Madison's Common Council voted in favor of using $100,000 from a reserve fund in order to fund a bicycle-sharing program despite lingering advertisement issues Tuesday.
Council members voted 15-4 in favor of a three-year agreement with B-Cycle, a branch of Trek Bicycle Corporation. The city will contribute $100,000 a year for the next three years, with that money to come from the reserve fund, which is mainly used for unexpected expenses.
Disagreements about advertising on the bike stations were initially brought up at the Board of Estimates meeting Jan 24. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, raised the advertising issue again Tuesday. According to the city attorney, B-Cycle's signage plan violates several facets of advertising-related ordinances.
""It is possible B-Cycle could move forward with the same advertising they have in other communities like Denver, but it would require additional votes of the City Council to change our laws to accommodate them,"" Verveer said.
Verveer said personally he would allow for some advertising on the bikes and the station, but not the large signage proposed.
The advertising issue was not settled, but council members were given more information.
Verveer said the other big problem is the location of the stations and the process B-Cycle will use to find sites for them. He said there is heavy competition for scarce space, particularly in the State Street and Capitol Square areas.
B-Cycle will own, operate and maintain the equipment along with covering the entire installation costs, according to B-Cycle representatives. Trek would donate the capital costs, which range at around $1 million.
The program would install 35 stations and bring around 350 bikes to Madison. Users would use credit or debit cards to pay for passes to use the bikes.
Former Madison Ald. Brenda Konkel filed several complaints, alleging there were violations of the city's lobbying ordinance involving the program.
