Proposal

To The

City of Barre

Regarding

SPOKE-EZ

A Public Community

Cycle and Information Center

PREPARED FOR

Honorable Mayor

Tom Lauzon

City of Barre

Washington County, Vermont

Document Draft Version: 0.02

June 14, 2008

By

Paul Flint

Flint Information Technology Services

17 Averill Street

Barre, Vermont 05641

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Revision History

SPOKE-EZ

A Community based

Bicycle Center and Information Kiosk

Introduction

This is a proposal to organize and operate Spoke-Ez, a community bicycle facility and tourist information station at the dormant Information Hut located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Main Street and Maple Avenue.

The Information Hut is a central location and when with the implementation of this project and proposal will give show value to the town. The heritage of bicycle use is intimate to Barre. The Information Hut’s mid town location has great access; the opening of this facility is expected to be an asset and a complement to this Center City area. It is our intent to engage the community and gainfully employ community teens and other qualifying members of the community.

This center will combine two community-based activities in order to better and promote Barre City and Washington County. These activities are:

1. The Spoke-Ez community bicycle center project, which promotes bicycling by providing affordable, used bikes for rental or sale, and community-wide access to the tools, skills and information necessary for bike maintenance and safe riding.

2. Tourist Information center which essentially restarts the original purpose of the Information Hut. This initial purpose will be augmented with the development and distribution of bicycle route maps showing off Barre and Washington County.

Our vision is that Spoke-Ez shall be a non-profit, and completely community operated faculty, with the goal of hiring local teens and disadvantaged members of the local community.

Everyone is welcome to join us in building this community information and bike center. Participation can take place on several levels. These levels include but are not limited to:

1. Member

2. Donor

3. Customer

4. Volunteer

5. Mechanics

6. Organizer

The positive public image of a functioning Tourist information facility easily augments the economic, heath and tourist resource refreshments that this project offers to the community..

1MEMBERSHIP

Members pay yearly dues for access, during shifts, to the space and tools as well as the assistance of our volunteer mechanics. Members also get access to cheap used parts.

Membership is $0-$30, on a sliding scale.

2DONATIONS

We shall gratefully accept any donation of bicycles, tools, parts, supplies and funding. Additionally we currently have an evolving wish listed posted on the Spoke-ez web site. While donations to Spoke-ez cannot currently be considered tax deductible, we expect to offer this avenue in the immediate future.

3CUSTOMER

It is our vision that this activity be a practicum on how to make money. The facility will be used for at least the following commercial operations:

1. Bicycle Rental

2. Bicycle Safety Equipment Sales

3. Used Bicycle Sales or Exchange

4. Mechanical Services and parts

5. Courses on Bicycle Safety

6. Refreshments

Tourist and bike route information available at this activity shall remain free and open to the public.

3.1BICYCLE RENTAL

Bicycles shall be available for rent at the Spoke-Ez Community bicycle facility for $3.00 per hour or 20.00 per hour for members and $6.00 per hour or 40.00 per day for non-members. All bicycles shall be adjusted for the user and shall be rented with a safety helmet.

3.2BICYCLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT SALES

All helmets and other safety equipment shall additionally be available for sale as part of the overall stock of equipment available at Spoke-Ez

3.3USED BIKE EXCHANGE

Used bicycles based either on donation or through exchange shall be reconditioned by facility mechanics, who when they aren’t helping members or customers, can spend some of their time fixing up used bikes. We keep these bikes affordable and also are open for trades.

We will also be refurbishing bikes for renting out, to folks in town and visiting who want to try out riding around town or for use in daily life.

3.3.1EARN-A-BIKE

For those wishing to exchange time for a bike instead of money we have an earn-a-bike program. After 20 hours of work at the bike shop or the information center, on may have access to our stock of used frames and parts in storage, and may build a bike for this stock with the help of the mechanics.

The goal of this program is that each needy person have a bike for one's self, and that there be bikes for the community to use and we strive to make the shop as comfortable as possible for a diversity of people and a variety of skill levels.

3.4COURSES ON BICYCLE SAFETY

The parking area surrounding Spoke-Ez at the Information Hut can with the proper permission from the store owners and landholders be used at appropriate times to teach bicycle safety courses to both the tourist and area residents, in order to promote proper and safe bicycle ridership. This activity can be a rental condition, fee paid or optionally, sponsored.

3.5REFRESHMENTS

A limited selection of light refreshments should be available; we expect these to be acquired as consignment from the local merchants.

4VOLUNTEERS

In Barre City and Washington county there are many individuals who might want to consider a community service, and they will be welcome at Spoke-Ez. In addition to the regular mechanics and facilitators, volunteers filling a variety of positions are expected to be the backbone of Spoke-Ez.

On occasion, Spoke-Ez will need to mobilize many volunteers for moving bikes, setting up events and so on. Announcement for these occasions will be sent out via our email news list and placed on the website.

5MECHANICS

Mechanics are hired and sign onto a weekly work shift. Hiring and placement for this position is based upon the submission of a resume. Development of resumes is an activity outside the scope of Spoke-Ez but is an activity available at the Barre City Teen Centers (e.g. HUMCTC.ORG). The senior mechanic shall hire and other mechanics will help a new mechanic learn as she or he goes along. It is a great way to learn, and a rewarding part time job.

6ORGANIZERS

We will also rely on both paid and volunteer organizers for maintaining the information center, organizational planning, public relations / outreach, fund raising, refreshments, and businesses activities,.

7SUMMARY

The Spoke-Ez facility will open and expand the Barre Information Hut, fulfilling the initial promise of this facility as a tourist information center. Additionally this facility shall make community bicycle transportation facilities available including but not limited to; bicycle rental, exchange or sale, community bicycle care clinic with mechanical service, air and adjustment available. A bicycle safety program center will be organized and available, and finally refreshments will be available with the cooperation of local merchants.

COST MODEL

Please find below a sample income statement for the Spoke-Ez operation based upon the following assumptions:

Assumptions

Ten percent yield on Bicycle Rentals

Repair revenue at 50 percent load

Material Sales at 30 percent of labor

Courses include 10 people each

Half of the safety participants need helmets

All business days are not optimal for rental

Table 1 Notional Model Assumptions

Table 2Notional Spoke-Ez Income Statement 2008

The table above illustrates that this facility will at best break even. It is expected that there will be enormous need for community and volunteer support necessary for this activity to be an economic success. Overall it is projected that this project shall loose about $700.00 during what remains of the summer of 2008. The benefit to local commercial and community enterprises and events is expected to be the indirect profit of the Spoke-Ez activity.

Kindest Regards,

Paul Flint

(802) 479-2360