Transit- Meeting Agenda (12/18/1997)

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ATTACHMENT A - Marion Coun~ Information December 3,~ 1997 - For Immediate Release Contact: Carol Fischer or Sue McCracken 503-588-5212 County considers changes in Courthouse Square project management Commissioner Randy Franke announ~ed today that Bi11y Wasson, director of corrections for Marion County, is on temporary special assignment to cooidinate the joint county and Salem Area Transit District Courthouse Square proje~~ ~The announcement came during an update on Courthouse Square at the commissioners' regvlar board session when Franke reported that the board had received General Services Director Randy C~ntis' resignation as manager ~or the project "We reluctantly concur with Randy G~utis' evaluation and recommendation that a change in managers is necessary," stated Franke. "It is important to begin to restore public confidence in the pmjec~" He added that, "Randy has given tremendous effort and energy to Courthouse Square during the last two years. The commissioners appreciate his leaderslup and dedica.tion to this complicated task." C~rtis will continue to assist the project as a part of a 13-member team made up of county and transit elected officials and staff. According to Franke, Wasson was placed in this mle because of his 10 years of experience as project manager in planning and development of the oounty's 20 acre comections campus at 4000 Aumsville Highway S.E. `Billy was responsi'ble for construction of our 118,000-square-foot jail starting in 1987," said Franke. "In the last seven years he has managed the development of a new work center and administration building and has just completed a$6.9 million addition to the jail." Franke said the four corrections projects had a combined constzuction budget of $26.9 million. Wasson has been in government service for more than 30 yeais, the last 18 with Marion County. ### 35