The Daily Standard
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ST. MARYS- St. Marys councilors on Monday night established the city's first ordinance related to electric micro-mobility devices in town, setting the stage for nearby municipalities to potentially do the same.
Officials in both St. Marys and Celina have shared serious safety concerns about electronic bicycles and electronic scooters several times this year. Monday night's ordinance was St. Marys officials' first crack at curbing some of those risks.
The legislation prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from operating a bicycle, e-bike or any other low-speed micro-mobility device within St. Marys city limits unless they are wearing a protective helmet on their head with a properly fastened chin strap.
It also states that no one between the ages of 1 and 18 can be a passenger on a bike or bike trailer within the city limits unless they're wearing a protective helmet on their head with a properly fastened chin strap.
No parent, guardian or legal custodian of anyone under the age of 18 who fails to comply with those rules can knowingly aid, abet, cause, encourage or permit such conduct.
Penalties for the ordinance include a written warning for the first offense; a fine of $25 on the second offense within one year of the first; and a fine not exceeding $50 for each subsequent violation.
The legislation was drafted by city law director Zach Ferrall. It is modeled after similar legislation adopted in New Albany. It will take effect in 30 days.
The ordinance is the city's first on e-bikes and e-scooters, and its third regarding regular bicycles and skateboards.
The first was passed in 1967 and prohibits the usage of bicycles or e-bikes on city streets without obtaining a bike license.
The other, passed in 2006, prohibits roller skates and skateboards on the roadway or sidewalks of Spring Street between Pine and Maine streets and the operation of bicycles on the sidewalk of Spring Street between Pine and Maine streets.
Micro-mobility devices, such as e-bikes and e-scooters, have spread across the country, first in large cities and college towns, before slowing making their way into small communities like St. Marys and Celina, where they continue to be widely used with little oversight.
Additional e-bike legislation could be forthcoming, as the city's streets and sidewalks committee members asked Ferrall to look into other related safety concerns at a previous meeting.
As well, Ferrall was asked to look into an ordinance requiring all golf carts be equipped with seat belts to receive a golf cart license plate.
They have not yet scheduled their next committee meeting.
Also on Monday night, city councilors approved a tentative collective bargaining agreement with the St. Marys Police Department dispatchers through the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association.
The one-year agreement differs little from their previous agreement, which began on Jan. 1, 2023 and ends on Dec. 31.
"The main things are we increased the sick leave payout upon retirement from 25% up to 480 hours, to 30% up to 1,050 hours," city personnel director Sue Backs told The Daily Standard. "The wage scale increased by $5 per hour, (starting with) the first full pay period of 2026."
It took the group about a week to reach the agreement, Backs said. The city police department has four full-time dispatchers.
Councilors went into a 15-minute executive session to discuss the agreement and approved it afterward.
They meet next at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 24 in council chambers.
