NORTHAMPTON — The ValleyBike share program, which currently serves eight communities across the region, is delaying its spring rollout due to ongoing contract negotiations between the city of Northampton, which oversees the program, and the company that provides the bikes.

The company, Bewegen, based in the Canadian province of Quebec, recently initiated bankruptcy proceedings in its home country, something Northampton attributed to “an effort to dissolve existing contracts with its bike-share communities around the world,” according to Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra.

The proceedings have resulted in the city attempting to renegotiate its contract with the company, on behalf of all communities in the Valley that use the service. In addition to Northampton, ValleyBike serves Easthampton, South Hadley, Amherst, Holyoke, Springfield, West Springfield, and Chicopee, and has a separate service at the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus.

The city said in a Monday announcement that it hopes to have the service, which launched in 2018, running again in May.

“We know how important bike share has become to users and to all the communities in the Valley,” said Carolyn Misch, director of Planning & Sustainability, in a statement. “Participating communities are working diligently to ensure that we can put together at least a partial bike share program this season, while we work on a long-term funding solution for the entire system.”

The communities served by ValleyBike combine to cover the more than $70,000 in administrative costs of overseeing the service from Northampton City Hall.

City seeks residents for racial harms commission

The city is looking for people to join its recently created Commission to Investigate Racial Harms against Black residents and workers in Northampton. The City Council in late February approved a resolution that called for the commission’s formation.

The city announced the opening of the application process late last week, with an application deadline set for this Friday.

Carolyn Oppenheim, who is part of the seven-member group the Northampton Reparations Committee, had previously expressed concern to the city that not enough was being done to advertise the application process. The original deadline to apply was April 21.

“I am deeply concerned that the ball has been dropped,” she wrote in an email dated April 8 to various city councilors. “It is worth taking the time to do a serious outreach to make this effort a really representative one. After almost two years of work, I would hate to see it fall flat.”

Council President Jim Nash responded to Oppenheim’s email, saying the city would ensure it receives enough applications.

“If the deadline needs adjustment, this will occur,” he wrote in response. “We will keep folks in the loop and we welcome all help getting the word out.”

The commission will consist of between nine to 11 members, at least 50% of whom will be Black. In addition, two members of the commission will be appointed from the Northampton Human Rights Commission and the Northampton Youth Commission. One member will be appointed among the community organizations that advocated for its creation, and another will be from a Northampton historical organization. The city can also appoint up to two council members to serve on the commission.

Those interested in applying may do so by filling out a Google Docs form posted on the city’s website.

Trivia Bee coming up May 3

The Northampton Education Foundation will host its second annual virtual Trivia Bee on May 3, starting at 6 p.m.

The Bee includes a night of online trivia and prizes to support the foundation, which supports innovative projects in public schools. Entrants can play by themselves or with friends and families for $25.

For more information, visit northamptoneducation.org/triviabee/.

Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.

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