Sandusky police ready to enforce taxi law

Wednesday, 28 June 2006

By BRANDI BARHITE
brandibarhite@sanduskyregister.com

SANDUSKY - The Sandusky Police Department won't hold back enforcing the city's new taxi cab legislation, according to Assistant Chief Gary Lyons.

The department wants to set a precedence from the start so offenders know the city is serious, he said.

"We will try our very best," Lyons told commissioners, noting the new legislation will be easier to enforce because of less regulations.

Commission approved new taxi laws at its Monday meeting. After a series of complaints, including from Cedar Point, which said employees were getting ripped off, the new laws are designed to ensure a safe ride at a fair price.

With the new law, those driving a cab on city streets and getting business in the city must be registered. The previous law required registration, although it hadn't been enforced in years because of the short-staffed police department.

Starlin Jackson's company, City Taxi Service, was happy with the new laws, although would like to see a few changes.

Jackson wants the name of the company to be required for the outside of the taxi cab, recalling times when people jump into the wrong van because of similar taxi color schemes.

He also wants the city to not allow seasonal cab companies. Jackson said those who struggle through the winter should be rewarded.

"They take all the gravy and get all the biscuits, and it's unfair to local drivers," Jackson said.

Sandusky Law Director Don Icsman said there's a provision in the ordinance for the police chief to establish rules, which is how the city will handle suggestions by taxi cab operators.

The law goes into effect immediately, although the city needs time to develop the applications for registration. Ideally, at the next commission meeting, more information on registering would be available, Icsman said.

In other city news:

• Ex officio Mayor Dan Kaman and Commissioner Dave Waddington announced they are sending letters to state officials about home heating becoming unaffordable. Waddington said it is summer, but it is never too early to look for solutions.

"Myself and fellow Sanduskians are asking what you're doing to correct this problem?" the letter stated. "How can we have senior citizens going without medication and families struggling over paying heating costs or putting food on the table?"

• Also Monday, commissioners approved creating a Tax Incentive Review Council.

The city formed an independent Full Authority Enterprise Zone encompassing the entire city of Sandusky in December.

City tax abatement agreements no longer have to be approved by the Erie County Commissioners.

• Top Notch Excavating has been hired for the Putnam Street storm sewer project. The Sandusky-based company bid $159,475. A new storm will be installed on Putnam Street from Buchanan Street north to the railroad tracks. There will also be additional storm sewer separation by picking up the drainage from existing catch basins that drain into combined sewers. Combined sewers cause many of the residential backups.

• After hearing from a Sandusky landlord, commission agreed to look into a city law prohibiting landlords from having water turned off on their tenants if the renters are purposely trying to drive up the water bill. Vice Mayor Dannie Edmon also wants to look into why a water bill can't be in the tenant's name.

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