Batavia City Council ends city bike sharing agreement after three years

The Batavia City Council voted against renewing its contract with bike share service provider Koloni, Inc. during Monday night’s meeting.

The company had provided bike share services to the city for the past three years, according to meeting documents. The agreement was part of the Fox Valley Bike Share program, which began in the fall of 2020.

The Fox Valley Bike Share program allows customers to rent bikes through Koloni’s app. The city had two bike rental stations, one at the Batavia Depot Museum and the other at the South Riverwalk Plaza.

Koloni bikes could be rented through an hourly rate or monthly and annual memberships, according to the company’s website.

Documents showed that if approved, Koloni would have provided the city with eight bicycles at $1,500 each, with a total of $12,000 for the season.

“There was a lukewarm reception. It seems that this may not be the right program for us,” Alderman Dan Chanzit said. “I’d be happy to discuss this again in committee. We could bring it back bigger and stronger another year.”

City Administrator Lauara Newman said the contract with Koloni was not included in this year’s city budget.

Newman said Aurora and Montgomery will renew their contracts with Koloni. The two municipalities are part of the Fox Valley Bike Share program.

The city made $280 in commissions from the bikes, Newman said.

At least one council member expressed disappointment about the decision.

“It seemed to work here well,” Alderman Abby Beck said. “I know we’re going into strategic planning. We have an active transportation plan. If this doesn’t fly, then is there something that Batavia could still do?”

In other meeting news, the council approved an emergency contract to fix an electric utility pole that has been held in place by a line truck since March 31.

A $24,416 contract with Carlise Utility Contractors will fix the pole, which was damaged by recent storms.

The pole has been scheduled to be removed to make way for the city’s wastewater plant expansion project.

“A part of the larger wastewater treatment plant project, all of the poles that are currently from Union and Pamarco right there that are heading to the north along the bike path, those will be translated underground,” Assistant Electric Superintendent Steve Allen said.

Allen said the remaining poles in the area will be moved underground in the fall.