[1. CALL TO ORDER.]
[2. MINUTES.]
[00:00:10]
NEXT WE WILL CALL ORDER TONIGHT FOR THE AUBURN CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF APRIL, 2023. THE CITY CITY COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE THE MINUTES FROM MARCH 21ST AN THE ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS T THOSE MINUTES. MOTION SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY I. THE
[3. AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD.]
MINUTES ARE CARRIED FORTH. MAYOR PRO TEM WITTEN. WE HAVE TWO VACANCIES. AT TIMES BEGAN APRIL 15TH, 2023 AND APRIL 14TH 2027. WE HAVE ONE INCUMBENT, KAREN HERRING, WHO SERVED ONE FULL TERM, AND BETTY BARGES WHO SERVED TWO FULL TERMS. IT WILL TAKE THESE ONE AT A TIME. THE FIRST ONE FOR KAREN HERRING, A POSITION, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE KAREN HERRING FOR ASECOND FULL TERM. >> A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR KAREN HERRING. ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS
>> MR. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE DR. CAROL DALE, TO TH AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD. NEXT IS THERE A SECOND? MOTION AND SECOND FOR CAROL DALE. ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS AT THIS TIME? OKAY. WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSION AT THIS MOMENT BUT IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FOR KAREN HERRING, PLEASE? THANKS I JUST LIKE TO SAY, I THINK SHE HAS DONE AN ADMIRABLE JOB, AND THE SIX MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL APPOINTE HER IN 2019. IF SOMEONE HAS DONE A DECENT JOB REAPPOINTMENT TO THE SECOND TERM.
>> ANYTHING ELSE? >> MAYOR PRO TEM'S COMMENTS. W WERE ENTHUSIASTIC TO INVOKE FO THIS INCUMBENT THE FIRST ROUND, THERE IS A PRECEDENT IN THIS COUNSEL TO HAVE A SECOND TERM
FOR EVERY APPLICANTS. THANK YOU >> OKAY. FOR DR. NOW.
>> GREAT RESPECT FOR KAREN HERRING, BUT I WISH TO NOMINATE DR. CAROL DALE TO THE BOARD, SH IS A RECENTLY RETIRED PHYSICIAN , SHE BRINGS A SCIENCE BACKGROUND OF OVER 40 YEARS AS A HEALER AND A SERVANT TO THE PUBLIC. DR. DALE GREW UP HERE, SHE LOVES AUBURN, SHE VALUES THIS COMMUNITY, SHE IS NOW IN POSITION TO GIVE BACK, AND WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE HER IN THE LIBRARY BOARD. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK?
>> OKAY, AT THIS TIME, WE WILL DO THIS BY IF YOU WILL RAISE YOUR HAND, OKAY? SO, ALL IN FAVOR OF KAREN HERRING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL RIGHT, SO WE WILL APPOINT KAREN HERRING LATER ON IN THE AGENDA. ALL RIGHT FOR THE SECOND
>> FOR THE SAKE AND THEY CAN SEE, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE
>> A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR BERNARD ANDERSON. ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT MR. ANDERSON?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY THA I THINK THE PASTOR WOULD BE A GREAT ASSET TO THE LIBRARY BOAR BECAUSE I HAVE KNOWN HIM BASICALLY AS A PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY, A CITIZEN IN THE COMMUNITY, AND ALSO AS A PASTOR AND I THINK HE WILL BRING A LOT OF VALUE TO THE BOARD, AND IT WILL ALSO BRING DIVERSE CITY.
TO THE BOARD. ALSO. SO, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF NOMINATING
AND AS OUR SECOND. >> THANK YOU, MS. TAYLOR, ANYON
ELSE FOR BERNARD? PLEASE. >> I JUST DO THIS BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH TO SAY ABOUT HIM, H IS ALSO A VOLUNTEER AT MERCY MEDICAL, YOUTH A COUNCILMEMBER THERE, HE HAS GOT IT. NOT MANY YEARS AS A COUNSELOR, AND HE GIVES OF HIMSELF AND IS AN EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUAL, AND I COULD GO ON. BUT I JUST WANT T
GIVE MY SECOND TO THAT. >> HE HAS BEEN A MINISTER IN OU COMMUNITY FOR A LONG LONG TIME A PUBLIC SERVANT FOR A LONG TIM AS WELL. I BELIEVE HE WILL DO A OUTSTANDING JOB
>> ALL IN FAVOR OF BERNARD ANDERSON, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAN POINT OKAY. UNANIMOUS. WE WILL CONFIRM THAT LATER ON IN THE
[4. SCOOTER UPDATE.]
AGENDA. OKAY. SCOOTER UPDATE. >> WILL IS GOING TO HANDLE THA
FOR US. >> SAFETY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
[00:05:02]
MR. MATTHEWS. SO, IN REFERENC TO THE SCOOTER PHENOMENON THA WE ARE SEEING AROUND THE CITY, THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IS THAT NEITHER STATE LEGISLATION OR CITY CODE DIRECTLY OR EFFECTIVELY REGULATES AND DEFINES THE ELECTRONIC SCOOTER THAT IS SO WIDELY USED AROUND THE UNIVERSITY'S CAMPUS AND TH DOWNTOWN CORE. THE STATE STATUTE DOES DEFINE SHARED MICRO-MOBILITY SYSTEMS AND DEVICES, HOWEVER IT DOES NOT DEFINE THE PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES, AND THAT'S WHAT WE AR SEEING THE MOST OF OUTSIDE OF CAMPUS. ABSENT ANY SPECIFIC DEFINITION AND REGULATION FOR THAT, OUR LEGAL COUNSEL HAS GIVEN AN OPINION THAT THEY HAV TO BE TREATED AS A MOTOR VEHICLE, MOST CLOSELY DEFINED A A MOTOR SCOOTER, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE TO BE UPGRADED ON THE ROADWAY. A HELMET WEARING REGISTRATION, ALL OF THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE. AS FAR AS ENFORCEMENT GOES, IT WOULD REQUIRE A UNIFOR TRAFFIC CITATION IF WE WERE TO ENFORCE THE USE OF THOSE VEHICLES ON THE ROADWAY, ON A SIDEWALK, IT WOULD REQUIRE A VEHICLE OPERATING ON THE SIDEWALK, WHICH IS A VERY STIF MOVING VIOLATION OR RECKLESS DRIVING, WHICH CAN SUSPEND A DRIVERS LICENSE. SO, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AS FAR A ENFORCEMENT, IF WE DO ANYTHING ABOVE, YOU KNOW, JUST A WARNINGAND EDUCATIONAL CONTACTS. >> THE STATE STATUTE FOR SHARE MICRO-MOBILITY VEHICLES CLEARLY STATE THEY SHOULD BE TREATED A A BICYCLE WITH ALL THE RIGHTS O THE BICYCLIST, AND THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE BICYCLIST. HOWEVER, AGAIN, IT DOES NOT DEFINE THE PERSONALLY OWNED VEHICLE, ONLY SHARED MICRO-MOBILITY. SO, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE CITY CODE 2211 BE AMENDED TO PROPERLY DEFINE WHAT AN E-SCOOTER IS, AND ALSO TO IMPLEMENT THE PROHIBITION OF IT IN THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT. AND THEN CHIEF
ANDERSON IS GOING TO TALK. >> HOW ARE YOU DOING, CHIEF?
>> WONDERFUL, GOOD EVENING, I GOT.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. ASKED BACK IN THE SUMMER 2022, WE FOUND OUT AUBURN UNIVERSITY WAS GOING TO AN AGREEMENT WITH VENDOR TO PROVIDE THE SCOOTERS TO THE CAMPUS. THEY WERE GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO BE OPERATED ON CAMPUS AND ON CAMPUS ONLY. WE WERE GOING TO HAVE SOME ISSUES COMING INTO THE TOREADOR OF DOWNTOWN, SO WHAT WE DID IS OBVIOUSLY, THAT SUMMER, WE STARTED SENDING OUT NOTIFICATIONS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
TYPICALLY, WHAT WE DO ANYTIME WE SEE SOMETHING NEW TRENDING, THERE IS A NEW LAW, ANYTHING NE GOING ON, WE TRY TO GET AHEAD O IT BY INFORMING AND EDUCATING, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN USING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM TO DO. ONCE WE DID NOT, WE SENT OUT WAVE AFTER WAVE OF THOSE NOTIFICATIONS, ALL OF THEM PROMOTING SAFETY AND JUST ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO USE SAFE METHODS AND TO DRESS APPROPRIATELY WHEN WRITING WIT SAFETY EQUIPMENT, THAT KIND OF STUFF. WELL, ONCE THAT PASSED, AND I THINK LATE OCTOBER, EARL NOVEMBER, WE ACTUALLY STARTED A CAMPAIGN AND WHERE WE WERE ASSIGNING OFFICERS INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA DURING THE DAY, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8:00 TO 5:00, AND THEIR SOLE PURPOSE WA TO CONTACT PEOPLE RIDING SCOOTERS ON THE SIDEWALK. THIS WAS IN RESPONSE TO COMPLAINTS W WERE GETTING FROM CITIZENS, SAYING THEY WERE NEARLY STRUCK COMING OUT OF THE BUILDING, AND THE SCOOTERS SQUEEZED BY AN EXCESSIVE SPEED. THAT FIRST MONTH ALONE, NOVEMBER 1ST OR SECOND THROUGH THE END OF NOVEMBER, WE CONTACTED OVER 50 PEOPLE RIDING SCOOTERS ON THE SIDEWALKS OF DOWNTOWN. ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WERE WARNED, AND I GUESS EDUCATED AGAIN ABOUT THE DANGERS OF RIDING ON THE SIDEWALK. THE ISSUE, THE LIMIT WE HAVE, IS IF WE TELL THEM TO GET INTO THE STREET AND SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THEM, WE MAY ASSUME SOME OF THAT LIABILITY, SO IT IS NO PLACE FO US TO TELL THEM TO GO. SO, THAT DETAIL CONTINUED UP UNTIL LAST WEEK, SO IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING THING, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT AND EDUCATE SINCE THIS WHOLE THING STARTED, BUT WITHOU THE ABILITY TO DO ANY MORE THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO GIV US THE TEETH TO ACTUALLY ENFORC THE PROBLEM. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS? >> SURE, MR. GRISWOLD, YOU
[00:10:06]
ASKED US TO HAVE THIS MOMENT TONIGHT.>> THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE UPDATE. LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE IN A BAD SITUATION. WE CAN'T HAVE THEM ON THE SIDEWALK, CAN'T HAV THEM ON THE STREET. IN REALITY, YOU KNOW THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE WEARING HELMETS AND GETTING A LICENSE TO REGISTER THEM AND ALL THAT STUFF, BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO BE AN ENFORCEMENT NIGHTMARE FOR YOU. I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE DON'T JUST DO A BLANKET THING AS A BICYCLE. BIKES, SCOOTERS, SKATEBOARDS, ONE SET OF RULES FOR EVERYONE. IF THEY ARE IN TH STREET, THEY HAVE TO OPERATE JUST LIKE A MOTOR VEHICLE DOES, WITH -- LIKE A BICYCLE DOES NO OBEY THE TRAFFIC RULES. IF THEY DON'T, THERE ARE CERTAIN CONSEQUENCES. I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT KEEPING THEM OFF THE SIDEWALKS IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT. BUT I AM JUST LOOKIN AT OVERALL PERSPECTIVE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU ARE EVER GOING TO ENFORCE ANYTHING. VER SIMPLE TO ME. TREAT THEM ALL TH SAME, AS PERSONAL
MICRO-MOBILITY VEHICLES. >> IS THAT ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU MENTIONED?
>> TO ELIMINATE DOWNTOWN, WAS NOT ROADS AND SIDEWALKS?
>> SO, THE CURRENT CODE , SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES SIDEWALKS. AND IT DEFINES THE VEHICLES THAT CANNOT RIDE UPRIGHT ON THE SIDEWALK, SKATEBOARDS, SKATES, BICYCLES.
WE THINK THAT WE NEED TO DEFINE WHAT THE E-SCOOTER IS, THE PRIVATELY OWNED E-SCOOTER IS, AND THEN ALSO RESTRICT IT FROM OPERATING ON THE SIDEWALKS. I THINK , YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE LOCAL JURISDICTION HAS THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE THE SHARED MICRO-MOBILITY SYSTEMS. WE AR NOT AT ALL ENCOURAGING THAT TO HAPPEN. AND EVEN IF YOU DID, I DOESN'T COVER THE PRIVATELY OWNED SCOOTERS. AND SO, THAT IS PROBLEMATIC, AND THAT IS A STATE LEGISLATION ISSUE. SO -- I THINK THAT IT WILL HELP US SIGNIFICANTLY IF WE ADDRESS THA CITY CODE AND AMEND IT TO REFLECT THAT PROHIBITION. AND THEN WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO, YOU KNOW, THOSE THAT OPERATE ON THE SIDEWALK WITH VIOLATING THAT MUNICIPAL CODE, RATHER THAN WRITING A CITATION, IS GOING TO AFFECT THEIR POINTS POTENTIALLY THEIR INSURANCE, AN POTENTIALLY COULD SUSPEND THEI
DRIVERS LICENSE PRIVILEGES. >> WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING IS RIDING THEM ON NON-UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION?
>> ONCE WE GET THE CITY CODE, YES, SIR.
>> I HAVE A TWO PART QUESTION. IS THERE A MECHANISM IN PLACE ALREADY TO REGISTER A SCOOTER? WOULD THAT MEAN A TAG IS ON THE
SCOOTER? >> IN THEORY. THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN DEFINE IT AS RIGHT NOW IS A MOTOR VEHICLE, JUST BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF AN APPROPRIATE DEFINITION.
>> THE SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION IS, WOULD THEY BE ALLOWED TO RIDE ON MULTI USE PATHS?
>> IF IT WERE TREATED AS A BICYCLE, I THINK SO, BUT YOU KNOW, MULTI USE PATHS OUTSIDE OF THAT DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR, JUS
>> I GOT , YOU ARE CONFLICTING PEDESTRIANS WITH A MOTORIZED VEHICLE AND THAT IS ALWAYS DANGEROUS, SO I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TWO SIDES OF IT. DO W WANT CHILDREN THAT ARE RIDING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS ACTUALLY WRITING IN THE ROADS? I DON'T THINK THAT GOOD IDEA. AGAIN, IT'S A STICKY SITUATION, THERE ARE PROS AND REALLY, THERE ARE CONS FOR EVERY SITUATION THAT I CAN THINK OF IN OPERATING THEM SAFELY, ESPECIALLY AROUND CROWDS. THE MAJORITY OF THE ACCIDENTS WE HAVE SEEN INVOLVIN THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN ON CAMPUS. WELL, REALLY, IT'S ABOUT 50-50, BUT MOSTLY AROUND CAMPUS, SO 50% ON CAMPUS, PROBABLY 40% ON THE ADJACENT AREAS AROUND CAMPUS WHERE THE CONCENTRATION IS, AND ON A FEW OUTSIDE OF THAT DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR.
>> THANK YOU. >> CAN WE GET A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION ? SO WE CAN SEE -
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> YOU KIND OF WENT THROUGH IT
QUICKLY. OKAY, THANK YOU. >> AND ALSO HAS EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL MEDIA EDUCATION THAT WE HAVE PUT OUT THERE.
>> HAVE YOU ALL STUDIED OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ON HOW THEY ARE HANDLING THIS PROBLEM? IT IS NO JUST AN AUBURN PROBLEM.
>> SO, OTHER PLACES HAVE DONE I FOR YEARS AND, YOU KNOW,
[00:15:01]
EVERYTHING FROM MINOR ACCIDENTS TO SCOOTERS BEING LEFT ON THE SIDEWALKS, ABANDONED, BECAUSE THE BATTERIES , YOU KNOW, WERE EXHAUSTED AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM, SO THEY JUST ABANDONED THEM. WE SAW THA WITH OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH SCOOTERS WHERE THE COMPANY JUS CAME INTO THE AREA WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME FATALITIES INVOLVING SCOOTERS MIXING WITH VEHICLES IN THE ROADWAY. BUT IN SPECIFIC CITIES, WE HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO GET STATISTICS OR ANYTHING.POTENTIAL ORDINANCE? >> THERE IS NOT YET. IF THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE FOR US TO COME UP WITH THE DRAFT, WE ARE CERTAINLY HAPPY TO DO THAT AND SUBMIT IT FOR CONSIDERATION.
>> SO, THE DRAFT THAT YOU ARE CONTEMPLATING STILL ONLY
ADDRESSES DOWNTOWN. >> IT WOULD ONLY ADDRESS THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT AND IT WOULD ADD THE DEFINITION OF THE E-SCOOTER TO INCLUDE BOTH SHARED MICRO-MOBILITY AND
PERSONALLY OWNED SCOOTERS. >> I'M SORRY, THAT JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO BE SUFFICIENT TO ME. W CAN FIX THAT JUST BY PUTTING UP SOME SCIENCE, SOME SIGNAGE THAT INCLUDES SCOOTERS, SKATEBOARDS, BICYCLES. WE HAD SIGNS DOWNTOW NOW THAT SAY BICYCLES AND
SKATEBOARDS, I THINK. >> RIGHT.
>> THE ISSUE IS MUCH BIGGER THA JUST THIS DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT AREA. I MEAN, PEOPLE DOWN IN COLLEGE OF RILEY, THEY ARE HAULING TAILED DOWN THE SIDEWALKS. IF THAT IS WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO, THAT IS FINE. DO WE WANT HIM ON THE SIDEWALKS OR THE STREETS? I DON'T KNOW. I PERSONALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION, AND YOU KNOW, I RIDE A BICYCLE DOWNTOWN, I WRITE IT IN THE STREET WITHOUT A HELMET. THAT I MY CHOICE. BUT YOU ARE SUBJECT TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS O THE ROAD, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BICYCLE. I JUST REALLY DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE -- I THINK WE ARE JUST DOING A HALF A LOAF HERE BY PUTTING SOME EXTRA WORD IN AN EXISTING ORDINANCE. I DON'T THINK WE ARE ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM.
>> THE DEFINITION PIECE OF THAT Y'ALL FEEL HANDICAPPED BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A CLEAR DEFINITION OF WHAT THE SCOOTER IS, RIGHT? DEFINITION FOR A PRIVATELY OWNE SCOOTER. SO, THERE IS A DEFINITION FOR THE SHARED MICRO-MOBILITY, UM, DEVICE.
AND THAT IS IN STATE CODE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THE CODE WA WRITTEN, THEY DIDN'T INCLUDE PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES, THEY ONLY INCLUDE THOSE DEVICES THAT ARE FOR SHORT-TERM RENTAL, AND
SHARED USE. >> THE VEHICLE IS THE SAME.
>> IT IS. IT IS JUST THE USE. >> AND WHAT ABOUT E-BIKES, ELECTRIC BIKES? DID WE ADDRESS THAT? OR IS NOT PERCEIVED AS A
BIKE? >> IT IS PERCEIVED AS A BIKE, BUT IT IS INCLUDED IN THE SHARE MICRO-MOBILITY STATUTE.
>> EVEN PRIVATELY OWNED? OKAY, ONLY SHARED.
>> THE PRIVATELY OWNED E-BIKES HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE RULES OF THE ROAD JUST LIKE PRIVATELY OWNED BICYCLES.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, AND THEY ARE DEFINED IN THE STATE CODE.
>> THE BIKES ARE DEFINED? >> THEY ARE.
>> CAN WE DO THAT? >> WE WOULD HAVE TO CHECK WITH
THE CITY ATTORNEY TO SEE. >> IF YOU DO THAT, JOHNNY GETS ONE FOR CHRISTMAS, GETS ON THE SIDEWALK,
>> THAT'S CORRECT, IF THERE IS PROHIBITION CITYWIDE.
>> I UNDERSTAND WHERE COUNCILMAN GRISWOLD IS COMING FROM. THE ISSUE I HAVE GOT WIT THIS IS WHERE DOES IT STOP? KIDS WANT TO RIDE ON THE SIDEWALKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND FRANKLY, IF YOU LOOK AROUND OUR SURROUNDING AREA, AUBURN I GROWING BY OUR CRIME RATE IS STAYING RELATIVELY LOW. I JUST FEEL LIKE THEY ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB, I DON'T KNOW HO THEY KEEP UP WITH IT LIKE THEY DO. THEY ARE DOING A REMARKABLE JOB. WE JUST WANT TO PUT EVERYTHING OFF ON THE POLICE.
CODE ENFORCEMENT COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT OR SOMEBODY.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO PUT THAT MUCH ON OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
AND I CAN SEE IT HAPPENING. LITTLE JOHNNY IS GOING TO GET ONE FOR HIS BIRTHDAY OR CHRISTMAS. SOME OFFICERS GOING TO SEE IT AND GET A COMPLAINT ABOUT IT AND WRITE A CITATION.
WHERE DOES IT STOP? DOWNTOWN, I TOTALLY AGREE. COMING OUT OF STORES, DISTURBING PEOPLE, ALMOST HITTING THEM. SO, I REALLY DON'T WANT TO PUT -- FROM MY STANDPOINT , I HATE TO PUT MORE ON THEM THAN THEY HAV ALREADY GOT. ESPECIALLY IN THE
[00:20:03]
DOWNTOWN AREA. IF YOU GET A COMPLAINT, I CAN SEE THE OFFICE GOING OUT AND STOPPING SOMEBODY SAYING THEY GOT A COMPLAINT ABOUT WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK RECKLESSLY. WRITING A CITATION FOR RECKLESS DRIVING OR WHATEVE ELSE. ONCE HE WARNED THEM, THE KEEP DOING IT. I JUST REALLY, WANT TO SAY AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE JOB DIRECTOR MATTHEWS AND CHIEF ANDERSON ARE DOING. I WATCH THE TELEVISION EVERY DAY, THE NEWS, AND READ THE PAPER.THE GROUNDS ARE TERRIFIC AROUND AUBURN. WE SO FAR , THROUGH TH GRACE OF GOD AND THE HARD WORK OF THE POLICE MEN AND WOMEN, KEEP IT OFF OF US. A LOT OF PRAYER. MEN LIKE DIRECTOR MATTHEWS AND CHIEF ANDERSON LEADING US. I HATE TO PUT ANY
MORE ON THEM. >> I AM NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHY , WHY THE MOTORIZED SCOOTER WOULD BE TREATED AS A MOTOR VEHICLE AND THE ELECTRIC BICYCLE WOULD NOT BE TREATED
THE SAME WAY. >> SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE STATE DEFINING IT IN STATUTE. THE STATE HAS DEFINED AN ELECTRIC BICYCLE AND DEFINED IT AS SUCH THAT IT WOULD BE TREATED AS A BICYCLE FOR THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
>> A PERSONAL MICRO-MOBILITY DEVICE.
>> THE E BICYCLE OR THE ELECTRI BICYCLE IS INCLUDED -- IT HAS STANDALONE DEFINITION AND STATUTE AND IT IS INCLUDED IN THE SHARED MICRO-MOBILITY STATUTE. THE SCOOTER IS ONLY ADDRESSED IN THE MICRO-MOBILIT STATUTE.
>> AND IN THE MICRO-MOBILITY STATUTE, THEY REQUIRE THEM TO B
>> TREATED AS A BICYCLE. BUT THAT IS ONLY WHEN THEY ARE USED IN A BUSINESS FASHION FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND SHARED B THE PUBLIC. SO, HAD THE STATE LEGISLATURE LEFT OFF SHARED AND IT LEFT OFF THE DEFINITION OF FOR SHORT-TERM RENTAL, THEN IT WOULD APPLY TO ALL OF THEM, BUT THEY DIDN'T. THEY VERY SPECIFICALLY DEFINED THEM AS DEVICES THAT ARE SHARED BY THE PUBLIC , RENTED FOR SHORT-TERM USE, AND DID NOT AT ALL
ADDRESS THE PERSONALLY OWNED. >> SO, THE REASON THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE WOULD NEED TO CLASSIFY THOSE AS A MOTOR VEHICLE IS BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T DEFINED BY THE STATE?
>> CORRECT. BASICALLY, THE STATE STATUTE SAYS THAT ALL OTHER VEHICLES WILL BE CONSIDERED MOTOR VEHICLES, AND THAT IF YOU GET INTO THE MOTOR VEHICLE STATUTE AND IT DEFINES MOTOR SCOOTER , IT MOST CLOSELY FALLS UNDER THAT STATUTE, WHICH
IS -- >> IT EXAMS THE OTHER ONES.
>> ADVISE WEIGHING LESS THAN 10 POUNDS THAT SATISFIES ALL OF THE FOLLOWING: HAS HANDLEBARS, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR, IS SOLELY POWERED BY AN ELECTRIC MOTOR O HUMAN POWER, AND DOES NOT EXCEE 20 MILES PER HOUR ON LEVEL PAVED SURFACE.
>> THAT MAKES SENSE. >> I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION.
SO, IF YOU PUT RESTRICTIONS ON THE SCOOTERS, THE PRIVATE ONES, AND MAYBE TO RIDE THEM ON THE SIDEWALKS AND STUFF, SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN THEN? IF THEY DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS AND YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THERE ARE NO
SIDEWALKS? >> SO, THE RESTRICTION WOULD BE TO NOT WRITE THEM ON THE SIDEWALK. TO INTERFERE WITH PEDESTRIANS. SHOULD THERE BE AN AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING CITY CODE OR IF A NEW COMPLETELY CITY CODE WAS WRITTEN, I ASSUME THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT PROHIBITING THEM FROM OPERATING ON THE SIDEWALK AT ALL.
>> OKAY, SO IF THAT IS THE CASE THAT MEANS THEY WILL HAVE TO RIDE IN THE ROADWAY, RIGHT? OKAY, SO WHEN YOU SAID THE ROADWAY, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT BIKE LANE OR JUST WRITING AS A
CAR DOES? >> IF THERE IS A BIKE LANE AVAILABLE, YOU WOULD USE THE BIKE LANE, BUT OF COURSE, EVERY ROAD DOESN'T HAVE A BIKE LANE, SO IT WOULD BE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE RIGHT-HAND CURB
>> BUT THE THREE FOOT RULE WOUL APPLY.
>> IT WOULD. >> TO THESE DEVICES AS WELL.
>> IF YOU TREAT IT SOLELY AS A BICYCLE.
>> SO, CONCEPTUALLY, WE COULD SAY WE PROHIBIT E-SCOOTERS AND THE LIKE ON SIDEWALKS, HOWEVER RIGHT AT YOUR OWN RISK ON -- ON THE PATH OF THE ROAD , THE MULTIUSE PATH, AND YOU ARE IN
[00:25:06]
RISK, AND TREAT THEM LIKE BICYCLES IF THEY SO CHOOSE.>> IN THEORY, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS THERE, AND YOU KNOW, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE VETTED BY THE LEGAL TEAM.
>> SURE. >> WHAT ARE WE WRITING FOR THE
DOWNTOWN BICYCLES NOW? >> I BELIEVE WHEN WE FIRST STARTED MAKING CONTACT, WE WER DOING 90 ON CITATIONS, BUT THE AFTER GETTING THE LEGAL OPINION FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE, YOU KNOW, THE OPINION WAS THAT WE NEEDED TO WRITE -- IF WE ARE GOING TO ENFORCE IT, WE NEED TO WRITE IT ON A UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION. FOR THE E-SCOOTERS. YES, THE BICYCLES ARE CITED ON JUST A MUNICIPAL CITATION. DOESN'T AFFECT DRIVERS LICENSE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT IS IN TH
HOUSE. >> I REALLY LIKE WITTEN'S APPROACH TO THAT, BASICALLY, IT IS TREATED LIKE BICYCLES. RIDE IN THE ROAD, IT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON OUR POLICE OFFICERS, I THINK IT'S GREAT WHAT THEY DO. JUST NEED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE CITY, NOT JUST IN DOWNTOWN. TREAT HIM LIKE A BICYCLE OR DON'T TREAT THEM LIKE A BICYCLE THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE STAND.
THE DOWNTOWN PARK, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS THEM WRITING BIKES, SCOOTERS, ANYTHING ELSE DOWNTOWN.
THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE CITY I STILL THINK WE NEED TO FIND A COMMON DILUTION AND LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE.
ARE COMING FROM, MR. GRISWOLD, I THINK ABOUT THESE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE A LOT O CHILDREN AND THE CHILDREN ARE GOING TO RIDE THEM ON THE SIDEWALKS THEM AND I THINK POLICE OFFICERS HAVE GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN CHASE DOWN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD BOYS RIDING SCOOTERS. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN LITIGATE ONE FROM ANOTHER. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DO THAT, I
AM SURE WE CAN. >> I THINK IT IS WORTH FURTHER CONVERSATION. I DON'T THINK WE ARE GOING TO SOLVE THIS TONIGHT
>> BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE KEEP THIS GOING FROM HERE, BUT WE CAN -- CERTAINLY WHEN THE CITY MANAGER GETS BACK TOMORROW, WE CAN FOLLOW UP. APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S
[5. QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA.]
TIME. VERY INFORMATIVE. >> ALL RIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA? ANYTHING FOR US?
>> DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.