Job: Rides Director – Cascade Bicycle Club

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Job Title
Rides Director

Company/Organization
Cascade Bicycle Club

Job Description
In partnership with Cascade’s volunteer rides committee, the rides director oversees, manages and promotes Cascade Bicycle Club’s rides program, including daily rides, tours, training series, and other rides. This position provides leadership and management to the rides program to meet its expansion and diversification objectives and to support the strategic objectives of the club. The rides director co-chairs Cascade’s rides committee which is responsible for the strategic direction and annual work plans of the rides program and provides direction and support to a volunteer group of over 200 dedicated ride leaders. The rides director is a member of Cascade’s leadership team and reports to the executive director.

Key Responsibilities

Outreach & Programming

Identify and develop new fun and exciting ride opportunities for cyclists of all types.
Lead Cascade through a strategic analysis of partnership opportunities with other clubs, related businesses, and rides to encourage growth of cycling in the area.
Develop and maintain relationships with organizations, community groups, businesses, and others to promote, expand, diversify, and support the rides program.
In cooperation with others on the Cascade team, oversee the development and execution of a marketing plan to expand the number and diversity of riders participating in Cascade events and rides
Identify opportunities to collaborate with other Cascade programs such as events, education, and advocacy to advance the mission of the club.
Help build, implement, and manage an effective system for the recruitment and involvement of volunteers as ride leaders.
In conjunction with the tours committee, plan and manage Cascade’s tours program.
Actively engage in daily rides including participating in and leading rides to ensure a close connection with both the ride leader and rider community. Ride participation and ride leader activity are part of the rides director’s formal duties.

Management

Supervise the club’s rides program coordinator, contractors, and consultants to ensure rides, tours, and training are effectively executed.
Develop annual rides program plans and budgets in conjunction with the rides committee.
Partner with club staff to establish systems that support the smooth operation and tracking of the rides program including technology, communications, administration, etc.
Partner with the rides committee to provide advice and strategic direction including evaluating program effectiveness, ensuring continuous improvement, and monitoring member satisfaction.
Ensure a robust calendar of daily rides that appeal to a wide range of riders and that expand the geographical reach of the club.

Skills and Experience Required

Proven management experience with strategic long-term planning skills to chart a path and lead an organization through transition and growth
Skilled cyclist with the ability and desire to participate in and lead daily rides at a variety of paces, difficulties, and distances.
Experience working with and inspiring volunteers desired.
Proven project management and marketing experience desired.
Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently as well as in teams.
Ability to meet deadlines, be attentive to detail, and to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent interpersonal skills, public communication, collaborative style, and can-do attitude required
Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced degree desired.
A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience required.

Employment Specifics

Cascade is transitioning to a new executive director; the interim executive director will hire and supervise the rides director during the transition.
Full-time, exempt position with some evening and weekend work required.
Six-month probationary performance review by supervisor with annual performance reviews at hire date.
Monetary compensation commensurate with qualifications and experience; benefits package.

About Cascade

The Cascade Bicycle Club is a 15,000+ member nonprofit organization, dedicated to creating better communities through bicycling, based in Seattle, Washington. Cascade offers riding opportunities for all, advocates for bicycle policy and infrastructure, educates a diverse group of people who ride bikes, and produces world-class cycling events. Cascade produces 13 major bicycle events and offers 1,600 daily recreational rides annually. Cascade is directed by an elected volunteer board and operates with 34 paid staff and thousands of volunteers.

Cascade Bicycle Club is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, persons of color, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Employment at Cascade is of an at-will nature.

How to Apply
Submit a cover letter, resume, three professional references and a relevant writing sample (no more than four pages long) to rides.director@cascadebicycleclub.org. Please mention how you heard about the position.

Applications are due June 11, 2013.

Choosing a new PBOT Director

bike rack at City Hall

(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

As I type this, the City of Portland is going through the final stages of selecting a new director of the transportation bureau. This morning at City Hall, myself and over a dozen other citizen stakeholders got to “meet and greet” the final three candidates being considered for the job.

Our involvement in vetting the candidates has been just one part of the selection process. Yesterday each of them went through a grueling interview with eight different people while Portland City Commissioners and their staffers stood and observed in the background. This is all part of Mayor Hales’ promise to do a thorough, nationwide search for a new PBOT director. Back in January Hales asked former PBOT Director Tom Miller to resign and Hales made it clear during his mayoral campaign that he wasn’t comfortable with how Miller was hand-picked by his former boss, Sam Adams.

According to Hales, the City received 44 applications for the job from all over the country. Now there are just three people left.

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Light blue Electra Amsterdam 2009

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Year: 2009
Brand: Electra
Model: Amsterdam
Color:Light blue
Size:Womens
Serial: SG809483
Photo: http://i.imgur.com/1DjQjpu.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2013-05-22
Stolen From: Stolen from the corner of SE Taylor and 17th St. Was attached to the stop sign with a U-lock.
Neighborhood: Colonel Summers
Owner: Amber Wagoner
OwnerEmail: awagoner( atsign )pdx.edu
Reward: negotiable
Description: Paint finish is metallic/shiny light blue. Has tan/brown custom grips and saddle. Has attachments for water bottle and basket (basket was not attached during theft).
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T13004409
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

ODOT sets start date for SW Kelly Ave Bicyle and Pedestrian Safety Project

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

It’s been over a year since we shared news of an ODOT project that will improve bicycle access in southwest Portland near the Ross Island Bridge. A few days ago they finally announced that it will start construction in mid-June. They’ve also announced an open house for the project on June 3rd. See more details in the press release below:

ODOT will start construction on a bicycle and pedestrian safety improvement project on SW Kelly Avenue (U.S. 26) between SW 1st Avenue and the west side of the Ross Island Bridge in mid- to late June. Construction is scheduled to be complete in late fall 2013.

ODOT, the City of Portland, Trimet, the National College of Natural Medicine, Portland State Business Accelerator and the South Portland Neighborhood Association partnered in 2012 to design this safety improvement project, which focused on traffic calming. The project is expected to improve safety and to reduce the overall severity of crashes in the area. This project will:

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ODOT launches initiative to move away from “highway-centric” approach

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The Intermodalists: ODOT Highway Division Administrator
Paul Mather and Transportation Development Division
Administrator Jerri Bohard.
(Photo: ODOT)

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has announced another shift in their approach to transportation planning and it couldn’t come at a better time. As recent national research and major news headlines continue to reflect a move away from automobile use among major swaths of the American public, and as highway funding levels nosedive, smart transportation agencies are beginning to adapt.

To respond to these changes, ODOT has announced “Intermodal Oregon” a new initiative that will help the agency “move away from a siloed and highway-centric approach to business.” Here’s how ODOT describes the transition they’re going through (emphases mine):

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Blue KHS CX 200 2009

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Year: 2009
Brand: KHS
Model: CX 200
Color:Blue
Size:L or M
Photo: http://www.khsbicycles.com/05_cx_200_09.htm
Stolen in Portland, OR 97218
Stolen:2013-05-21
Stolen From: Bike was chained up on Sumner on the side of Hacienda CDC’s building near 42nd Ave
Neighborhood: Concordia/Cully
Owner: Mark Holden
OwnerEmail: mwholden( atsign )eholdens.com
Description: Had aux or “chicken” brake levers. Bell on the handle bars. Standard small black luggage rack over rear tire. Multiple stickers on the frame one of which was “this machine eats hipsters.” Had pretty worn kendra small block cx tires on it. Pink water bottle cage.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T13004385
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Region’s first-ever ‘Active Transportation Plan’ set for open house tomorrow

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The “spiderweb” of Regional Bicycle Parkways
as envisioned in Metro’s plan.

Metro will host an open house tomorrow (5/23) for their Regional Active Transportation Plan. The plan will be the region’s first specifically tailored to bicycling, walking and access to transit. The planning effort has been underway for well over a year and is set to wrap up by the end of next month. In summer of 2014 the plan’s recommendations and a list of prioritized projects will be proposed for adoptions into the Regional Transportation Plan.

The plan’s ambitious scope includes: the creation of a new set of design guidelines for bicycle facilities; an update to regional biking and walking maps; integration of the existing active transportation network; identification of a network of ‘Regional Bicycle Parkways’; a recommendation of strategies for implementation, and more.

In other words, this is a big deal. As its projects get adopted into the RTP, Metro’s Regional Active Transportation Plan will give regional policymakers the crucial political breathing room and decision-making framework they need to make real and significant investments that could vastly improve bicycling conditions.

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white/sliver bianchi rode bike

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Brand: bianchi rode bike
Color:white/sliver
Stolen in Portland, OR
Stolen:2013-05-21
Stolen From: Llyod center by 13 and multonama
Owner: Chris Nielsen
OwnerEmail: chriskarlnielsen( atsign )gmail.com
Description: Bianchi frame with a black Thompson stem. Blask seat and black pedals. The right pedal is partially broken
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Pedalpalooza is coming! Ride highlights and a reminder

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Pedalpalooza kicks off in just over two weeks and the buzz is really starting to build. The official calendar already has 129 events listed and I can sense growing chatter and excitement amongst lovers of bike fun throughout the city. I wanted to bring your attention to some nifty rides and remind you that the deadline for submitting one of your own — if you want it to appear in the printed calendar — is tomorrow (5/22) at midnight. The benefit to having your ride in the printed calendar is that it gets inserted into an issue of the Portland Mercury and gets passed out all around town.

Below are a few gems I noticed on the calendar so far…

The 8-Bit Bike Ride (June 8th) will be a “ride down retro lane, 8-bit style.” The ride leader, Zed Bailey, is encouraging everyone to show up wearing their favorite retro video game costume. The ride meets at Avalon Nickel Arcade on SE Belmont for pre-ride video-game playing. He even made this cool video promo…

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Cargo bike responders wanted for Tigard mock emergency drill

Disaster Relief Trials -90

Cargo bikes to the rescue!
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

The City of Tigard is planning a major, region-wide “mock emergency” exercise on Thursday and they want to include cargo bikes. Tara Harper, a consultant working on the event, was inspired by her involvement with the Disaster Relief Trials in Portland last summer and says cargo bikes would be uniquely suited to the task.

The exercise is based on a bioterrorism attack that creates a massive public health emergency. The entire population will be at risk unless they receive medicine that’s doled out at a “Point of Dispensing station”. Tigard will test the POD station concept for the first time on Thursday and officials from many other regional jurisdictions will be on hand to observe it. The medicine would be flown in from other areas and the challenge is to get the boxes of treatments and supplies to the POD stations as fast as possible. With traffic jams and other unforeseen circumstances, vehicles are needed that can operate regardless of traffic conditions.

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Director of Sierra Club explains rationale behind MTB park lawsuit

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Sierra Club Oregon Chapter
Director Brian Pasko.

Our story last week about a lawsuit against the Timberline Mountain Bike Park has sparked a lot of conversation. Several people commented and contacted me to express concerns that I failed to offer adequate context to the story. The Sierra Club and other environmental groups that have signed on as plaintiffs to the lawsuit, strongly maintain that their stance is not about bikes at all. Rather, they say their concerns are about the broader environmental impacts, the private developer that will construct the park, and a feeling that the U.S. Forest Service has not fulfilled its obligations within the public process around the project.

In our story last week, I included an email from Kenji Sugahara, the executive director of the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association, to Brian Pasko, the director of the Sierra Club’s Oregon chapter. In that email, Sugahara questioned the Sierra Club’s actions and requested their immediate withdrawal from the lawsuit. Today I want to share Pasko’s response to Sugahara because I it adds some important context to this debate (emphases mine):

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