Weekend Event Guide: LapQuest, swap meet, Sunday Parkways and more

Grab them bikes and ride! It’s Sunday Parkways season!
(Photo: Jonathan Maus)
The Weekend Event Guide is sponsored by Abus Bike Locks. Thanks Abus!

Can you believe it’s already Sunday Parkways season?

We should have more dry and warm weather this weekend, so hopefully you have a chance to enjoy it.

Our guide to all the action is below (remember there are always more events listed on the calendar)…

Saturday, May 19th

LapQuest – 8:30 am to 3:00 pm at Stub Stewart State Park
This event, hosted by the NW Trail Alliance, is a celebration of their members and volunteers. Here’s the set-up: Everyone starts at the same time and the goal is to ride as many laps of the super-fun mountain bike trails at Stub Stewart as you can in four hours. There are no prizes or places, just a good day on the bike as everyone finishes at the same time. And there’s a big BBQ at the end! More info here.

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City of Portland considering pilot of dockless electric scooters this summer

Care to scoot?
(Photos: Jonathan Maus)

In an attempt to ride the wave of a mobility revolution sweeping cities across the globe, the City of Portland has confirmed they are considering a launch of a program that would allow private companies to operate dockless e-scooters in the public right-of-way during a pilot period later this summer.

The scooters will be of the “dockless” variety, meaning they won’t need to be parked in a designated area or at a special kiosk. At least that’s how they work in most cities. Dockless e-scooters are newcomers in the shared mobility space and have only been launched in about four U.S. cities since last fall.

Details of the future Portland policy and potential operational restrictions private companies would have to abide by have not been made public yet. The Portland Bureau of Transportation has just started to talk about the program publicly.

The first public mention of the plans (that we know of) came Tuesday night when PBOT bike share program manager Steve Hoyt-McBeth was on the agenda of the monthly Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting. “The scooter share model is similar to dockless bike share,” read the agenda item. “Scooters are available for checkout in public space for short, one-way trips for a small fee and do not require any infrastructure to complete the trip.” Hoyt-McBeth wanted to ask the committee for specific guidance and feedback, “on electric scooter rental, including evaluation criteria and protecting pedestrian access and safety.”

Sidewalk space has put e-scooters in the eye of a media and political storm in other cities. San Francisco’s experience has been nothing short of a “saga“.

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At open house, east Portlanders get first glimpse at upcoming street projects

People had plenty of feedback to share at the first of two open houses held at Midland Library on SE 122nd Avenue last night.
(Photos: Caleb Diehl)

Scott Dalton’s wife was walking home from Safeway in December 2017 when a person driving a car struck and killed her.

“She was in the crosswalk,” he says. “One car stopped and the other car didn’t.”

Dalton, a retired journalist, has lived in east Portland near 117th Avenue, for twenty years. In that time he’s seen a steady stream of people die while walking or biking. This year alone, five people have been killed while walking in the neighborhoods east of I-205.

Dalton showed up at the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s open house Wednesday night hopeful that a slate of new projects will finally bring change to the neighborhood. In the past four years, PBOT has pumped $255 million into its “East Portland in Motion” projects, many of which will break ground in early 2019.

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Introducing the Bicycle Showcase: A place to promote and learn about great bikes

We have so many great local bike shops and builders in Portland, and one of our main goals has always been to support them by spreading the word about their business and products.

Today we’re launching a new tool that will take that one step further. We call it the Bicycle Showcase. It’s a paid listing service ($150 per bike) and it’s a simple way for local bike builders and bike shops to spread the word about bikes they have for sale. Similar to our Job Listings, the idea is to get that triple-win we always strive for around here: Help local businesses thrive, support our work, and provide a helpful resource the community.

I personally love visiting bike shops and checking out the latest-and-greatest bikes. My hope is that this new service gives you the information you need to make a good choice about your next bike and/or just gives you an opportunity to ogle something cool during your lunch hour.

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With slew of projects in the pipeline, east Portland’s streets begin era of change

It will take both money and good designs to tame east Portland streets.
(Photo: Jonathan Maus)

“There’s a bit of almost a giddy feeling when you think about how many things are going to happen.”
— Kem Marks, The Rosewood Initiative

2018 could go down in history as an inflection point for east Portland. After years of activism and advocacy — and planning and politicking by local governments — a part of our city that has been historically neglected since it was annexed a half-century ago is slated for an infusion of transportation infrastructure investment the likes of which we’ve never seen before.

Tonight (5/16) at an event on SE 122nd Avenue, the Portland Bureau of Transportation kicks off the first of two open houses that will feature nearly two dozen projects and programs aimed at making east Portland streets safer and more convenient. Between projects slated to break ground this summer and next, there’s so much going on it’s hard to keep up.

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Free bikes you can park (nearly) anywhere prove wildly popular in Portland

These users would usually been fined $2 for parking here. It’s been fun to see so many Biketown bikes parked all over town.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

Portland’s experiment with free Biketown rides and parking fee waiver have led to record usage.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation just announced that people have taken 30,238 trips on the system so far this month — a 120 percent increase over the same time last year.

And Biketown broke a new one-day record on Saturday, May 12th with 3,591 rides (the old record of 2,990 rides was on July 30, 2016).

The official, stated reason for the free promotion was National Bike Month (it’s also Bike More Challenge here in Portland); but it’s clear that PBOT wants (needs) to test the waters of a “dockless” system. Dockless bike and electric scooter share systems are transforming how people get around because of they’re more simple to use, more affordable, and easier to access than more traditional, kiosk-based systems. PBOT likes to say that Biketown is already dockless because all the rental software and tech is on the bikes and kiosks aren’t needed; but the parking restrictions and relatively small service area are both very limiting factors.

Also of note is that private firms like Jump, Lime, and others are salivating at the potential of the Portland market for their dockless products. (Unconfirmed word on the street is that PBOT is finalizing a permit process for dockless e-scooter share which should be ready by the end of June.

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Whether the free rides or the lack of a $2 fine for parking outside of designated parking zones was the attraction, Portlanders have responded well to more Biketown. Jessica Engelman shared via Twitter today that as an annual member the free rides didn’t influence her usage much. “But not having to pay $2 to park outside of stations certainly did.” Engelman is using the system 275 percent more so far this year compared to last year.

Keep in mind that 1,000 bikes spread out over our existing service area is a very, very small system compared to global best practices. To truly reap the benefits of shared bikes, we need thousands more of them. And, as this experiments proves, they need to be as affordable and accessible as possible.

How has the free ride and parking policy changes impacted you?

Job: Director of Finance – Community Cycling Center (FILLED)

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title

Director of Finance

Company / Organization

Community Cycling Center

Job Description

We are currently recruiting for a Director of Finance who shares our vision, embraces our mission and has the skills to work effectively with our Board and staff and provide excellent financial management, to strengthen and grow the organization in the coming years.

This is a part-time position but also one of only four Director-level employees. We are seeking a highly qualified candidate who can spread their hours over at least four days per week and who will split their time between our office and our full-service bicycle shop, in order to get to know our full team and our full operation.

This position requires a hands-on approach to getting things done and collaborating effectively with managers throughout the organization, together with the ability to work well independently.

Specific Responsibilities Include:
Financial Management (60%)

Manage comprehensive organization budget and budgeting process, consisting of multiple departments & types of revenue, unrestricted and restricted funds, inventory, cash flow management, and the full range of general ledger accounts using GAAP accounting standards.
Track expenses by category and track restricted expenditures against restricted funding sources; assist with program-specific financial information for grant applications and reports.
Ensure timely and accurate recording of all transactions, maintenance of the general ledger, monthly account reconciliations and month end close.
Prepare timely monthly, quarterly, mid-year and annual financial reports to the Executive Director, department heads and Board of Directors.
Manage payroll.
Manage our lease (and possible office relocation.)
Supervise part-time bookkeeper.
Continually improve financial systems.
Follow “financial policies and procedures” manual and update it as systems change/improve.
Coordinate all audit/review activities and interface with outside accounting/auditing firms to facilitate year end close and preparation of financial statements.

Risk Management (20%)

Formulate and administer internal control policies and procedures to ensure protection of agency assets and minimize risk.
Ensure the organization maintains adequate and cost-effective insurance, such as property and casualty, general liability, “umbrella,” and directors and officers.
Manage all fiduciary and fiscal responsibilities related to insurance and personnel.

Organizational Leadership, Development, & Training (20%)

Coordinate & support the Finance Committee of the board; lead projects as requested.
Work closely with the Board of Directors, Executive Director, and several department heads, with varying levels of financial management experience; provide training and support as team members learn about financial management.
Meet bi-weekly with other staff-level Directors to discuss a wide range of organizational issues.
Manage the organization’s technology/hardware including phones, internet service, computer hardware and software.

Qualifications & Characteristics

Required

A deep appreciation for the mission and values of the Community Cycling Center, as well as a thorough understanding of the unique and complex community development and social justice issues facing Portland residents.
At least five years of progressively responsible professional experience.
Demonstrated excellence with financial management in the nonprofit sector or in retail environments (for-profit or social venture enterprise).
Experience with full cycle accounting through month end close, financial statements, audit, budget, payroll and benefits administration, and inventory.
A history of continual process improvement.
Excellent people skills, including experience collaborating in a diverse and dynamic team.
The ability to communicate effectively in both words and numbers, and to provide financial information in a concise and easily understandable manner.
Ability to multi-task while also being willing to “roll up the sleeves” and get tasks done.
Strong references.
Excellent skills using Microsoft Excel and accounting software, preferably QuickBooks
A demonstrated personal and professional commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Preferred

Demonstrated experience and competence with financial management in both the nonprofit sector and retail environments (for-profit or social venture enterprise)
Experience with inventory management, purchasing, and point of sale systems (preferably Lightspeed)
Fluency in English and one (or more) additional language(s) spoken commonly in Portland, e.g. Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Somali, Russian.
Lived experience as a member of a marginalized community and/or with mixed income housing, title 1 schools, immigration, and/or communities of color.

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume by email with “Director of Finance Application” as the subject line to jobs@communitycyclingcenter.org.

This announcement was originally posted on May 15, 2018. The position will remain open until filled. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, beginning May 29th.

Job: Shipping and Receiving – River City Bicycles

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title

Shipping and Receiving

Company / Organization

River City Bicycles

Job Description

River City Bicycles is looking for an experienced shipping and receiving person who is also familiar with dealing with warranty issues and reconciling credits.
This person should have very good attention to detail and good communication and organizational skills. They should also be able to adapt to an existing S&R system, and be computer savvy.
This person should ideally be familiar with current bicycle industry parts and components, and have a working knowledge of bicycles.

How to Apply

Please send resume to daveg@rivercitybicycles.com

City puts northwest Portland street projects “in motion”

NW Raleigh is one of the many greenway routes in Northwest that has fallen victim to too many drivers.
(Photo: Jonathan Maus)

This story is by BikePortland contributor Caleb Diehl.

The City of Portland’s Northwest in Motion plan got underway last night when the Community Advisory Group (CAG) met for the first time at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital. The group — that includes representatives from biking and walking organizations, residents and business owners — will shape the outcomes of a project that will identify and prioritize a five-year “active transportation implementation strategy.”

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Talking about family biking (and why I want to share your stories)

I want to learn something from everybunny out there!
(Photos: Madi Carlson)

Do you remember the first time you saw a family biking together?

Our Family Biking column is sponsored by Clever Cycles.

➤ Read past entries here.

For me, it was while visiting family in the Netherlands as a teenager. I knew then and there I would someday bike with my babies and the rest is history. A lot of people have had similar experiences — they saw family biking in action in a bike-friendly city like Amsterdam or Copenhagen and found a way to replicate it back home. Nowadays you don’t have to leave the country to see kids on parents’ bikes and kids on their own bikes at a young age, and a lot of people have their “a-ha moment” when they spy their first bike seat or cargo bike right here in Portland.

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