Is anyone else glad WMATA didn't hire Nat Ford after reading this? I have two good friends who live out in the Bay Area (who both lived in DC previously, one for about 2-3 years, the other for over 10) and neither one of them thinks MUNI is anything to write home about. In fact, one of them said she would take WMATA over MUNI any day.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/26/AR2011022603814.html?hpid=moreheadlines
I have read and heard some not so pleasant stories about the governance at MARTA over the past 10 years, in those reports I don't recall Ford's name being mentioned.
The questions I have is. How did this guy get past the vetting process during the first cut? Why the hell is Mamadi Diane still a member of the board. Seems the enterprise he runs is more important then preforming his duties as a member of the MWAA board.
Wow! His personal financial issues send up huge red flags. I'm also one who is bothered by excutives who feel it's OK to spend large amounts of company/taxpayer money on parties and/or perks. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
This is the kind of behavior pattern that reinforces the anti-government, anti-transit attitudes that are becoming more pervasive in the current political environment. Witness also what is being alleged to have occurred with Hampton Roads Transit among other cases. On the one hand the chief executive is obviously responsible for questionable behavior and decisions, but where were the board members or other who are responsible for overseeing the actions of their executives. Wall St. anyone. They get away with it because they can - nobody's watching.