RUMFORD — Local taxicab drivers could see a hike in their license renewal fees this year, depending on selectmen.
The board will discuss the matter at its 7 p.m. meeting Thursday, Jan. 5, in Rumford Falls Auditorium.
In February 2010, voters amended Rumford’s taxi law, requiring cabbies to apply at the police station for a new yearly license enabling them to drive taxis and pay $25 each for a criminal background check.
“We have to do background checks so they’re not in violation of the ordinance if they have a criminal record,” Town Manager Carlo Puiia said Wednesday afternoon. “Prior to this, we were not charged to do the background checks, but now the state is requiring us to.”
To do Maine background checks, police must go through InforME, police Chief Stacy Carter said. The one-stop, online background check service is sponsored by the Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. It was created to provide a convenient, up-to-date and official source for Maine online background checks.
Carter said there is a $22 fee associated with that, so to recoup it, he’s suggesting that selectmen increase Rumford’s taxi license fee.
“Otherwise, it’s going to cost the town to issue the license,” he said. “I don’t think that it’s appropriate that it costs the town to issue a license that somebody wants for a private business.”
That’s why the chief will propose that cabbies pay the $25 fee for the license to drive taxis, plus the background check fee.
“If they have history in other states, it could be more than that,” he said. “But generally, most of them are just associated in Maine, so it would be the $22.”
It’s the first proposed fee hike since Rumford changed its ordinance.
“The only reason is because now we have an additional cost to the municipality and we’re just trying to recoup that,” Carter said.
The fee increase is only levied on cabbies and not cab companies.
Other agenda items for the meeting include approvals of:
* Library eave and soffit repair bid.
* A goal-setting workshop for Thursday, Jan. 12.
* Used police tires bid.
* Victualer’s license for Perennial Inn.
The board is also asked to consider making a donation to the “Every Fifteen Minutes” program. It is a nationwide community program that Rumford police and Mountain Valley High School will introduce to students. It challenges them to think about drinking, driving, personal safety and the responsibility of making mature decisions.
The two-day program also focuses on decisions they make that will impact their friends and family.
Even though money wasn’t sought to conduct the program, Board of Selectmen Chairman Greg Buccina suggested after a presentation on Dec. 15 on the program by police and MVHS Assistant Principal Chris Decker, that selectmen should discuss possibly making a donation. That’s why the topic is on Thursday night’s agenda.
Additionally, two executive sessions will be held — one for an economic development matter; the other for a personnel issue.
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