Every fall the Team Alameda Board issues a "Call for Candidates". This is that "Call".

What this really means is that we are looking for volunteers to help run the organizational side of our club for the next 2 years.  If you have ever given thought to giving back to Team Alameda, or to helping TA improve our club, this is a great way to do that -- and a perfect time to get involved at a new level.

Directors are elected for a 2 year period.  Approximately half of our Directors' 2 year term ends each year.  Some will run again, others will not. The monthly Board meetings have been reasonably short, often not exceeding 60 to 90 minutes.

It would be great to have some volunteers and new faces step up to fill some pending vacancies!  If you are interested, or if you have questions, please contact any of our current Directors, their email addresses are listed under the Contact Us Tab on our website.  Don't be shy - volunteer to serve.

The nominating period (read volunteer period) is open and will close on October 30th.

The slate of new candidates shall be presented to the Board at its regular November meeting.

If the number of candidates is equal to or less than the number of open seats at the time the nominating period closes (November 30th), all candidates shall be deemed elected and such result shall be published to the membership without undue delay.

Should there be more candidates than there are open Director seats, the following election process will be followed:

1. Voting shall be conducted electronically, with voting instructions e-mailed to all members and posted in an appropriate "members only" section of the website no later than November 15th
2. Voting shall take place during the period November 19 - 23 and the results shall be published to the membership not later than November 30^th of each year

Specific positions and functions for each Director have been formalized and committed to writing on 09 June 2020.  This detailed list has been posted to our website.  The job descriptions will give you a fair idea what the various responsibilities entail.

As presently  constituted, the Board comprises the following members:

	Board Position	Name
1	President	Ralph Bruni
2	Vice President	Emil Palacios
3	Ride Leader Coordinator/Calendar	Steve Elias
4	Treasurer	Jack Pigott
5	Membership	Michael Castro
6	Secretary	Zoraida McNulty
7	Sponsors and Publicity	Janet Shaver
8	Webmaster	Klaus Schniedergers
9	Process Ride Sheets (Assistant Webmaster)	Norman Woo
10	Member at Large (Tasks as assigned)	Tony Ng
A	Newsletter Editor	Ralph Bruni

Email addresses for Board members are listed below; we may wish to institute a separate email address for the Newsletter:

Contact
President	president@teamalameda.com
Vice President	vicepresident@teamalameda.com
Ride Leader Coordinator/Calendar	ridecoordinator@teamalameda.com
Treasurer	treasurer@teamalameda.com
Membership	membership@teamalameda.com
Secretary	secretary@teamalameda.com
Sponsors and Publicity	sponsorship@teamalameda.com
Webmaster	webmaster@teamalameda.com
Process Ride Sheets (Assistant Webmaster)	ridesheets@teamalameda.com webmaster@teamalameda.com
Member at Large (Tasks as assigned)	memberatlarge@teamalameda.com
Newsletter Editor	[No dedicated email]

A – "A" - Adjunct Position                                                 

Designed by R. Bruni (December 2019)

            Ralph Bruni

President, Team Alameda

Team Alamedans!  We are so very pleased to announce that we have another new Team Alameda Sponsor – Coffee Cultures (www.coffee-cultures.com)!  You may recognize their name from their newly opened Alameda site at the base of the Park Street Bridge.  This is the third Coffee Cultures site, but one that is very close to the heart of the owner, Jason Paul, as he is a true born-and-raised Alameda native.  Jason also has close ties to the Alameda biking community, so we are all excited to be making this connection. 

As the Coffee Culture website states: “Coffee brings people together and makes them happy.”  So, for your post-ride shot of happiness, feel free to stop on by their site at 1926 Park Street (on the corner of Blanding) and enjoy a lovely and tasty brew, a tea, or some soft serve ice cream and pastry, all made with only the finest ingredients.  They have a private courtyard with space for bikes, and have offered Team Alameda members a 25% off discount. 

Team Alameda Annual Picnic

Harrison Center in Lincoln Park

1:00pm to 4:00pm

We have again reserved the Harrison Center in Lincoln Park on Sunday, September 19^th, for a Team Alameda Picnic and get-together! 

We will have catered lunch and drinks, some nice give-aways, and a raffle with excellent prizes from Alameda-based businesses.  As always, we will also be honoring our ride leaders.

If you would like to bring a dessert or salad to share with the club, that would be wonderful and very welcome!

We will have a table set up for a “bike gear swap”.  If you have any tools, kits, bikes or other bike-related items gathering dust, this will be a great way to free up some space in your home.  Any items that you bring that your fellow Team Alamedans do not want will be donated to a local, bike-focused organization.

This event will be held outdoors.  However, please bring your mask, as we will be asking everyone who goes into the inside area of the site (and while queueing up for food) to wear one.  We will also provide disinfectant to sanitize your hands.

Also, bring your thoughts and ideas on how to better our club as we will be distributing a short survey for everyone.  The information gathered will help the Board in crafting the future of the Club.

After your Sunday morning bike ride, please join us between 1:00-4:00pm on September 19^th.  We look forward to getting everyone together again in a lovely, outdoor setting.

Happy Friday all.  Our member, Tracy Robbz, sent out this link about the upcoming California Bicycle Safety Stop Bill.  If you support this bill, or are curious about the bill itself, please visit this site...and let your elected representative know how you feel!  Thanks.https://www.calbike.org/bicycle-safety-stop-law/?utm_source=CalBike%2BMailing%2BList&utm_campaign=55ccee8c8a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_16_10_53_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5f10494028-55ccee8c8a-114142897&mc_cid=55ccee8c8a&mc_eid=f2162abb88

Hey there Team Alamedans!

 

We are very pleased to let you know that we have a new Team Alameda sponsor supporting our great bicycle club: Marin Wealth Advisors, LLC (www.marinwealthadvisors.com).  With offices in San Rafael, San Francisco, and Oakland, Marin Wealth Advisors, LLC provides investment advice (portfolio consultation, investment account management, investment recommendations, etc.), financial planning, and retirement planning services to not just Alameda but all over the SF Bay Area.

 

Our own Team Alameda member and membership Board Chair, Michael Castro, is a Principal and Senior Wealth Advisor for Marin Wealth Advisors, LLC.  So, if you are looking for advice on how to best organize your finances in order to spend your retirement years riding bikes full time, please feel free to reach out to him directly at mcastro@marinwealthadvisors.com.  Thank you, Michael, for supporting Team Alameda.

We are in the process of receiving orders for new kit until 15 July 2021.  Our supplier, Voler, has agreed to a minimum order of fifteen pieces, but we know we have many more new members out there who do not even own a jersey.  As member of a club, it is only proper you own at least a jersey, if not more.  Show everybody your affiliation while wearing a wonderful, eye-catching design!  

Many more items, including some new products, can be purchased in these team colors from our existing design.  Fittings will not be possible under the circumstances, so be certain to try on kit from fellow members, if in doubt.

For any questions in this regard, please contact Janet at sponsorship@teamalameda.com

FINALLY, we are able to ride together as a group again.  Our first ride will be Saturday, May 1st and we are holding a ride leader meeting on the 29th to try and fill up the calendar again with interesting rides for all still levels.  Come on out on the 1st and catch up with old friends!

Dear Members:

Some of our first-responders are already receiving their COVID-19 vaccine.  The League of American Bicyclists (LAB) has issued a revised Waiver, which includes additional wording about the incidence of communicable disease.

This now needs to be signed by all Team Alameda members.

We have made it easy for you, by enabling a tick box for an electronic signature.  In addition, it has come to our attention that many of our members are missing in case of emergency (ICE) phone numbers.  This should not be your own number but a number of a trusted family member or friend that we can contact in case an emergency arises.

To update both of these items:

1. Sign in to Team Alameda

2. Click your name at the top right of the web page

3. Choose view profile

4. Scroll down and choose edit profile in the pink box

5. Scroll further down to Membership Information and check the 2020 Insurance Waiver box

6. Just below that is Additional Information, where you can enter your ICE contact

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you would like to read a copy of the waiver, you can find it here... https://www.teamalameda.com/resources/Documents/Forms/Team-Alameda-Waiver-2020.pdf or by clicking on the underlined link next to the check box above.

We would like to conclude this effort by the New Year before the inoculation effort starts in earnest.  If you happen to be tardy, and thereby delay opening up our pending club group rides, be prepared for a phone call!

         Ralph Bruni

President, Team Alameda

Emil Palacios is a childhood friend of Mike Castro and a TA member since 31 October 2018.  The referral from Mike came at an auspicious time, since Emil is a molecular and cellular immunologist with a PhD in Biomedical Science.  As such, he is undoubtedly the smartest person on the Board and was therefore immediately promoted to the position of Vice President. 

As our resident infectious disease immunologist, he will have an added portfolio as an advisor to our COVID-19 response and eventual opening of our club to conduct group rides again.  That day is still off in the future, but until then Emil will be critical in providing us his insights about the latest research developments and anticipated rollout of the pending vaccination(s), with the added benefit of what health precautions should be taken in our sport and club activities thereafter.

Please welcome him on board with a nice elbow bump (off the bike),

            Ralph Bruni

President, Team Alameda

The public comment period ends on August 16, 2020

TODAY there is a lunchtime listening session dedicated to the bicycle network: https://www.alamedaca.gov/Shortcut-Content/Events-Activities/Proposed-Bicycle-Network-Listening-Session

All the information, surveys, and the link to the bicycle network map are here: www.ActiveAlameda.org/recommendations

Tell the City of Alameda what you think of proposals for walking and biking in Alameda! The Active Transportation Plan is seeking input on a draft bicycle network; pedestrian improvements; concept plans for Park St, Webster St, and Lincoln Ave; and more. The Active Transportation Plan will guide the City for years to come, so make your voice heard!

Here's how to give feedback:

• Web surveys at www.ActiveAlameda.org/recommendations
  
• Online, interactive proposed bicycle network map
• Bicycle network listening session, August 7, noon-1:00pm
• Pedestrian improvements listening session, August 10, noon-1:00pm
• Email ActiveAlameda@alamedaca.gov

Contact:

Lisa Foster

Transportation Planner

Planning Building, and Transportation Department

City of Alameda

510/747-6833

(she/her)

Best regards,

Ralph J. Bruni

President, Team Alameda