Transit- Meeting Agenda (12/18/1997)

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concem is that she thinks that the people who have supported the -- - District former Budget Committee members, members of the Siting Committee--need to be reincluded. She suggested unde~ her ~ responsibilities as Community Relations Chair a report be sent out and an offer made to brief anyone who wants an update on the project. Information should be fumished to them so that they feel like they are invoived. Their ea~lier invoivement was very, very impo~tant, and it was just brushed aside in the a~ticles. There was a lot of print in the articies with no real definite information about why the project was being constructed on that block and how many people were involved in that selection. It really negates the involvement of private citizens. The Board members and advisory committee members are all volunteers and are not paid for their time. The articles really made her feel as though all of that had been negated. That issue is something the District needs to take care because those people have and are still giving of their time. Director Swenson said he also has a college background in joumalism and supports the ~ole of the media. However, he really felt that the Courthouse Square project series of stories were so slanted that it was irresponsible joumalism for the most part. As he went through the artiGes and made notes, it seemed that every single aspect of the projecl was being criticized. That in itself was irresponsible. Adjusti~g, downsizing, and changing the plans are normal, as Director Wieprecht (an a~chitect) has said. It is irresponsible to criticize that. The fact that it tumed into a public venture made it cheaper. To criticize the fact that money is being saved is i~responsible. The site selection-Marion County and the Transit District own it-and the suggestion to sell it for a few million dollars would be a big loss of money. The withdrawal of the day care decision and roof-top garden again were responsible decisions made before he was a member of the Board. Effo~ts are always made to be sure the project is going forward within budget. The $1.20 and $1.25 lease prices-in 20 years Marion County will be one of the smartest around because they will not have to pay rent and will own the building. In the meantime, they will not lose any money. Although he does not have a long background or connection with the General Manager, he thought that the criticism of him was, to coin a phrase, hogwash. He could find nothing in Mr. Andersen-Wyckoff's role in the project that warranted any criticism. Director Swenson said that he did have one question from staff and perhaps it is something that could be addressed at the next meeting. With ~egard to contracts, is it a good idea to sign agreements along with the contracts? Finally, reminding Board members that they all agreed to be honest with one another at the Board Retreat recently, the only thing that he has heard from people that was troubling them was the conflict-of- interest stories. He received no telephone calls from constituents despite his phone number being printed in the newspaper. It is his belief that this Board should adopt some conflict-of-interest ethics guidelines so that in the future this can be avoided. No one who has been involved in the process that is not new is going to say a bad choice was made. However, it is his feeling that the choices made with Dan BeRey and Bill Frey could have been avoided if there had been an ethics guideline saying that no Board member will profit from any Transit Board activity for 18-24 months after they leave the Board. Those things are hurting the District now, and could have been prevented. In the future it should be ensured that Board members are not in that position again. Director Campbell said he is the senior member of the Board of Directors at over eight years. He is also a downtown businessman located next to the transit terminal for almost 20 years. He has seen the buses get Minutes of the Board of Directors Meeting Salem Area Mass Transit District November 20, 1997 - Page 14