Taylor council rescinds 2016 towing resolution and awards contract to J & T Crova after public testimony

The Taylor City Council voted to rescind City Council Resolution No. 10.625-16 (adopted Oct. 18, 2016) related to the extension of an Area Towing contract and then approved a new contract with J & T Crova for towing services.

The rescind motion was introduced after the council returned from a closed session on pending litigation involving Area Towing. During the public-comment period several towing-business owners and residents addressed the council. Michael Gotch, owner of Gotch and Sons Towing, told the council he had spent "a lot of time, energy, and money" preparing a bid and alleged harassment and lawsuits tied to the competing firm; he also said he had "8 lawyers working really hard" on related matters. He also raised a procedural concern, saying newly elected council members "might not officially" have authority to vote; a council member then stated that the election had been certified that afternoon and that members present had been sworn in.

Resident Angie Winton urged the council to rescind the 2016 resolution and to award the contract to J & T Crova, saying the J & T Crova proposal "has many protections for individuals who are towed" and urging the council to hold vendors and elected officials accountable. Nehemiah Jamieson, owner of J and M Towing, spoke in favor of fair consideration for local tow operators and said his company provides service nearby and pays taxes in Taylor.

After public comment, the council approved the motion to rescind the 2016 resolution. The council then moved to approve a contract for towing services between the City of Taylor and J & T Crova. During a short question-and-answer, Sam Hussein, introduced as president of J & T Crova, was asked whether the company would honor the proposal submitted months earlier and whether the pricing and terms remained current; Hussein responded affirmatively.

The council voted to approve the contract; the chair announced that the motion carried. The council did not record a roll-call tally in the public transcript beyond the voice vote and the chair's announcement. The council did not specify any contract start date or other implementation details in the public discussion recorded in the transcript.

What happens next: The council approved the contract on the record; the transcript does not specify an effective date, the contract length, or when service transfer will occur. Those implementation details were not included in the discussion recorded in the meeting transcript.