MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE
TAXICAB COMMISSION OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA
JANUARY 7, 2009
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chairman David Cassell, Mr. Peter Bowden, Mr. James Brooks, Mr. Ronald Parker,
Ms. Diane Quick and Lt. Julius Ross.
MEMBERS ABSENT:
None.
A meeting of the Taxicab Commission was held in the Ground Floor Conference
Room of the Government Center. Chairman Cassell noted that a quorum was present
and called the January 7, 2009 meeting to order at 3:04 p.m.
Approval of Minutes:
Chairman David Cassell immediately called attention to the December 3, 2008
minutes. Mr. Peter Bowden made a motion for acceptance of the minutes,
seconded by Ms. Diane Quick and carried unanimously by those six members
present for this meeting.
Old Business:
A) Taxicab Commission?s Web Site:
Chairman Cassell opened the meeting by welcoming the newest Commissioner, Mr.
Ronald Parker, to the Taxicab Commission. Chairman Cassell said during the
last meeting we discussed building a web site for the Taxicab Commission. He
said Lt. Ross volunteered to meet with the IT Department to discuss generating
a website for the Taxicab Commission.
Lt. Ross said he had a preliminary discussion with the IT Department before the
December 3rd meeting. He said he had gotten a good commitment from them that
they would be able to prepare the web site. He said he has not made any new
contact with them since the last meeting. Lt. Ross said he would like to have
some discussion with the Commission concerning the mission statement. He said
previously the Commission agreed to put the mission statement on the web page.
He said instead of putting the whole paragraph on the page, we should consider
reducing it. At this time, Lt. Ross gave a copy of the mission statement to
each member of the Commission. He said the first area of the mission statement
highlighted in blue, is something that he wants to take before the City
Attorney to recommend that the Convention and Visitors Center become a
permanent position as opposed to an at-large position. He said his idea of the
Commission?s duty is to educate the public, and said it is not a part of the
Commission?s mission to act as a legislative group or design and recommend
changes to the law. He said most of the issues that have been coming up, have
been efforts to change and improve the laws. He said if there is a complaint
about the way the laws are being enforced, the complaint should go through a
completely different process. He said to his understanding, the paragraph
highlighted in green says the Commission?s duty is to serve the citizens.
Mr. Peter Bowden suggested that the paragraph be modified to say, ?The
Commission shall ensure that the drivers properly serve the public? with a list
of supporting bulleted points.
Lt. Ross said we went through a time period where we decided to make it
available for the public to come in and make recommendations. He said we
should put more controls on the recommendations that are being made by the
public. He suggested that the recommendations be submitted in written form.
He said the recommendations should be in the form of a proposal or something of
that nature other than just a few words scribbled on a page. He said he would
like to have the details of what they are requesting sent to the Commission in
advance. He also suggested that there be a five-minute rule that applies. He
said the recommendations and suggestions that are made by the citizens should
be within the Taxicab Commission?s mission statement. He said they should not
bring forth things such as: taxes, the paint schemes of the cars, pay increase
or anything that is out of the jurisdiction of the Commission. He said there
should be a place on the website that entails what the Commission will
entertain from a citizen who is bringing forth an issue.
Chairman Cassell suggested that if a citizen were to bring forth an issue that
is out of the jurisdiction of the Commission, the Commission would respond and
give direction as to who to contact for that particular problem.
Mr. Brooks said what do we do when it comes to the rates. He said the
Commission must come up with a solution as to serve the citizens and be fair to
the cabdrivers who are trying to make a living. Mr. Brooks said the Commission
makes recommendations to City Council to set rates and they depend on the
research and background information submitted by the Commission.
Chairman Cassell said we have the freedom, as a Commission, to discuss what
ever we feel may be pertinent to the industry, but when we look at the mission
statement and identify the purpose of our being, it is to serve the citizens.
Lt. Ross said there is no other board or Commission that serves an employee.
He said this is a City Commission that is designed to serve the public. He
said maybe we could talk about making a change in the ordinance that says
?every five years the taxicab rates would be reviewed?. He said if it is
written in the ordinance it would be a service to the public whether they pay
more or less.
Lt. Ross said continuing with the mission statement issue, as a Commission we
should generate a bulleted list of items that we would like to have in the
mission statement. He said he would like for the mission statement to be
reflected in the ordinance.
Chairman Cassell suggested that the Commissioners make a list of what they
think the Taxicab Commission should be about. He said we would bring our ideas
back to the table at the next meeting and have a discussion pertaining to the
individual thoughts. He said we would try to consolidate the ideas into one
document that could be taken to the City Attorney.
Ms. Quick said if all of the Commissioners would make their list or points and
send them to her by email, she would consolidate the list and try to come up
with some suggestions and email them back to each member.
Mr. Brooks asked if there were guidelines pertaining to the public speaking at
the meetings.
Secretary Tameka Colbert informed Mr. Brooks that the guidelines were
established in one of the meetings and said the only available written
guidelines are the ones that appear on the application to appear before the
Commission.
Lt. Ross said this information should be made available on the web page as well
as the form to fill out to come before the Commission.
Ms. Quick suggested placing the Commission?s yearly meeting schedule on the web
site at the beginning of each year.
Chairman Cassell said he would generate a calendar to point out all of the
meeting dates of the Commission.
B) Vacant Commission Seats
Chairman Cassell said we would like to ask the Clerk?s Office to make the
Council aware of the vacant seats on the Commission. He said the Chamber of
Commerce?s position is vacant, along with the Airport and an at-large position.
New Business:
A) Taxicab Driver?s Test
Mr. Brooks asked Mr. Bowden what could be done to educate cab drivers about the
events and attractions of the city. He said most people that come from out of
town don?t know where anything is in the city; therefore, they sit in their
hotel rooms the whole time.
Mr. Bowden said he has some information that he could bring that would point
out the actual activities of the typical visitors and it may help create some
discussion about how we might create a new tool or resource to help educate the
drivers so they can better serve the public.
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Note: Mr. Peter Bowden left the meeting at 4:06 p.m.
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Lt. Ross said the Police Department created a test that they require the
company owner to administer to their drivers. He said he is wondering if the
format should be changed to include some of the information that would be
provided by Mr. Bowden. He said it is time for the questions to be redone
because it has not been updated in quite some. He said now would be a good
time to review and incorporate it into the awareness project.
Meeting adjourned @ 4:17 p.m.
________________________________
Tameka J. Colbert
Recording Secretary
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