Ann Arbor Taxicab Board Can’t Meet

On July 24, 2012, the Ann Arbor city clerk announced in a regular email notification that all future city of Ann Arbor taxicab board meetings have been canceled, pending the appointment of new members. The announcement noted that Tim Hull has resigned from the board effective July 31 – so the board no longer has a quorum of members.

With Hull’s resignation, the seven-member body is reduced to four members – city councilmember Stephen Kunselman (Ward 3),  Tom Oldakowski, Tom Crawford (a non-voting ex officio member, as the city’s CFO) and Bill Clock (a non-voting ex officio member, as representative of the Ann Arbor police department). With only two out of five of its voting member positions filled, the board does not have a quorum to meet.

The next opportunity for appointments to be made to the board will come at the Aug. 9 city council meeting. Ordinarily the appointment process would take place in two steps – a nomination put forward by mayor John Hieftje at a council meeting, with the confirmation vote at a subsequent council meeting. However, the council has the option to approve the nomination at the same meeting.

Hull served on the taxicab board since being appointed on Oct. 18, 2010. He ran unsuccessfully in the 2011 Democratic primary for the Ward 2 council seat, contesting the Democratic nomination with incumbent Stephen Rapundalo. Hull’s resignation is prompted by his departure from Ann Arbor to take a job on the west coast.

As the city council representative to the board, Kunselman has announced during at least two city council meetings (Dec. 19, 2011 and March 5, 2012) that the city’s taxicab board has some vacancies.

The taxicab board is responsible for administering the city’s taxicab board ordinance. [.pdf of taxicab ordinance] Application forms to be appointed to city boards and commissions can be downloaded and returned to the mayor’s office.