Taxicab owners and their principals who let a driver without a valid taxi license pick up passengers in Peekskill will face fines as high as $2,000.
The Common Council amended city regulations during its April 23 meeting at the recommendation of the acting city manager and police chief “to encourage the safe and orderly use and operation of taxicabs.” The highest fine had been $1,000.
In other action at the meeting:
- The council scheduled a public hearing May 14 on a proposed six-month moratorium on licenses and permits for pawnbrokers and pawnshops while changes to the city Zoning Code are considered.
- The council repealed a section of the city code dealing with “business hours, entertainment establishments,” and amended code provisions about noise. The action followed a public hearing April 9.
- The council awarded bids totaling $50,000 to Mile Square Transportation and Royal Coach Line, both of Yonkers, for bus service to the Recreation Department’s summer camps.
- The council appointed Edward Jenkins to a three-year term on the Historic Preservation Advisory Board.
- The council, joining a growing list of New York municipalities, adopted a resolution opposing the U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretation of the U.S. Constitution in Citizens United regarding the constitutional rights of corporations and supporting a constitutional amendment providing that corporations are not entitled to the same rights as natural persons and that expenditure of corporate money to influence elections is not a form of protected speech.
- The council approved closing several downtown streets May 5 from 1 to 11 p.m. for a Cinco de Mayo celebration and North Division Street between Park and Main streets May 6 from 3 to 10:30 p.m. for the 12 Grapes Restaurant’s celebration of its 1,000th live music performance.
- No members of the public spoke during a hearing on proposed amendments to the city code regarding outdoor dining and entertainment.
- Allison McClellan, daughter of an 85-year-old man who was missing for several hours April 13, praised Peekskill police and other emergency responders for their successful efforts in locating him near Belden Street. “Peekskill police went above and beyond for my family,” she said. “I can’t thank them enough.” Given the important role county and state police K-9 units played in finding her father, she suggested that Peekskill develop its own unit.
- Despite a report in the April 17 of the Northern Westchester Examiner that safety concerns were deterring shoppers, George Ondeck contended that there are “lots of positives” in Peekskill and that crime is actually down, according to police statistics.
