California Yellow Cab to provide senior transportation in Fountain Valley
California Yellow Cab will be the main transportation service provider to Fountain Valley residents 60 years and older through June 2021, the City Council decided Tuesday.
The city received seven bids from various transportation services, but council members unanimously voted to award the $470,997 contract to California Yellow Cab, Fountain Valley’s interim senior transportation provider since 2014.
Funding for the service is covered by the Orange County Transportation Authority’s Senior Mobility Program and donations, according to a staff report.
The Center at Founders Village Senior and Community Center provided rides for seniors before California Yellow Cab began its interim period. When the center first began offering seniors the option, called Hop On! Senior Transportation, 40 trips were reported in the first month. Now 463 residents are enrolled in the ride program, and they are being served by California Yellow Cab.
Collins gets seventh term as mayor
Meanwhile, John Collins will serve his seventh term as mayor, joining Michael Vo as mayor pro tem.
And Cheryl Brothers and Steve Nagel were sworn in to serve another term on the council.
While Councilman Mark McCurdy was next to serve as mayor pro tem, based on the city’s rotation system, Negal and Brothers voiced reservations in voting for him because of McCurdy’s absences and opposition to the city’s strategic plan.
The plan encompasses goals to help the city increase economic stability, promote business and maintain facilities. The plan includes the Fountain Valley Crossings, a shopping center similar to Huntington Beach’s Bella Terra, and the implementation of Measure HH, the 1% sales tax increase approved by residents in November. McCurdy has been critical of both but specifically Measure HH, saying he doesn’t trust government to properly handle more money based on his past experiences.
“If you’re not attending the strategic planning session to help move forward with the plan of action for the city,” Brothers said, “I don’t see how you would represent the city without attending (meetings).”
Negal suggested the council vote for Vo, who follows McCurdy in the rotation system.
Asked whether he’d attend strategic planning meetings, McCurdy said he wouldn’t and wasn’t elected to “go along to get along.”
“I try to follow my conscience and vote for what I feel is best for Fountain Valley every time, even if it doesn’t make me anybody’s favorite,” McCurdy said.
