On Tuesday evening, the Casper city council approved the second reading, of three, for changes to city ordinances to allow electric scooters into the city.

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Michael Covato, Central and Northwest Region Territory Manager for Bird Scooters, answered a few questions council had about the scooters his company was planning on bringing to the city.

Council member Bruce Knell asked Covato if there was an issue with council changing the fees associated with bringing their scooters to Casper.

Covato said that the $95 per scooter, as opposed to $25 per scooter and a $3,000 annual fee, would not be a problem for the company financially.

Council member Lisa Engebretsen asked about possible accidents that could happen with the scooters like what she has heard happen in Cheyanne.

Covato said based on studies done across the world and by numerous organizations, scooters do not pose more of a risk for pedestrians or riders than bicycles.

Some council members also wanted to address emails they had received from people with questions surrounding scooters coming to Casper.

Council member Bruce Knell said he had received many emails saying that council members are profiting off the scooters, but Knell clarified that any money Bird is paying all goes to the city.

Council member Kyle Gamroth said he has been looking at emails and comments on social media, and said of the ones he's seen, more have been negative than positive, and that he still has reservations about bringing scooters to the city.

Gamroth said he was also worried that the city is not too friendly to bicycles with how the city's infrastructure is laid out, and thought there might be issues with scooters as well, with council member Steve Cathey voicing similar concerns.

The council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance on second reading, and will have a third and final reading on August 3.

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