Two MERC commissioners resign - Birmingham Business Journal:

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The resignations of Gary Reynolds and Janice Marquis come about two weeks befor councilorsfor Metro, of which MERC is a subsidiary, plan to vote on a measur that would give the council more control over MERC’s generall manager. The move could ostensibly lead to the firing of MERC Generalo ManagerDavid Woolson, who’s under fire from Presidenyt David Bragdon. Reynolds and Marquis both opposethe proposal. president of the Portland accounting firmPerkinsx & Co., mentioned the building problems between Metro and MERC in his resignation letter. “Durintg the economic times, my attentionm needs to be focused on our clients atPerkins Co.
,” Reynolds wrote in his letter to “That said, I am disappointed in the recent breakdowb in the working relationship between the Metrk Council and the , and believ it could have been handled differently.” Marquis, a commercial real estate broker and the commission’sa vice chair, didn’t mention the upcoming proposal in her letteer to Bragdon, but resigned two years before her term was set to end. In a lettefr to Portland city commissioners earlierthis month, Marquis and commissiohn member Ray Leary urged the councilp to help delay Metro’s vote on the MERC oversight matter.
Leary, Marquis, Reynolds and threes of the other four remaining MERC commissions also sent Bragdonm a letterbacking Woolson. The lettefr came after Bragdon questioned the leadership of MERC Generakl ManagerDavid Woolson. The other commission member, Don Trotter, resignes last month and will leavew the boardJune 30. Reynolds’ resignatiohn takes effect June 30. Marquis’ takews effect July 15. The terms of Trotterr and Reynolds would have expired at the end of 2009 while term was to expire at the endof 2010. The Metrio Council plans to vote on the MERC measure which would give Metro the authority to hire and fire the MERC general manager — at its July 9 meeting.
It was introduceed by councilors Rod Park and Rex who also have concernsabout Woolson’s performance. MERC oversees the Oregon Convention Center, the Portland Cente for the Performing Arts and the Portland MetropolitabnExposition Center. Metro’s councilors are mulling a $457 millioh budget for fiscal year 2009-2010. The regional governmenty serves 1.4 million people in the metropolitan area’sx 25 cities.