The Logansport Board of Public Works and Safety voted to approve an agreement with Bird scooter firm and rent two new patrol officers at Wednesday’s assembly.
The agreement with Bird lays out the principles for the corporate’s electric scooters to function inside Logansport. The agreement states that electric scooters could be pushed from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. by people who find themselves not less than 18 years previous. It additionally locations a restrict of 75 scooters within the metropolis on the program’s launch.
Additionally, the scooters might be required to observe the identical legal guidelines as bicycles. Bird will present signage that encourages secure using, and scooters are to remain in bike lanes or to the fitting facet of the road and provides bicycles the right-of-way.
The agreement doesn’t value Logansport cash, nevertheless it might generate a small stream of income for town. Logansport will obtain licensing charges from Bird and an extra 5 cents per experience.
“I know there is no cost to us,” Planning Department Executive Director Arin Shaver mentioned. “That’s one of the things that’s been questioned.”
The metropolis may even haven’t any legal responsibility for accidents or attributable to scooter malfunctions or consumer error. The agreement clearly states that Bird might be responsible for these varieties of incidents and can pay for the insurance coverage protection.
Another vital side of the agreement is town’s skill to again out of it at any level.
“We can terminate our contract at any time,” Shaver mentioned. “We can say, ‘You know what, we can see that it’s a problem in Logansport and we don’t want them here anymore.’ And we can actually get them removed.”
When board member Lisa Terry requested who will oversee this system, Mayor Chris Martin mentioned town will guarantee Bird is assembly the necessities set forth within the agreement. Shaver and Pomasl mentioned there are various methods to watch information from the scooters.
“We have ways to audit the number of rides, too,” Deputy Mayor Jacob Pomasl mentioned. “In the agreement, it allows us to get data from (Bird) to make sure they’re following the letter of the law.”
The agreement handed 2-1, with Terry voting in opposition to it.
Two new Logansport law enforcement officials had been additionally accepted on the Wednesday assembly. Logansport Police Chief Travis Yike requested the board to rent Andrew Haney and Matt McIntire as probationary patrolmen, efficient Wednesday.
“I’m fortunate enough to hire two officers at the same time with experience,” Yike mentioned. “That doesn’t happen very often.”
Both officers labored in Rochester beforehand, and they’re each Cass County residents who graduated from Logansport High School. Haney labored on the Rochester Police Department for 10 years, and McIntire labored on the Rochester Police Department for 5 years.
“I appreciate the opportunity to come serve the citizens of Logansport,” Haney mentioned. “It’s been a dream of mine for a long time, and now it’s coming to fruition.”
The board voted unanimously to rent each officers and congratulated them on their new positions.
“It’s good to be home,” McIntire mentioned.