Mayor warns SPIN to improve scooter service; council asks staff to review e‑bike contract impacts

Mayor and council members told staff to press SPIN, the city's shared‑mobility contractor, to improve collection and maintenance of dockless scooters and to clarify whether proposed e‑bikes would duplicate private businesses in town.

Why it matters: Council said scooters have been left on sidewalks for days and that the contractor’s previous practice of picking devices up twice daily has lapsed. Council members also raised equity and small‑business concerns about city contracts for e‑bike rentals when private bike shops already offer rentals.

The mayor said the city’s contract with SPIN runs through September 2025 and warned the company to improve service or risk termination. The mayor asked Lloyd, the city’s Active Transportation Manager, to contact SPIN to negotiate better collection practices, and asked staff to report back to council. Councilmember Natalie Larson asked whether granting a municipal contract to SPIN would undercut private local businesses that rent e‑bikes. Staff said they would investigate and return with information. Council agreed to remove the SPIN contract item from the consent calendar pending staff follow‑up.

Quoted on the record: The mayor said staff should tell SPIN that "if you don't do a better job, we're done with you." Councilmembers asked staff to confirm how municipal contracting would interact with existing retail rental options.

Next steps: Lloyd will meet with SPIN and report back to the council on remedial measures and whether adjustments to the contract terms, including removal of e‑bikes, are warranted.