Passenger Vehicle for Hire Board Meeting - April 2, 2026

The Passenger Vehicle for Hire Board convened on April 2, 2026. The board corrected the previous meeting's minutes to note the absence of Vice Chair Mary Westbrook, approved the minutes with corrections, and proceeded to reports on driver permits, taxi inspections, and rate updates. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to public comments and discussion of ongoing litigation and regulatory issues involving Mercury Cab and Mercury Transportation.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Correction & Approval: The board corrected the prior meeting's minutes to reflect that Vice Chair Mary Westbrook was absent. A motion to accept the corrected minutes was seconded and approved.
• New Driver Permits & Renewals: The board approved new driver permits and renewals for Tony Hatton (Mercury Cab) and Anthony DuGard (AB Taxi) via a voice vote.
• Updated Taxi Inspection: An updated taxi inspection and vehicle insurance report for Mercury Cab was presented. A motion to approve was seconded and passed by voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Several board members and the public discussed the status of legal disputes between Mercury Cab (owned by Treacy and James) and Mercury Transportation (owned by Tony Boston). The board attorney clarified that a motion to dismiss Boston's lawsuit was based on the failure to appeal the renewal of Mercury Cab's certificate within the statutory 60-day window. Board member Mr. Easter questioned why regulatory infractions (e.g., alleged improper approval process, color scheme and name similarity, and harassment allegations) had been tabled indefinitely due to the pending litigation. He argued that the lawsuit, which centers on money owed, should not prevent the board from addressing regulatory matters. A motion was made to add the pending business back to the next meeting's agenda for discussion.
• The board also heard from Inspector Mosier regarding Mercury Transportation's lack of a public hearing at the time of its approval (June 2024) and subsequent tabling of regulatory complaints. The inspector noted that the owner of Uptown Taxi is working on obtaining a proper city permit after confusion over requirements.

Discussion Items

• Tow Truck Rate Increase: The board confirmed that a tow truck rate increase approved by city council is now in effect.
• Taxi Rate Increases: The board noted that taxi rate increases are still under review by city council, with no update provided.
• Mercury Transportation Renewal & Compliance: The board debated whether Mercury Transportation has a pending renewal application and whether the company is operating legally. Inspector Mosier said he would need to review files to determine the status of its license and any pending application. The discussion touched on alleged violations of ordinance regarding business name and color scheme (both companies use "Mercury" and similar white/dark color schemes) and the lack of a public hearing before Mercury Transportation's approval.
• Training for New Board Members: A motion was made and seconded to hold a training session after the next board meeting to clarify procedures and ordinances for new members. The board approved this motion by voice vote. A subsequent motion to keep the training private (closed to the public) was made but not voted on; the meeting moved to adjournment.

Key Outcomes

• Motion to Add Mercury Transportation to Next Meeting's Agenda: Passed by a roll call vote of 5–1 (Cynthia voted no). This will allow the board to discuss the company's pending renewal application and regulatory compliance issues.
• Training Session Approved: The board voted unanimously to schedule a training session after the next board meeting. No decision was made on whether the session would be open or closed to the public.
• Meeting Adjourned: A motion to adjourn was seconded and passed by voice vote.