The NCF Overview states that the NCF and the Parish have a Memorandum of Understanding, or a semi-formal agreement without contractual obligations. It appears that the Northshore Community Foundation has the authority to act on behalf of the Parish Government in the capacity of vendor procurement for this situation. The NCF is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency, or even a quasi-government agency. If the NCF is performing administrative duties on behalf of the parish, then there is also an expectation that their activities are open to public inspection, as opposed to non-disclosure.
Budget: The NCF “intends to collect $200,000 in a Bikeshare Fund” for the project; they anticipate funding from both public and private sources. Phase I describes a $59,000 business plan. This should be provided by the consulting company or the selected vendor, not partially funded by the public.
Phase II describes implementation of a $103,000 turn-key bikeshare launch; again, public and private monies are expected in contribution to the implementation of the machinery and equipment, which in this writer’s opinion, should be the responsibility of the selected vendor to finance their own operation.
Phase III describes management and operations, which are to be determined based on the plan itself. A revenue bond would not be surprising. If the public is asked to finance it, then it should be free to the public, considering that it is purposed to give socio-economicallly challenged individuals access to transportation.
It is called Bikeshare, but it is not free, so it is not actually sharing. Users can pay hourly, daily, monthly or annual fees. If money is exchanged for the use of a thing, that still qualifies as a “rental”. To that end, the businesses in the parish that rent bikes could accomplish the same task of establishing a ‘bikeshare’ type of model at a fraction of the cost, while keeping the project entirely local. This issue is important to Covington Weekly because it is the same reason that Covington Weekly was founded. Local support is important to every community. As Mayor Cooper stated, the idea has merit; a bicycle is this writer’s sole means of transport, and bicycle travel is supported and encouraged.
The same goal may be reached with a different approach.
Timothy Gates, CW Correspondent
