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Superior Council agrees to sponsor one Zagster bike station after presentation
Summary
After a presentation from Zagster, the Superior Common Council voted to fund 25% of a Zagster bike station (intended to cover one five-bike station) and directed staff to return with implementation details; councilors debated timing, sponsorships and how much the city should contribute.
The Superior Common Council voted Aug. 1 to sponsor one Zagster bike-share station after a presentation from Daniel Petkannas of Zagster.
Petkannas outlined Zagster’s low-infrastructure model, in which locking hardware is built into each bike rather than into docking stations, allowing bikes to be locked mid-trip and eliminating the need for electrical hookups at stations. He said Zagster offers a full-service leasing model—handling hardware, software, payment processing and 24/7 rider support—and assists cities with sponsorship and grant identification. Petkannas said a minimum sponsorship is $9,000 per station per year on a two-year commitment and that a 20-bike, four-station program typically costs about $36,000 annually.
Councilors asked detailed questions about maintenance, local contractors, accessibility and liability. Petkannas said Zagster would contract with a certified local mechanic (or Duluth providers if no local shop qualifies), that accessible bikes (trikes, hand cycles) are available, and that Zagster carries a $4,000,000 insurance policy and requires riders to sign waivers. He also said at least one local sponsor had verbally committed to one station for two years.
Council debate focused on funding and timing. A motion to table the matter to the Aug. 15 meeting was proposed but failed on roll call. Councilor Kern moved, and Councilor Ruth Ludwig seconded, an amendment to fund 25 percent of a station (the intent being to fund one station); the amendment passed on roll call (Yes: Van Sickle, Bender, Elm, Ludwig, Kern, Olsen; No: Fennessy, Sutherland, Dalbeck), and the council approved the item as amended. The council asked staff to return with implementation details and how revenue or user fees would be handled.
The council did not set a final operating date. Councilors discussed that most Zagster programs launch with about 20 bikes and expand if demand is strong; Petkannas estimated usage in comparable communities ranges from a few hundred to a couple thousand hours per month, and cautioned that bike-share should not be treated primarily as a revenue generator if the program is intended to remain broadly accessible.
The council’s action funds one station through a 25 percent city contribution; further details on the sponsor mix, operator contract and program launch timeline were left for follow-up reports to the council.
