘Party with a Purpose 2’ at 6:00-8:30pm on Thursday, October 20 at Sports Basement in the Grotto, 1590 Bryant Street, San Francisco.

MMRE has been working all year to make changes in the way the SFBC engages members and elects the Board of Directors. It’s election season and MMRE is having a party! All SFBC board candidates are invited as featured guests. There will be a game show to learn which candidates are really on the side of more representative elections. Ask questions! Plan your ballot for the SFBC board! Great snacks and beverages will be shared. You can RSVP here. For more information, contact Peggy da Silva at [email protected].

5. Save SF Bike endorses Jeremy Pollock and Jiro Yamamoto for SFBC board
Formed in 2015 to uphold SFBC members’ right to vote for the Board of Directors, Save SF Bike remains committed to a democratic and representative San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. In response to the board’s plan to endorse its preferred candidates, Save SF Bike is also endorsing candidates. To date, Save SF Bike has endorsed Jeremy Pollock and Jiro Yamamoto for the SFBC board. If you are considering running for the SFBC board and you support Save SF Bike’s platform, you may apply for Save SF Bike endorsement by completing the short application form here.

6. SFBC board contact information and 2016 meeting calendar
You can contact the board at [email protected]. Below are dates for the SFBC board meetings remaining in 2016, all starting at 6:30pm at the SFBC office, 1720 Market Street at Valencia Street:
Tuesday, September 27
Tuesday, October 25
Tuesday, November 29
No December meeting

7. Share this newsletter
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others. Anyone can join my email list. I am always happy to hear from members and I am interested in your input.

Happy pedaling,
Shirley Johnson
SFBC board member