POLAND — Village council members held a discussion on e-bikes and e-scooters within the village limits at their meeting Tuesday.

“I am concerned over (young kids) on these things,” said Councilman Chris Graff. “I’m concerned a kid is going to get hurt or worse.”

In Poland Village, the minimum age to ride an e-scooter or e-bike is 16. At that age, the rider must also wear a helmet and have it properly fastened with a chin strap.

The ordinance is in place, but the concern is over enforcing it.

Police Chief Don Lambert said he is concerned about pulling over one of these units. He said if a child is being approached by a cruiser with lights and sirens going, they may panic and could ride out into traffic as they try to get home.

“If we do stop them for no helmet, what do we do then,” Lambert asked.

Poland Village Solicitor Jay Macejko replied the officer could make the youth walk the e-scooter home. He said the 16-year-old rider must understand traffic laws also come into effect.

The village ordinance, Section 402.242, clearly requires the use of a helmet when riding e-scooters and e-bikes within the village.

Councilwoman Laurie LaPlante suggested having an educational program, maybe through the schools, so students will know the proper way to operate these vehicles. According to the ordinance, the e-vehicles (scooters and bikes) must obey all laws of the road, as well as wearing a helmet.

Graff’s concern is there will be more of these vehicles under the Christmas tree next week, adding to the number within the village.

“I would like to go into the new year with a committee working on this,” Graff said.

Another concern, he said, came from Western Reserve Fire District Chief David “Chip” Comstock, who noted the problem with the batteries catching fire and being so hard to extinguish.

FOREST CONNECTOR

In other business, Mayor Tim Sicafuse reported the Forest Connector project has been placed on hold and the village was informed the grant for the project would have to be applied for again.

In the meantime, the village could take the $185,000 set aside for that projec and move it to the Sheridan Road connector project.

“By doing this, we won’t have to take out a loan for Sheridan Road,” Sicafuse said. “The Sheridan Road project is set to go out to bid Jan. 19, 2026, and could begin as early as spring of next year.”

Council also approved the purchase of a new 2025 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor at a cost not to exceed $48,000 for the police department. Lambert said the funds would come out of the law enforcement trust funds and the new cruiser would replace a 2016 unit that is breaking down a lot.