By Alexandra Brothers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
August 11, 2023 Edition
When the corporate services and public works committee brought forward the invoices to be approved for payment during the public council meeting Tuesday, there was one item that provoked a short discussion among council members.
After seconding councillor Jim Locke’s motion to approve all invoices under consideration, councillor Bill Antle raised a question about the final item on this list —an invoice for TOK Transit for taxi trips in June 2023 in the amount of $9,021.
He asked if this invoice was for taxi trips for the month of June alone. Cassie Pittman, director of corporate services, confirmed that it was. She said the taxis were billed individually.
“It seems to be high. I don’t remember seeing this every month for taxi trips,” said Antle. He asked if the council used taxi services a lot. Pittman replied they are used regularly.
Mayor Dave Aker said it was difficult to draw conclusions about whether or not the cost was higher than usual and suggested doing some follow-up investigation into the matter between council meetings.
Pittman said the committee could provide council with additional information on the cost breakdown for taxi services. She pointed out that the discrepancy councillor Antle noticed was likely due to a change in the way the service is billed.
“Since they’ve transitioned at the TOK Transit label, it’s billed separately,” she said. “There are these huge invoices where you would have seen them combined previously, so you’re seeing four invoices now, what would have been two up until May or June of this year.”
Pittman added that she checked to compare the number of taxi trips this year and last year and that the number has not increased. “The price hasn’t actually increased,” she said.
The approval for invoice payments, including the $9,000 for TOK Transit taxi trips, was moved unanimously.
