New Ride-Hailing, Taxi, Credit Card Policies Under Consideration

GLENVIEW, IL — A shorthanded Glenview Village Board postponed further discussion or action on a trio of issues at Tuesday's meeting. Proposed changes to the village's employee credit card use and procurement policies, regulations on taxis and drivers for ride-hailing companies and a mandate that a gas station have two attendees on site were all pushed back to the board's next meeting. Noting the absence of trustees Michael Jenny and Scott Britton, Village President Jim Patterson suggested waiting until Aug. 21 for discussion of policy issues.

Here's a summary of what Glenview trustees are considering:

Village Procurement Policies and Procedures

The village provided a summary of the proposed changes, which include an increase in the minimum size for competitive bidding from $20,000 to $25,000, as well a reduction of village manager's approval threshold for purchases from $30,000 to $25,000, except in case of emergency.

The village also proposed a requirement for "more detailed description of allowable uses for village credit card purchases," according to a memo from village staff.

Staff suggested adding "clarifying language" about the purchase of alcoholic beverages and additional restrictions on the use of credit cards by Glenview employees. (See complete proposed changes to the village's procurement policies, which was last updated July 2017.)

According to a Pioneer Press investigation published in June, the vast majority of 382 restaurant charges were not properly documented and four of the village's 14 credit cards had been cancelled. Staff said the procurement policy was "targeted for review" while preparing 2018 goals for the village management team.

Ride-Hailing Regulation

Village staff also suggested a major update to the "Vehicles for Hire" section of the village code. Under the proposed ordinance, the Glenview's rules would be more consistent for drivers of taxis, limos and vehicles for ride-hailing networks, according to a memo from village staff, "to provide local regulatory consistency."

Glenview would eliminate its requirement for background checks for taxi drivers and adopt existing state laws — the Taxi Safety Act and the Transportation Network Providers Act, which sunsets in 2020 – as its primary regulations. An amendment to the law, which took effect Monday, increases the amount of information ride-hailing drivers must provide. Any future amendments to either of those Illinois laws would be automatically incorporated into village code.

"Through legislation, the state has determined that ride-sharing is an interjurisdictional issue that requires consistent regulation across municipal lines," village staff wrote.

According to village staff, north suburban municipalities have different levels of regulations on taxi drivers. Other places, like Aurora, Champaign, Decatur, Joliet, Naperville and Urbana have decided to go with the minimum state requirements, while Chicago, Evanston, Bloomington, Springfield, Normal, Rockford and Peoria have implemented their own additional regulations.

Currently, the village brings in about $4,000 to $7,000 in annual revenue from its taxi registration licensing scheme. That would be eliminated if the staff-recommended changes were adopted. The proposed ordinance has an effective date of Sept. 1, 2018.

According to state Rep. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) village staff played a role in lobbying to require ride-hailing companies to conduct a more comprehensive background check after an Uber driver with multiple DUI convictions was arrested while transporting a passenger last year.

More: Illinois Starts Making Ride-Hailing Drivers Provide Names »

Costco Gas Station Requirements

Trustees also considered Tuesday a second reading of ordinance to approve the addition of 10 new fuel pumps under an expanded canopy at the 2930 Patriot Blvd. Costco store. The plan was approved in June by the plan commission in and village board, each with 4-0 votes, according to village staff.

The version of the code initially provided to trustees required the gas station to have "at least two staff attendants" on site during weekday evenings and midday during weekends. But Jeff Brady, the village's director of community development, presented a modified requirement to mandate one full-time attendant and a second person if all pumps were occupied or there was a queue of vehicles waiting to fill up.

Brady told the board Costco corporate headquarters requested the modification, which winds up as regulation while also providing the company with more flexibility.

Trustee John Hinkamp said he would need more time to review the changes.

"I found out about this on the train ride home at 5:30 [p.m.] when I looked at my email, and I frankly find that's unfair to me, to the other trustees to the citizens," Hinkamp said. "I think it's unfair for, at the last minute, for Costco, a professional organization, to throw this under the door."

Trustee Deborah Karton added an amendment to require green and red lights to improve traffic flow by indicating when vacant pumps are available.

"If we're going to modify this, if we're going to give the flexibility of staffing," Karton said, "I think we should also require those green-red light things so that, if people aren't there, customers know which is open."

The plan will have to have a final hearing at the Glenview Appearance Committee, which next meets Aug. 15.

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