Addressing an investigation by The Oregonian, which showed the TriMet boss quietly tapped into a rainy day fund to give $910,000 in pay raises for executives and non-union managers, McFarlane conceded, "We didn’t do a very good job" with transparency.
"My apologies for that," he said during the meeting at TriMet's new downtown Portland headquarters. "We have to do better, and we will."
In response, TriMet’s board of directors admitted knowing about McFarlane’s plans for the phantom pay raises, ending a 3½-year pay freeze for non-union workers, even as the agency prepared to cut service and raise fares in a tough economy.
Board member Tiffany Sweitzer said the raises were brought up in "internal budget discussions" last spring. She conceded that TriMet leaders and the board should have done a better job of letting the public know about the pay adjustments.
"It’s a lesson we need to follow through," Sweitzer said.
The only "follow through" that's needed here is new leadership for the hopelessly insolvent Tri-Met. McFarlane, Sweitzer (Homer Williams's stepdaughter), the Pamplin guy, Warner, and the rest of the face cards, top to bottom, need to move on.
Today's touching confessions took place "in Tri-Met's new downtown Portland headquarters" -- rented from Legend Dan Saltzman, of course. And just up the street from some serious devastation caused by the Mystery Train to Milwaukie. "Sorry" is the right word for the whole scene.
Comments (13)
Typical BS from the Portland political arroganti... "We'll do better next time", i.e., "Sorry, get over it".
Screw the apologies, if they don't resign, recall them. Oregon law provides for it...use it.
See the Oregon Recall Guide online. It states that elected and appointed public officials are subject to recall...that means that each and every member of the TriMet board is susceptible to recall efforts.
I think it way past time to terminate Neil McFarlane, given his propensity to blame others for his mistakes and to deal dishonestly with the public he is supposed to serve. He is a fraud and serves somebody other than the public. If the board does not terminate him, they are complicit in the continuation of the fraud and have abrogated the duties they were bound to carry out as board members. A clear reason for recall so far as I am concerned.
Godfry, I share your sentiment; however even if this recall succeeded, the Governor would simply appoint the next passel of impressionable, window-seat-riding grandees to help keep the sweet-sweet construction sugar comin'.
And (as we recently learned with Sam Adams) it's very, very difficult to recall somebody, even when it's completely justified. Sadly, I doubt that enough people in the TriMet district care about this sufficiently to spend the time.
I agree...it's way beyond time to put an end to TriMet's appointed political hack board.
I suggest a Constitutional Amendment that prohibits ANY governmental board anywhere in the state that has the authority to levy taxes, from having an board that is made up of anything OTHER than people elected by residents of the district.
McFarlane is as accomplished at blaming others he might be ready for a White House appointment. He can't match the Master Deceiver. But Portland is but a sliver, and the entire US still being picked over.
Not one piece of regret or humanity.
It's like he is totally unaware that there is public outrage.
He lives in some sort of bubble in a parallel universe.
Trimet is definitely an oligarchy and its just scary to watch the arrogance going on there.
Destroy a grand Sequoia tree in Pier Park for a green-way path for bikes/walks?
and plans for a paved road through the Sequoia stand is acceptable too?
No.
We the people must take a stand to protect these Sequoia's.
al m, I was at one of the spring board meetings when OPAL and others asked about that $20 Million contingency change. They asked explicitly whey the change, and why at least $10 Million couldn't be used to save some bus services as well as address the safety issues that were being raised.
The Board knew exactly that they were hiding the real reason for the change-THEIR PAY RAISES! But they did their dance and stated that they needed that much contingency for cover the unexpected. Each Board member concurred including Steve Clark, Editor of Pamplin's Portland Tribune. Pay raises for themselves wasn't unexpected. Citizens will remember this as well as OPAL, and I hope the media, except for the Tribune.
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (13)
Typical BS from the Portland political arroganti... "We'll do better next time", i.e., "Sorry, get over it".
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | March 13, 2013 3:20 PM
You mean "[We are] sorry [we got caught], we'll do better [at hiding it] next time."
Posted by Michael | March 13, 2013 3:30 PM
Screw the apologies, if they don't resign, recall them. Oregon law provides for it...use it.
See the Oregon Recall Guide online. It states that elected and appointed public officials are subject to recall...that means that each and every member of the TriMet board is susceptible to recall efforts.
I think it way past time to terminate Neil McFarlane, given his propensity to blame others for his mistakes and to deal dishonestly with the public he is supposed to serve. He is a fraud and serves somebody other than the public. If the board does not terminate him, they are complicit in the continuation of the fraud and have abrogated the duties they were bound to carry out as board members. A clear reason for recall so far as I am concerned.
Posted by godfry | March 13, 2013 4:05 PM
Godfry, I share your sentiment; however even if this recall succeeded, the Governor would simply appoint the next passel of impressionable, window-seat-riding grandees to help keep the sweet-sweet construction sugar comin'.
And (as we recently learned with Sam Adams) it's very, very difficult to recall somebody, even when it's completely justified. Sadly, I doubt that enough people in the TriMet district care about this sufficiently to spend the time.
Posted by Downtown Denizen | March 13, 2013 7:31 PM
I agree...it's way beyond time to put an end to TriMet's appointed political hack board.
I suggest a Constitutional Amendment that prohibits ANY governmental board anywhere in the state that has the authority to levy taxes, from having an board that is made up of anything OTHER than people elected by residents of the district.
(Yup, that'd also hit the Port of Portland, too.)
Posted by Erik H. | March 13, 2013 9:43 PM
McFarlane is as accomplished at blaming others he might be ready for a White House appointment. He can't match the Master Deceiver. But Portland is but a sliver, and the entire US still being picked over.
Posted by Morton | March 13, 2013 9:57 PM
Watch Neils PATHETIC SPEECH for yourself.
Not one piece of regret or humanity.
It's like he is totally unaware that there is public outrage.
He lives in some sort of bubble in a parallel universe.
Trimet is definitely an oligarchy and its just scary to watch the arrogance going on there.
"business as usual"
Is he kidding or what?
Posted by al m | March 13, 2013 11:16 PM
And THIS idiot only wishes the raises had been higher.
Can you believe the arrogance here.
They just thumb their nose at the public.
Posted by al m | March 13, 2013 11:20 PM
Tiffany is Homer William's stepdaughter. The next generation of grifters has arrived.
Posted by Frank | March 14, 2013 5:43 AM
Destroy trees and bulldoze structures for trains that run on burned coal? That's Good for Oregon™ !
Destroy trees and bulldoze structures for highways? That's an unacceptable blight!
Posted by MachineShedFred | March 14, 2013 9:58 AM
Destroy a grand Sequoia tree in Pier Park for a green-way path for bikes/walks?
and plans for a paved road through the Sequoia stand is acceptable too?
No.
We the people must take a stand to protect these Sequoia's.
Posted by clinamen | March 14, 2013 11:03 AM
A couple of new revelations going on:
MAX FAQ's
Portland Transport
Posted by al m | March 14, 2013 5:44 PM
al m, I was at one of the spring board meetings when OPAL and others asked about that $20 Million contingency change. They asked explicitly whey the change, and why at least $10 Million couldn't be used to save some bus services as well as address the safety issues that were being raised.
The Board knew exactly that they were hiding the real reason for the change-THEIR PAY RAISES! But they did their dance and stated that they needed that much contingency for cover the unexpected. Each Board member concurred including Steve Clark, Editor of Pamplin's Portland Tribune. Pay raises for themselves wasn't unexpected. Citizens will remember this as well as OPAL, and I hope the media, except for the Tribune.
Posted by lw | March 14, 2013 6:18 PM