Yellowknife (Oct 01/04) - The newest cab company in town is one vote away from winning a pair of parking stalls after six out of seven city councillors approved their request.

The lone hold-out Monday night was Coun. Bob Brooks, who argued the city needs to be consistent in the application of its bylaws.

Fadil Memedi, representing City Cabs, told council Monday night that Capital Cabs should wait their turn for parking stalls. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo

"City bylaws need to be consistent and transparent," said Brooks. "I urge council to stand behind its own process that has been in existence for years."

The bylaw amendment passed on first and second readings. It will be presented to council for a final reading on Oct. 11.

Capital Cabs, which opened for business in August, went to the city last month requesting that it create four temporary parking stalls for the company, since the existing 15 stalls are already occupied by two other taxi companies -- City Cabs and Diamond Cabs.

The request for four stalls was shuffled down to two during a committee meeting last week.

One stall is by Extra Foods downtown, the other by the Gold Range Bistro.

Cab stalls are allotted to taxi companies every April 1, but Capital Cabs part-owner Francis Chang argues that was too long of a wait to open for business and take their share of stalls.

"We didn't wait because (my drivers) couldn't wait," said Chang.

"For them to sit around for six months with no income and mortgages to pay, we couldn't wait."

The two other companies, however, argued that the city didn't give them a break when they opened for business.

"We feel City Hall should listen to the majority of drivers," said Diamond Cabs president Nick Bastas.

The majority of city councillors, however, felt it was a reasonable request by Capital Cabs.

"You try to cover all your bases, but sometimes you don't," said Coun. Alan Woytuik.

"How do you accommodate new businesses? I think we need to look at a new policy," he added.