[DB!-Announce] Position open -- Davis Bicycle Advisory Commission

[Davis Bicycles Announcements]

Dear Davis Bicycles! Members--

The city's "Bicycle Advisory Commission" has an opening for a 3-year 
position.  Nominations are due on Friday the 31st.  It's an 8 member 
commission, meets once a month, and provides feedback for city 
council on bicycle issues in the city.

We encourage any and all interested citizens to nominate themselves 
to these positions.  Nomination form at 
http://www.city.davis.ca.us/cmo/commapp.cfm

Contact me, John Berg or Bob Clarke if you have Qs.

Ted Buehler
President, Davis Bicycles!
53-848-3615

**************
Details on the Bicycle Advisory Commission:

The BAC was created by city council in 2005 in response to the 
decline in bicycle use.  They review plans and proposals, work on 
projects, propose new ideas or projects.  The commission was a bit 
slow in defining itself, but the dirty work is done and now it's an 
active group of 8 citizens who have fairly lively meetings and 
address important topics.  Members are listed on their web site below.

The commission reports to city council and meets with Bob Clarke, the 
interim Bike/Ped Coordinator, and is chaired by UCD Chemist John 
Berg.  Meetings are fairly productive, end on time, and have average 
10 citizens in attendance.  Meetings are the 3rd Monday of the month, 7-9PM.

Sample agenda topics from the last few months include
* the city's bicycle plan
* hiring a replacement Bike/Ped Coordinator
* issues with enforcement, education, kids on bikes
* bicycle parking
* StreetSmarts program

Julia Silvis, a UCD Transportation Studies student, is moving to San 
Francisco and leaving the committee.  We've liked Julia's influence, 
she's a clear thinker, straight talker, cuts through bureaucratic 
fluff to expose the core issues, and has speaks in favor of the city 
adopting measurable goals.  We'll miss her, and we hope for a good 
replacement.   We're hoping the new nominee will also be someone who 
speaks freely about issues facing bicyclists of all sorts--kids, 
parents, elderly folk, newbies, confident riders, etc.

The BAC is an advisory committee to city council.  It does not have 
any direct "political power" and is limited in scope to an advisory 
role.  Davis Bicycles!, on the other hand, is a self-created citizens 
group.  We're not official (which limits our "power") but we can act 
and speak more freely.  DB! fully supports the BAC, we encourage city 
council to adopt recommendations by the BAC, we can raise issues 
directly to council or to the BAC--we can do whatever we want because 
we're a citizens' group.  The BAC and DB! are establishing a working 
relationship, we back them up, help them out, etc.  Chair John Berg 
at the Aug 2007 meeting commented "We wish you were around two years ago..."

It's self nomination.  Fill out the application form on the "Dear 
Citizen" letter below.  Serve your city and your fellow bicyclists!

!!! Deadline, Aug 31, 2007 !!!

For more information:

* The official "Dear Citizen" letter from city council.
http://www.city.davis.ca.us/cmo/commapp.cfm

* More info on committees
http://www.city.davis.ca.us/cmo/pdfs/Comm_Recruitment_Summer_2007.pdf

* Commission's web site (includes Agendas and Minutes from the last two years)
http://www.city.davis.ca.us/meetings/agenda.cfm?c=29

* Article about recruiting citizens for the commission (from 2005)
http://media.www.californiaaggie.com/media/storage/paper981/news/2005/03/02/FrontPage/City-Seeks.Applicants.For.New.Bicycle.Commission-1319777.shtml

Or contact
* John Berg, Committee Chair jrberg at ucdavis.edu
* Bob Clarke, City Engineer and acting Bike/Ped 
Coordinator.  BClarke at cityofdavis.org 757-5686