Ridgewood November 2, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 9 Village now being served by two taxi companies by John Koster Ridgewood now has two taxi companies: one is officially recognized and the other is legally entitled to operate, but not officially sanctioned by the municipal government. The Ridgewood Village Council voted unanimously last week to adopt an ordinance recognizing Village Taxi as Ridgewood’s official taxi franchisee for the next five years. Village Taxi will operate out of the traditional building near the railroad and will accept discount vouchers sold in Ridgewood and Glen Rock, while Ridgewood Taxi will not accept the vouchers. Under questioning from resident Boyd Loving, Mayor Keith Killion and Ridgewood Village Manager Ken Gabbert considered that Ridgewood Taxi, the 100-year-old entity that lost the franchise, still has the legal right to operate cabs in Ridgewood. “We’re very confident in Village Taxi. They’ve come through with every document we’ve asked for, every step of the way, “Gabbert said. “We want to get past the last three years of questionable service, and we want to go ahead with first class service.” Ridgewood had had questions about Ridgewood Taxi’s insurance coverage, and this issue was discussed at several public council meetings. Ridgewood reduced the insurances rates based on the concept that Ridgewood Taxi mostly carried single passengers for short local rides and did not need the same kind of million-dollar coverage required for limousine and livery services. The principals disagree over whether Ridgewood Taxi reinstated lapsed insurance coverage after the council sessions, but the village later accepted Village Taxi as the sole franchisee after receiving five bids from taxi companies. Village Taxi will pay Ridgewood $32,400 a year for each year the new franchisee uses the building near the railroad station on North Broad Street at the start of the downtown shopping district. Loving pointed out that Ridgewood Taxi, which had been locked out of the former location, was still serving Ridgewood passengers. He asked about the answer he received to a question in April: Would the then-proposed, not completed, award of the franchise preclude Ridgewood Taxi, which had received praise from many residents for reliable service, from continuing its operation? Loving had been told at the time that there would be only one taxi service in Ridgewood. However, at last week’s council meeting – in a special meeting called during what was otherwise a work session – Mayor Keith Killion and Gabbert amended the statement: Village Taxi is now the official taxi company, but Ridgewood Taxi could not legally be banned from picking up patrons or doing business in Ridgewood because of the change in franchise. A Celebration of All Saints’ Day will be held on Sunday, Nov. 6 at the 8 and 10 a.m. services at Christ Episcopal Church. This is a time when all the saints in our lives, living or deceased, are remembered. The names are included in a special insert and read aloud while a quiet Taize chant is sung in the background. Names may be submitted for inclusion to the remembrance or in thanksgiving by calling All Saints’ Day services to be held (201) 652-2350. All are invited. Christ Church is located at 105 Cottage Place in Ridgewood. Sunday worship times are at 8, 9:15 a.m. (for children and families) and 10 a.m. with choir. For more information, call (201) 652-2350 or visit www. christchurchridgewood.org.