MONTICELLO — The Monticello Village Board met January 17, where a number of residents expressed various concerns in the village during public comment.

Chrissy Bruno, a worker for We Care Taxi based in Liberty, voiced her concerns regarding the Village’s current state of transportation, as well as the safety of the Village residents. 

Bruno, who spoke before the Village Board of Monticello at their regular Town Board meeting was present to request the topic be introduced to the board requesting attention to the Village’s current Taxi Code.

Bruno stated that she invested an enormous amount of money into the purchase of Sureway Taxi. She also brought up in her statements that she believes that they are currently the only medallion taxi company in Monticello.

“We’ve been running around chasing our tail feathers in the village because we’ve arrived at somebody’s house to pick them up and there are three other cabs lined up in front of us,” Bruno said. “They don’t have medallions, they’re not supposed to be here doing cash business.”

“That puts me in a position where I’m like “Why am I, every year, renewing my medallions and giving the Village six thousand dollars a year for a medallion on the car when there’s twenty-five other cars out there with no medallions?”

Bruno remarked she was embarrassed because “our service right now is terrible, because we are literally just chasing our tails.”

She also told of how she dispatched that day for two hours, and she believes that there was “thirty-something calls” to the Village of Monticello.

She recalled that when she got there [to her caller’s location], there was already another cab driving away with the customer.

She told the Board that she requested just a little bit of cooperation from the Village Police force. She wanted their help to let the message get out that if you don’t have a medallion, you can’t be doing business here [in the Village].

“I just need the backing of the Board, the backing of the Village Police to help me and work as a partnership with me,” requested Bruno, “so when the time comes to renew my medallions, I’ll be proud to do that.”

Chairman Michael Banks invited Bruno to further discuss the matter following the meeting.