Taxi Company Still Operating After Filing Suit

New Mantoloking Taxi is still operating more than a week after its license technically expired.

The Brick Township council declined to renew the company's license to operate taxicabs from its Brick headquarters last month, citing years of legal wrangling stemming from the company's noncompliance with a number of township zoning laws.

The company has also had a stressed relationship with residents on neighboring streets.

The company's taxicab licenses expired Oct. 1, but it is still operating after it filed suit against the township, Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis confirmed Monday.

Acropolis said the case would now move into a mediation phase and can continue to operate while the legal process moves forward. He criticized council members for going against Township Attorney Jean Cipriani's advice to grant the company a short extension to comply with zoning laws, then hold a hearing to determine whether or not the license should be renewed.

The council voted unanimously at its Sept. 25 meeting against renewing the license.

Township officials said at the time that the company had failed to obtain a zoning permit and was operating vehicles other than taxis – specifically, medical transport vehicles – from the location. The company was recently in a battle with the township after it paved over a residential lot and parked vehicles there without having been granted a variance from the Board of Adjustment to be able to use the lot for a commercial purpose.

The paving has been removed following a decision by the board in July formally denying that variance.

New Mantoloking's owner, Henry Acierno, was not available Monday, a person who answered the company's phone said.

Recently, the company's Mantoloking Road site was put up for sale with an asking price of $220,000.

New Mantoloking's attorney, John Ambrosio of Montclair, said last month that the company was in the process of negotiating a lease for a new property in Brick or Toms River.