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TAXICAB COMMISSION MINUTES
May 13, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.
City Hall,1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Room 400
STAFF IN ATTENDENCE: Acting Executive Director Jordanna Thigpen, Investigator Scott Leon, Executive Secretary Tamara Odisho Benjamin – Taxi Commission, City Attorney Tom Owen
Jordanna Thigpen, Acting Executive Director: Turn-off cell-phones, interferes with phone systems and we get feedback.
- Call to Order/Roll Call
- Present: Benjamin, Breslin, Gillespie, Oneto, Slaughter Absent: Paek
- Staff Report and Commissioner Announcements [INFORMATION]
- Acting Director Jordanna Thigpen- Overview of staff report.
- Com Slaughter: Any update regarding the Controller’s report of meter increase?
- Acting Director Thigpen: Requested report from the Controller’s office once it is done they will present it before the Commission. Board of Supervisors have the final say on the increase.
- Com Oneto: Are the credit card receipts being redeemed by a third party or is the drivers?
- Acting Director Thigpen: Taxi brokers are charging credit cards and then redeeming them at the companies.
Public Comment:
- Robert Cesano: Taxi Commission should not get involved with the credit card redemptions.
- Charles Rathbone: Luxor does not charge and procession fee on credit cards and believes the Commission should get involved in the issue.
- Marty Smith: Hopes taxi commission does not raise meter increase should be in drop. Economy is suffering and people will not ride in the taxis.
- Emil Lawrence: People are getting lazy and using credit cards for short rides there should be a minimum charge on fares.
- Mike Spain: Rate increase overdue. Controller’s report says the same thing every year.
- Joe Mirable: Green Cab does not charge for credit cards but there should be a meter and fare increase.
- Director Thigpen: Also proposes amendments for wrap legislation and will notice 10 day requirement and will be before the Commission at the next meeting.
- Taxicab Safety Camera Program [INFORMATION AND ACTION]
- Acting Director Thigpen: Overview of the program.
- Investigator Scott Leon: Presentation of current facts.
- Tim Russell and David Black, Honeywell: Overview of Silent Witness camera program and information about not needing to replace cameras but rather maintaining and updating memory cards.
- Com Benjamin: Could the Honeywell system be update in the Raywood cameras or would they need to be completely replaced?
- David Black: The Raywood’s would need to be replaced.
Public Comment:
- Andrew Lindman: His taxi was involved in an incident and was taken by the police and when his cab was returned he was required to replace a camera box costing $400.
- Com Breslin: There is a victims’ assistance fund to help possibly reimburse you.
- Jim Gillespie: There should be proper training of the installers and that way we will not have any problems in the long term.
- Emil Lawrence: Audio and video should be tested bi-monthly.
- Marty Smith: There should be at least two people every shift that are knowledgeable of the cameras.
- David Black: There is a black box that costs $400 to replace and that should not be removed since there is nothing pertaining to evidence in the box, however the chip has the photos police are looking for to use as evidence. Police need to also be trained about the cameras.
SPECIAL ORDER 8:00 – 8:30 PM
- Public Comment (Please limit public comment to items NOT on the agenda)
- Robert Cezano: Taxi driver was issued a ticket for picking up at Golden Gate Park.
- Barry Taranto: One of the Commissioners should have attended the Board of Supervisors Committee meeting on the merger.
- Emil Lawrence: The white zones in front of Macy’s are being used for tour buses.
- Consent Calendar [ACTION]
- Acting Director Thigpen: Sever items D, F & G. Overview of Item G
- Com Breslin: Motion to approve Items A- Minutes, B- Public Passenger permits, C- Dispatch change for Green Cab from Regents to City Wide.
- Com Benjamin: Seconds motion
· AYES: Benjamin, Breslin, Gillespie, Oneto, Slaughter NO: 0
ABSENT: Paek RECUSE: 0
· Com Benjamin: Motion to approve Item D- grant medallions to D1- Frederich Rerat, D2- Taj Shah, D3- Albert Sugabo, D4- Barry Korengold
· Com Oneto: Seconds motion
· AYES: Benjamin, Breslin, Oneto, Slaughter NO: 0
ABSENT: Paek RECUSE: Gillespie
- Philip Welch: Settlement agreement is court ordered confidential. UTW is not in settlement agreement but a new company which is now Green Cab was listed to receive the medallion.
- Com Slaughter: Can you confirm that the settlement is between you and Green Cab and not UTW?
- Philip Welch: It is between me and Green Cab.
Public Comment:
- Robert Cezano: Settlement was with UTW and not Green Cab.
- Charles Rathbone: UTW will be considered a broker if they manage the medallion at Green Cab.
- Barry Taranto: This is a waste of time. Other things more pressing.
- Mary MaGuire: Has proof Green cab did not have workers’ compensation.
- Mark Gruberg: Green Cab was not in existence at the time it’s been alleged we didn’t have workers’ compensation. Has paper work to prove he has always had workers’ compensation for medallion and Green Cab.
- Com Benjamin: Can UTW move the medallion without the Taxi Commissions permission?
- Mark Gruberg: Medallion is owned by Welch. UTW has nothing to do with this. It does not receive the income from the medallion.
- Carl Macmurdo: Commission should request to see the settlement.
- Com Slaughter: Motion to approve color scheme change from Regents to Green Cab
- Com Oneto: Seconds motion
· AYES: Gillespie, Oneto, Slaughter NO: Benjamin, Breslin
ABSENT: Paek RECUSE: 0
- Acting Director Thigpen: Motion fails. If the applicant would like to reapply he will have to do so.
- Com Oneto: Motion to remove item E1- Young Yi from medallion waiting list.
- Com Benjamin: Seconds motion
· AYES: Benjamin, Breslin, Gillespie, Oneto, Slaughter NO: 0
ABSENT: Paek RECUSE: 0
- Acting Director Thigpen: There is no action to take with E-2 Raymond Delgado. He is already removed from the waiting list by operation of the law.
- Pres Gillespie: Continue items E2- Raymond Delgado and E3- Andrew Sinaiko to call of the chair and item G- Abdel Sdaigui to May 27, 2008 meeting.
- Consideration of Recommended Amendments to Taxicab/Ramped Taxi Rules & Regulations Rules 5.A.3 and 7.A.6 and Rule 5.A.10 [ACTION]
- Ruah Graffis: SFPD- Detail requested to have this responsibility of ensuring each driver receive a rules and regulations book. Commission should not require taxi schools to do this.
- Com Breslin: Would like to continue this item to learn more about Taxi Detail’s procedures.
- Tariq Mehmood: Driver’s should receive the rules and regulations book at their first day of class.
- Pres Gillespie: Send items back to the Rules Committee for review.
- Public Comment (Please limit public comment to items NOT on the agenda; also limited to public that did not speak during Special Order)
- Mary MaGuire: Light brown apple moth spraying public health risk for taxi drivers.
- Adjournment – 10:45 PM
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