By Emmie Boese
A new taxi service will be available in Hutchinson. On Monday evening, the city council approved a motion to approve Tyrone Riley’s application for necessity.
Riley, the owner of Mama Kay’s Taxi Service, told the council he plans to start operating in the next 30 days. The taxi service will be a two-van service that will operate from 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Riley said he plans to hopefully operate his taxi service 24 hours a day.
Hutchinson Regional Medical Center President and CEO Benjamin Jones made public comments to the council regarding the new taxi service.
“Transportation is an enormous issue,” Jones said. “Especially out of our emergency department. If you are offering to bring a service to this community, it would help us facilitate the transportation of folks away from the hospital and into their homes or places of residence.”
In addition to Riley’s approved background check by the Hutchinson Police Department, City Attorney Paul Brown said drivers employed by the taxi service will operate under Riley’s certificate. Each driver will have passed a background check and will have ID certificates with an ID issued by the city clerk.
Other business at Monday’s city council meeting included the approval of an ordinance authorizing general obligation bonds for the demolition of the Atrium Hotel and Convention Center.
Angela Richard, the city’s finance director, said an ordinance would allow the city to bond expenses incurred in demolishing the Atrium.
“This ordinance is a little bit different than the ordinances you normally see for capital improvement projects,” Richard said. “Normally, there is a charter ordinance that allows for capital improvements. This isn’t an improvement; it’s a demolition so we are using home rule for this ordinance in order to demolish the building.”
Richard said the city is allowed to bond up to $1.2 million for the demolition.
The next city council meeting is on Monday, Dec. 3, at 5:30 p.m. Council meetings are held in the council chambers at 125 E. Ave B.
