Board Meeting Minutes 5/12/2026

MCA Board Meeting

Date: 5/12/26

Present: Jeff Archibald, Chris Martin, Rob Koning, Mark Meany, Mick Foot, Becky Barrett

We unanimously agreed that we were a quorum

Action Items From 5/12/2026 - to review at next meeting (7/21/2026)

Chris:

• Continue to build website

Jeff:

• Finalize walkthrough with SPNF re: Arrowhead property

Rob:

• Walkabout with Max from MC re: trailwork at Marlow on 5/13/26

• Update existing website

Kim:

• explore AF grant once we have a project

Mick:

• Will reach to Michelle Gafney regarding continued interest in being on the board

• Write up and distribute notes to MCA Google Drive and website 

• Write up blurb for the email list re: May 16 Marlow trailwork

• Clean up email list of dead end emails, requests to be removed

Fall Mountain overview

• Had a meeting with National Grid a couple months ago to explore their interest in allowing us to climb there (Jeff, Rob, JC and two from NG (Chris Parella (older guy) and  Craig Kimball (younger guy))

• Very positive meeting - expressed interest in moving forward

• NG said they needed to check with stakeholders

• Needed application completed and application fee - we sent

• Stakeholders stated that they were not interested in selling the property at this time due to scheduled projects)

Outstanding questions regarding this:

• With this happening, what is MCA’s status regarding the property?

  • Discussion about various approaches we could try

  • Can we make an offer to perform a service/management for them through the construction process?

  • Offering to invest in the property to improve it for recreation

  • Ultimately decided not to approach them at this time, will try to maintain communication with them in 6 months or so

  • Also decided to do what we can to try to avoid outside community members from doing things that might jeopardize our positive relationship with NG (and could be an opportunity to communicate with NG about our efforts to work with NG)

  • Neither promoting nor discouraging climbing them - but will inform people that it is private property

Indian Arrowhead

• Jeff spoke to Dylan Summers of SPNF

• He suggested some times in June (9-11 or 17-19) where he will be in the area and could go on a walkthrough 

• May also take pictures of this interaction as a way to highlight our efforts of working with land managers, etc.

Marlow Profile

• Rob and Mark will meet with Max Wolckenhauer (of Monadnock Conservancy) to review trailwork proposal at Marlow (5/16/26)

• Reviewed email from Katie Witte (MC) regarding trailwork on the 16th 

• Rob and Mark will gather information from Max and communicate this to Mick, who will send a note to the MCA mailing list seeking help on trail maintenance

MCA email list

Go to MCA Google account and find members list from 2026

Casino application

• Discussion about various options of Conflict of Interest (COI) statements

• 2 page version vs. 7 page version

• Need to be registered with New Hampshire Charitable Trust - need bylaws, COI statement, and quorum statement

• Most recent recommendation from Libsy Yourey (from NH Dept of Justice: Charitable Trust Unit) - 7 page COI example

Bylaw revisions

• Jeff pulled up document of bylaws with suggested revisions in accordance with NH Charitable Trust requirements (Jeff, Rob, and Mark were already part of this discussion with NHCT)

• left the majority of changes that they had made

• Some discussion about continuation of Vice President position, term lengths (2 years), rolling elections, etc.  

• Left VP position, it is currently unfilled

• Agreed to new quorum language

• Agreed to Dissolution of Association language taken from template

• Agreed to new COI document

• All agreed to proposed changes

Swanzey

• Rob recently met with Cheri about Swanzey issues

• Questions about the trail on the north end due to recent clearcutting - unclear

• Did say she liked the waterbars

Action Items From 3/17/26 (orange font is 5/12/26 update info)

Chris:

• Meeting with Nick Sintros this week to discuss website and change of physical address for the MCA (done - has all the login credentials, etc.)

• Begin to build website - goal is by next board meeting on 5/12/26 - has wireframe for new website

• Explore donation options (e.g. Venmo, credit card, etc.) - 

Jeff:

• Complete LUA form for National Grid - did this, they sent the check back due to future work at FM, still in limbo

Rob:

• Explore Casino grant - lot going on here

• Next meeting reservation at Co-Op (6:20 - 5/12/26) - Rob’s house tonight

JC: 

• Create a printable file for Staples to use for making a poster for the RR Cut Kiosk (Chris suggests using Canva for poster making) - done and installed

• Meet with Jim Lagee to finalize Bear’s Den work plan - we think he talked to him

Kim:

• Explore Access Fund grant - need to come up with a plan for what we need money for

• Explore General Liability insurance - not sure

Mick:

• Will reach to Michelle Gafney regarding continued interest in being on the board - said she was interested

• Write up and distribute notes to MCA Google Drive and website - done