The Metra Rail Agency Board of Directors
Mrs. Arlene Mulder, former Arlington Heights Village President is back in the news. In 2005 she was appointed to the Metra Board, representing Northwest Cook County. She receives $15,000 per year as a Metra Director which had supplemented her austerity gesture of declining the stipend as Village President.
Like during her long tenure as Village President Mrs. Mulder is under scrutiny for back room dealing. (See the article Pay to Play Park on this blog). The Metra Board quietly approved a severance package for outgoing CEO Alex Clifford that could approach $750,000. The unusual part of this severance package is the confidentiality provision that forbids either party from discussing the terms.
Metra has evolved into an agency that can largely do what it wants. There is no accountability regarding Board decisions. Pathetic safety around rail crossings, fare increases, schedule delays, equipment failures and low on-time performance continue to plague the commuter line that transports up to 300,000 people per day. Metra Board members, commonly referred to as political appointees, are appointed by elected officials.
Metra CEO Phil Pagano committed suicide after revelations of mismanagement surfaced in 2011. Yet the Board still feels comfortable it can award a lavish severance package to an out-going CEO with no backlash. This is an agency in desperate need of new leadership and is out of touch with riders.
Mrs. Mulder's Experience as Village President Comes in Handy
How does it happen that a public agency board can be comprised of 11 people that are fully capable of operating in a secret, non-democratic manner? Until you recall that Metra Board members are political appointees. Therefore you can stack the board with people that are able to make secret decisions to favor cronies.
Who would qualify more than Arlene Mulder, after operating in the same manner as Village President for 20 years? Someone decided that she would fit right in with the Good Ole Boys when she was appointed in 2005. As her compliant vote on this severance package has proven once again to be correct. Remember the old adage; you are who you associate with.
Let's at Least Try to Fix It
The Metra Board needs to be quickly dissolved. There are four transportation boards, Metra, CTA, Pace and the RTA each is filled with political appointees. We should replace the four transit boards with one agency and with elected officials. This might bring some democracy to the system and remove people from handling our money who have a strong tendency to operate in secret for their own benefit.
Mrs. Arlene Mulder, former Arlington Heights Village President is back in the news. In 2005 she was appointed to the Metra Board, representing Northwest Cook County. She receives $15,000 per year as a Metra Director which had supplemented her austerity gesture of declining the stipend as Village President.
Like during her long tenure as Village President Mrs. Mulder is under scrutiny for back room dealing. (See the article Pay to Play Park on this blog). The Metra Board quietly approved a severance package for outgoing CEO Alex Clifford that could approach $750,000. The unusual part of this severance package is the confidentiality provision that forbids either party from discussing the terms.
Metra has evolved into an agency that can largely do what it wants. There is no accountability regarding Board decisions. Pathetic safety around rail crossings, fare increases, schedule delays, equipment failures and low on-time performance continue to plague the commuter line that transports up to 300,000 people per day. Metra Board members, commonly referred to as political appointees, are appointed by elected officials.
Metra CEO Phil Pagano committed suicide after revelations of mismanagement surfaced in 2011. Yet the Board still feels comfortable it can award a lavish severance package to an out-going CEO with no backlash. This is an agency in desperate need of new leadership and is out of touch with riders.
Mrs. Mulder's Experience as Village President Comes in Handy
How does it happen that a public agency board can be comprised of 11 people that are fully capable of operating in a secret, non-democratic manner? Until you recall that Metra Board members are political appointees. Therefore you can stack the board with people that are able to make secret decisions to favor cronies.
Who would qualify more than Arlene Mulder, after operating in the same manner as Village President for 20 years? Someone decided that she would fit right in with the Good Ole Boys when she was appointed in 2005. As her compliant vote on this severance package has proven once again to be correct. Remember the old adage; you are who you associate with.
Let's at Least Try to Fix It
The Metra Board needs to be quickly dissolved. There are four transportation boards, Metra, CTA, Pace and the RTA each is filled with political appointees. We should replace the four transit boards with one agency and with elected officials. This might bring some democracy to the system and remove people from handling our money who have a strong tendency to operate in secret for their own benefit.
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