Bird Bike Share – eScooter and eBike

Electric bikes and scooters could be available to rent in Jamestown this summer.

Jamestown City Council heard a presentation by Bird Bike Share, who has proposed a pilot program in the city.

Bird Bike Share currently has programs in Dunkirk and other municipalities around New York State.

Mayor Eddie Sundquist said bringing ebikes and scooters to the area would be a way to increase mobility for those who do not have cars, or good access to public transportation.

He said New York State passed a law in 2020 making eBikes and eScooters legal, “The program itself, when we were originally looking at it, the city was considering starting its own bike share program which had a lot of upfront capital costs. In this scenario, in this partnership, Bird actually provides all of that capital. They also hire a local operator to manage and take care of those bikes and scooters. And then the city receives a portion of the revenue on each of those rides.”

Sundquist said the pricing would have an initial fee and then a 49-cents per minute fee after that. He said the program would also offer community pricing where those who have an EBT card could receive a reduced rate. Pre-paid cards could also be used for rental in cases where someone doesn’t have a debit or credit card.

Sundquist said the bikes and scooters would be limited to operation within the city of Jamestown.

Council tabled a resolution to contract with BusPatrol for the installation and management of a bus stop arm camera program.

City Council had previously authorized a Bus Stop Arm camera program to catch violations of motorists passing buses when the stop arm is out.

BusPatrol would outfit the Jamestown Public School district’s bus fleet at no cost, with the City receiving a share of the fine money. The Jamestown School Board passed the proposal in February.

Corporation Counsel Elliot\ Raimondo recommended that council table the measure for further review.

Public Safety Committee Chair Brent Sheldon said that 239 feral cats were spayed or neutered under the Community Cat Program in 2022, “151 had the surgeries done at Operation Pets in Buffalo and 88 were done at the Chautauqua County Humane Society. That did result in some savings there because they didn’t have to do the transportation and everything, so they saved approximately $1,841 on that.”

Sheldon said between the City’s allocation of $5,000 toward the program in 2022, a Chautauqua Region Community Foundation grant of $8,000, and donations of $3,000; the Chautauqua County Humane Society had enough funds for the program. He added that the City has also allocated $5,000 for the program in 2023.

The Comedy Center is now part of the Museums for All program, which is administered by the Association of Children’s Museums to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum-going habits.

The Museums for All program supports those receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits, who can now visit the National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum for a minimal fee of $2 dual admission, per person, for up to four people, with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.

Similar free and reduced admission is available to eligible members of the public at more than 1,000 museums across the country.

Tickets may be purchased in advance at ComedyCenter.org, or by visiting the admissions desk at either the National Comedy Center or Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum.

ALBANY – Assemblyman Andy Goodell (R – Chautauqua) today introduced a budget amendment to the state budget that would penalize welfare recipients who misuse Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. The amendment would have prohibited the use of EBT cards to purchase alcohol, tobacco, or lottery tickets, and prohibited the use of EBT cards at a liquor store, casino, or adult entertainment facility. Goodell issued the following statement:

“One of my top priorities as an assemblyman is to stop abuse of our state’s welfare system. This budget amendment would have ensured that public assistance money intended to help families in need does not get spent on vices that hurt families.

“Although the original legislation had bi-partisan support, the amendment was rejected largely by a party line vote. I remain committed to restoring integrity to our state’s welfare system. New York taxpayers deserve a welfare system that is free of abuse and helps lift families out of poverty and dependence on government.”

Andy Goodell on the floor of the State Assembly Monday, March 30, 2015.