Council Public Safety Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Public Safety Committee met on March 6, 2012, at 1:00 p.m., with Diane Lawless presiding. The committee addressed four agenda items during the meeting, taking six votes and hearing four public comments.

The committee approved three items: the Approval of Summary, the Brake Ordinance, and the TaxiCab Ordinance. One item—an Update on Items Referred to Committee—was deferred to a future meeting.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on March 6, 2012:

• Diane Lawless
• Doug Martin
• Chuck Ellinger
• Chris Ford
• Julian Beard
• Bill Farmer
• Kevin Stinnett
• K.C. Crosbie
• Jay McChord
• Peggy Henson

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Ordinance 0130-26: Engine Brake Ordinance 20:14

Motion by Bill Farmer, seconded by Kevin Stinnett. This ordinance prohibits the use of engine brakes on non-limited-access highways unless they create a noise disturbance. The motion passed by voice vote. Implementation includes signage to inform truck drivers, with an effective date of July 1, 2012.

Ordinance 0131-26: Taxi Cab Ordinance – 24-Hour Service Requirement 1:18:56

Motion by Julian Beard, seconded by Chris Ford. This amendment requires taxi cab companies to provide 24-hour, 365-day service. The electronic vote resulted in 6 ayes and 3 nays. Voting in favor were Diane Lawless, Doug Martin, Chuck Ellinger, Chris Ford, K.C. Crosbie, and Jay McChord. Voting against were Bill Farmer, Kevin Stinnett, and Peggy Henson. The motion passed.

Ordinance 0131-26: Minimum Fleet Size Reduction 1:04:11

Motion by Bill Farmer, seconded by K.C. Crosbie. This amendment reduces the minimum fleet size requirement for taxi cab companies from 25 to 10 vehicles. The electronic vote resulted in 5 ayes and 4 nays. Voting in favor were Diane Lawless, Doug Martin, Chuck Ellinger, Chris Ford, and Jay McChord. Voting against were Julian Beard, Bill Farmer, Kevin Stinnett, and Peggy Henson. The motion passed.

Ordinance 0131-26: Fleet Increase Motion 1:37:20

Motion by Diane Lawless, seconded by Julian Beard. This motion would have allowed current taxi cab companies to increase their fleet one vehicle at a time. The motion was withdrawn following a legal opinion that it would constitute special legislation.

Ordinance 0131-26: Final Passage 1:40:02

Motion by Bill Farmer, seconded by Chuck Ellinger. Final passage of the revised Taxi Cab Ordinance as amended. The motion passed.

Motion to Remove Agenda Item 1:45:21

Motion by K.C. Crosbie, seconded by Chuck Ellinger. This motion sought to remove "Community Corrections Best System of Management" from the agenda. The motion was withdrawn to allow input from Council Members Myers and Kay.

Public Comment

Four speakers addressed the council during the public comment period.

Engine Brake Ordinance

Dr. Blues presented an engine brake ordinance at 3:03, noting community complaints about noise from trucks using jake brakes in residential areas. Dr. Blues emphasized the need for signage and public education to address the issue.

Officer Cook spoke at 11:06 regarding truck safety and compliance. Officer Cook explained that engine brakes are safe when properly maintained and that most noise complaints stem from inadequate mufflers or straight pipes rather than the brakes themselves. Officer Cook stated that enforcement of brake regulations is possible and that safety exceptions exist for certain circumstances.

Taxi Fleet Operations

Mr. McGinnis addressed the council at 1:27:28 regarding the growth of taxi fleets. Mr. McGinnis requested that the council allow existing taxi companies to grow their fleets one cab at a time, arguing that the current 25-cab minimum requirement creates a barrier to entry. Mr. McGinnis stated that he has been unfairly restricted under the existing policy.

Mr. Browder spoke at 46:04 about taxi service and visitor safety. Mr. Browder stressed the importance of maintaining 24-hour taxi service for airport visitors and cited personal experiences of being stranded at the airport without available cabs.

Contested Items

The March 6, 2012 meeting included three significant areas of disagreement:

Minimum Fleet Size for Taxi Companies

A proposal to reduce the minimum fleet size requirement from 25 to 10 vehicles resulted in a split vote. The debate centered on multiple concerns: public safety implications, economic fairness among operators, and the regulatory burden on taxi companies. Participants disagreed about whether lowering the threshold would improve market access for smaller operators or create unacceptable risks and competitive disadvantages.

24-Hour Service Requirement

Intense discussion occurred regarding whether taxi companies should be mandated to provide 24-hour, 365-day service. Arguments on both sides focused on three main issues: public safety needs, the economic viability of such requirements for operators, and fairness considerations for small businesses. The debate reflected tension between ensuring comprehensive public transportation access and the practical constraints facing taxi companies of varying sizes.

Allowing Incremental Fleet Growth

A motion was introduced to permit existing companies to expand their fleets one vehicle at a time. This proposal was withdrawn following legal advice that indicated such an arrangement would constitute special legislation. The procedural dispute highlighted concerns about the legal framework governing fleet expansion policies and the distinction between general regulatory changes and provisions that would apply selectively to specific operators.

Approval of Summary

The committee reviewed the meeting summary from the February 7, 2012, session. Andrea James led the discussion on this agenda item.

The summary covered motions related to the Noise Ordinance Task Force and amendments to the draft noise ordinance that had been discussed at the previous meeting.

The committee approved the summary.

Brake Ordinance

The committee discussed and approved the Engine Brake Ordinance during this meeting. 3:03

Key Speakers

The discussion involved Dr. Blues, Rick Curtis, and Officer Cook.

Content and Provisions

The ordinance prohibits the use of engine brakes on non-limited-access highways when they create a noise disturbance. The ordinance also includes provisions for signage and enforcement mechanisms to support compliance.

Outcome

The Engine Brake Ordinance was approved by the committee.

TaxiCab Ordinance

The committee addressed the TaxiCab Ordinance during this agenda item, which involved debate and amendments to the existing regulations 21:22.

Key Changes and Amendments

The ordinance underwent several modifications during discussion. A significant change reduced the minimum fleet size requirement from 25 vehicles to 10 vehicles. The ordinance also included a requirement that taxi services operate 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

Speakers and Discussion

The following individuals participated in the debate: Mr. Browder, Mr. McGinnis, Diane Lawless, Julian Beard, and Bill Farmer. The committee engaged in multiple rounds of amendments as they refined the ordinance language.

Outcome

The committee approved the TaxiCab Ordinance unanimously after completing the amendments. The final version reflected the reduced fleet size threshold and the continuous service requirements.

Update on Items Referred to Committee

1:40:45

The committee reviewed several items that had been previously referred for further consideration. Key speakers in this discussion included Doug Martin, Bill Farmer, and K.C. Crosbie.

The committee addressed the following referred items:

• Noise ordinance — reviewed as part of the referred items
• Public safety disability claims — discussed during the update
• Paramedic Training Emergency Medical Advisory Board report — presented for committee consideration
• Quarry ordinance — included in the items under review

Some of the referred items were deferred or removed from the agenda pending the receipt of additional information needed for full consideration.

Outcome: The committee deferred action on the items under review, indicating that further information or clarification is required before these matters can be fully addressed.