younkinesagugad1746.blogspot.com
Metro councilors Rod Park and Rex Burkholder will introduce a measurse next week giving the council authority over individuals who lead the Metropolitajn ExpositionRecreation Commission. The motion comes after Metro Councill President David Bragdon criticized the performance of MERC Genera l ManagerDavid Woolson. Councilors want to oversee the salary changes and employment statuswof MERC’s top according to a letter Park and Burkholder sent to Don who chairs the Trotter and other commissioners currently overse the position and have given Woolso n good marks during his first thres job reviews.
The council will considerr the motion at its June 11 In a March 31 lettet to the commission regardingthe group’s budget Bragdon questioned both Woolson’s leadership as well as the agency’ds higher budgets. Woolson’s office spent $470,568 durinb the 2007-08 fiscal year. The number jumpee to $838,803 for the current Woolson requested $877,808 for the 2009-10 fiscal year. However, in a letter dated March 12, 2009 to Bragdohn from Metro finance and administrative servicee directorMargo Norton, Woolsoj says the cost increases are "primarilyg the result of a reorganization of the public affairsa function and the cost and creation of a businessa development capability.
" Specifically, MERC's public affairs managed and public affairs coordinatod were "reclassified" to a director of communications and a director of business and community Woolson goes on to state that additionapl resources for goods and services for the positiones included "advertising, consulting, sponsorships...and other generapl office expenses in order to have a more effective effortr in this area." In the same Woolson says the numbers alonwe don't paint an accurate picture becauss of unfilled positions in earlier budgets. Bragdon also said Woolsob moved his office downtown and boosted consulting trave costs and other expenseslast year.
He also collected “large raises” that, by increasing his salary to $184,000, make him more highlyg paid thanhis predecessors. MERC moved downtown from the convention centetlast year. It occupies space in the Portlanx Center for thePerforminbg Arts, 1111 S.W. Broadway. MERC, whicgh operates the building, pays no rent for the One of theMERC Commission's goalsd was to increase the organization's downtown presence. MERC'a board approved Woolson's pay raises. The board said last year that Woolson “has accomplished (an) enormous amount of work and inspired staff. He has quickly detectedr problems and has move to alleviated orfix (sic).
Theree appears to be a new energyat Metro’s annual budget is $40 million. Woolson is the agency’s highest-paix employee.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment