2011-04-06 (2)CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
Board:
Location:
Date:
Members Present
Members Absent:
Others Present:
Recorder:
Parking and Traffic Commission
City Hall Conference Room
April 6, 2011
Chair, Richard Benevento,
Hutchinson, Sgt. Page
Bill Fiore
William Bent, Tina Cassidy, Richard
Eileen Sacco
Benevento called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.
1. Approval of Minutes — January 4, 2011 (deferred vote from March 1, 2011
The minutes of the Parking and Traffic Commission meeting held on January 4, 2011 were
presented for approval.
Page: moves to table the approval of the minutes to the May 4, 2011 Parking and
Traffic Commission meeting. Hutchinson seconds the motion. The motion
carries (5 -0).
2. Discussion: Comments to City Council Relative to Livery and Taxi Cab Licenses/
City Council Committee on Legal Affairs
Cassidy explains that the Parking and Traffic Commission has received a request from the City
Council Committee on Legal Affairs for comments regarding a pending revision to the city
ordinance on livery and taxi cab licenses. She explains that taxi cabs can pick up passengers
throughout the city and livery services must be contracted to pick up passengers. She notes that
the insurance rates for livery service is cheaper. She also notes that taxi's are subject to
inspections every six months and may be taken out of service for safety violations. She also
notes that the meters are checked annually. She further explains that some livery services are
operating as taxi's.
Cassidy explains that with the new regulations a lot of drivers for Tri Town Taxi were denied in
January.
Cassidy explains that Assistant City Solicitor Bob Munro has concerns about liveries being used
as taxi cabs and thus avoiding inspections and cabs are metered and livery cars are not metered.
Benevento asks if there is a difference in price for the services. Cassidy notes that the insurance
rates are cheaper for livery services than for taxi cab services. Benevento states that having the
same criteria for both services is the only way to solve this.
Parking and Traffic Commission
Page 2 of 2
April 6, 2011
Cassidy notes that there is some language that needs to be changed in the ordinance. She notes
that the present ordinance calls for taxi cabs to be inspected weekly and that should be changed
to every six months.
Cassidy notes that the fares are supposed to be standard and rates are determined by the City
Council.
Benevento suggests that the Parking and Traffic Commission recommend that livery services
should meet the same criteria as taxi cabs and perhaps meter the livery services.
Cassidy notes that there is a limit as to how many taxi cab licenses are issued but there is no limit
on livery licenses. She also notes that there is no penalty for livery services acting as taxi cabs.
Bent : motion to respond to the City Council Committee on Legal Affairs that there
appears to be a discrepancy between the two types of licenses for livery services
and taxi cabs and that the Parking and Traffic Commission is willing to work with
the Sargent Page and the City Council on revisions to the Ordinance. Cassidy
seconds the motion. The motion carries (5 -0).
3. Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Parking and Traffic Commission will be held on May 3, 2011 at 8:30
a. m.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the Parking and Traffic Commission at this
meeting, Page moved to adjourn the meeting. Hutchinson seconds the motion. The motion
carried (5 -0).
The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 a.m.