Columbus, Georgia

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE

TAXICAB COMMISSION OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA

September 3, 2003



MEMBERS PRESENT

Chairman Wallace Archie, Mr. Mark Oropeza, Lt. Julius Ross, Ms. Diane Quick,

Mr. David Cassell, Mr. Robert Kidd, Mr. Lorenzo Landrum (arrived at 3:35 p.m.)

and Mr. James Brooks.



MEMBERS ABSENT

No one.









A meeting of the Taxicab Commission was held in the Ground Floor Conference

Room, of the Government Center. Chairman Archie, noted that a quorum was

present, called the September 3, 2003 meeting to order at 3:07 p.m.



Minutes of Previous Meetings:



Chairman Archie called attention to the two sets of minutes from previous

meetings. After checking with the members to assure that each had the

opportunity to review them, he then asked for a motion to accept the April 2

and May 7, 2003 board minutes. When no one made any comments, Chairman Archie

reading the excerpts from May 7, 2004 minutes began by saying ?He stated that

the work schedule would be eight hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday

through Friday would consist of conducting inspections and issuing permits." He

pointed out that this is not what he said. He then reiterated his previous

comments by stating that, ?it would consist of eight hours from 8:00 a.m. to

12:00 p.m., Monday through Friday would consist of conducting inspections and

issuing permits?. Clarifying the comments, he stated that the minutes read

?8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.?, but should reflect 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. With the

inclusion of the amendment, Mr. Mark Oropeza moved acceptance of the minutes.

Seconded by Ms. Diane Quick and carried unanimously.



*** *** ***



SECTION 21-8. DUTIES OF TAXICAB DRIVERS:



Section 21-8 (12): Logs. Chairman Archie pointed out that the May 7th

Minutes also includes the vote regarding the drivers keeping a logbook, but at

the four-hour work session on July 15, 2003, we decided not to have a logbook;

therefore, we need to take it out of the May 7th minutes, at which time, Mr.

Oropeza replied that this is what took place at the May 7th Meeting, which

means that it needs to stay in there. Mr. Oropeza recalled that at the July

15, 2003 Work session, he believes that we decided to leave this section as

written in the current ordinance.



After some additional discussion regarding the responsibility of maintaining a

logbook, Lt. Ross pointed out that maintaining a logbook has been listed in

Section 21-3. Taxicab Owners Business License: 6(a) as the responsibility of

the owner.



Several members expressed their opinion on the decision that was made regarding

the logbook. Ms. Quick reading from the current Vehicle For Hire Ordinance

listed in Section 21-8. Duties of Taxicab Drivers by stating that ?Logs. Each

taxicab driver shall log calls received by cellular telephones with a

dispatcher and each taxicab driver shall log every other pickup with a

dispatcher including a notation of pickup times, location of pickup and

destination.? Mr. Brooks expressed his concerns with the drivers having to

maintain a logbook. The wording of this text was questioned, at which time,

Mr. Brooks made a motion that the commission clarify the grammar in this

section. Seconded by Mr. Kidd. Chairman Archie pointed out that we need to

determine how that section should read, at which time, Mr. Kidd suggested that

the word ?every? be replaced with ?all? and pluralizing the word ?pickup? to

read ?each taxicab driver shall log all other pickups with a dispatcher

including?" Chairman Archie maintained that he believes that the driver should

have the logbook and not be required to call it in to the dispatcher. He

contended that when a dispatcher has a large amount of calls, it would not be

feasible that the dispatcher could log them all. He said this is the reason

why he believes that, as a driver, it would be more feasible for him to keep

his own log.



After some continued discussion on this matter, Chairman Archie called

attention to the motion on the table and suggested the following wording; ?Each

driver shall log all calls received with a dispatcher including a notation of

pickup times, location of pickup and destination.? There was a consensus of

the members regarding the language of this sentence, at which time, the vote

carried unanimously.



There were some clarifications made regarding the intent of this section.

Chairman Archie stated that he would entertain comments on whether to keep the

language in the ordinance that was just voted on as a responsibility of the

driver. Lt. Ross made a motion that we leave this section as written with the

new addition in the proposed ordinance as we have just voted on which reads

?Each driver shall log all calls received with a dispatcher including a

notation of pickup times, location of pickup and destination?. Seconded by Mr.

Oropeza. Chairman Archie, speaking to the motion, expressed his opposition by

stating that most drivers are keeping some form of log instead of having to

call in every call to the dispatcher. Lt. Ross said that the logbook is for

the protection of the citizens. He maintained that the logbook kept by the

driver is useless. Chairman Archie disagreed with that statement. Mr. Kidd

pointed out that it does not require that the driver immediately notify the

dispatcher; it could be at the end of the day or next week.



Chairman Archie then called attention to the motion on the table which carried

by a vote of five to two with Mr. Brooks and Mr. Cassell voting no and all

other members present voting yes. Chairman Archie mentioned that he is in

opposition but does not have a vote.



Comment Card:

Mr. Brooks asked the commission members about their sentiments to having a

standardized comment/suggestion card for drivers to be sent to the owners or to

the commission. In response to questions from Mr. Cassell regarding the

location for citizens to register complaints, Chairman Archie replied that this

was discussed approximately four years ago, but it was shot down because it was

stated that the people would have no place to register complaints. He said

that it was said that the Clerk of Council?s Office could not take the

complaints; then, we thought about a hotline for citizens to call but was told

that the City would not support a hotline. He advised that the idea fell apart

from there. Mr. Cassell explained that he brought up this issue about

complaints because there have been times when he has received complaints about

the taxicab industry, but there is no vehicle for addressing these issues.

Chairman Archie said that we need to readdress this concern.



Lt. Ross pointed out that four years ago the Clerk?s Office didn?t have a

website. He then suggested for consideration putting a complaint form on the

City?s website. He recalled that the City is also getting a new telephone

system, which might accommodate a phone line. He added that the City has a

Citizens Service Center where a citizen could make any kind of a complaint.

Mr. Cassell suggested this could be a duty for the position that Chairman

Archie had spoke of previously, who would be an employee of the City, who

conducts inspections in the morning and could handle and research these

complaints, as well.



Chairman Archie asked that Lt. Ross keep the commission members informed

regarding the telephone line being in place; therefore, we could make a formal

request to have one of those lines for the purpose of complaints.



Driver?s Test Questions:

Chairman Archie reported that we have the three questions from just about all

of the members. He said that if anyone thinks of any additional questions,

then email him within the next two weeks, because he plans to get together with

Mr. Brooks to go over the questions that we have and try to come out with a

test that we can utilize. Once the test questions have been put together,

Chairman Archie assured everyone that he would email the test out to all of the

members for review and discussion at the next meeting.



Proposed Ordinance:

Chairman Archie proposed that a motion be made to send the ordinance, to

include the changes made today, to the City Manager and City Attorney. Mr.

Cassell so moved. Seconded by Ms. Quick and carried unanimously.



*** *** ***





There being no further business to come before the commission, Mr. Kidd made a

motion for adjournment, which was seconded by Mr. Cassell and carried

unanimously at 4:20 p.m.







By: _____________________________

Sandra T. Davis, Recording Secretary