Transit- Meeting Agenda (12/18/1997)

Home Browse Search

~ emo Ta Board of Directors Fror~ R G. Ande Wydcoff, Ge~eral Manager Dat~ NovemL~ 24,1997 R~ Resig~ation as Project Manager of Cou~thouse Square In view of the ~t public focus on Courthouse Square, tMe policy issue faang Salem Area Transit is whether or not fhe projed should prooeed. My opin'wn ~ an emphatic, yes! The Board unanimously and enthusiasticaily oonfimied that at its Board meeting November 20th. Havi~g said that, however~ my leadership in the project, right or wrong, has been questwned in the press a~d, as a ~esult the cxed~bility of the project is cast in tfie same light The focus on my role has taken the focus away from the primary issue: Courthouse Square is a good project. i, therefore, am taking myself out af the day-to-day manageme~t of the project and am reassigning those responsib~ities to the Distric~'s Pla~ni~g & Marketing Manager, John Wiiittington. in order to assure that M~. Whitti~gton will have fhe flexibil'~ty ~eeded to perfortn these dudes in fhe best interest of the Disfict. Mr. Whittington wil! report d'u~diy to the Board of D'uecta's on project related issues; rather than to me. I will oa~tinue to provide whatever resou~e ine Board di~cts and ~S oo~sidered appropriate to meet the publ'~c a~tent served by this change in management of•fhe project. M~. Whittington wiii be responsible for di~ecting fhe Transit related development elements of the project, and will coordinate with Marion County's project ma~ager with respect to the issues common to both agencies. Cou~thouse Square is a partr~eiship with Marion County ihat de.serves to move f~rnrard. There are muhaai benefits derived by both par6~ers that would not be avaflable to the t~xpayers without tl~e partnership. The projec~ as cx~rt~tlY ~9~ Provides all the elements origi~lly pre.saibed by the Boani and approved by FTA, except daycare. The project has not bee~ "dawn~ized" and aii of the Transit elements are funded by Federal Grants, eartna~lced bY Cong~ess sPeafically far this projed. -n,e site was determmea Zo years ago and ~ca,firtr~ed «, n~,mera,s oocasia,s by c~tizens' oommittees and the Bo~a~d over fhe intenrening years. Courthouse Square is unique. We have known that from the begin~i~g. The~e has bee~ no "play book" to guide ou~ acxions, oniy ou~ dedication to the vision and our trust ~ the expert c~onsuftants retai~ed by Marion County and ourselves to advise us on the project. In t~etrospect, there were some . decisions made which. with the be~efit of hindsight, may have been made d'rf~erently, but that is a luxury deas'wn-making at the time did not have. To attempt to defend them now, when hindsight shows that other options may have been more pn~dent, is futile. i can say, howeve~. without reservation, that every dectision made on tf~is project was made with the best infom~ation and advice available at the time, and always with the taxpayers' "retum on investmen~' utrnost in ou~ minds. What is of paramount importance now is the viabii'ity and necessity of tfie project and that the Board take whatever action is necessary to advance the project is a timely and cost-effective manner. 41