One thing likely shielding Katz is his lead role in getting positive train control implemented plus

One of the powers of the Chair of the Metro Board of Directors, holland america cruise is the right to appoint three members to the Board of the Southern California Regional holland america cruise Rail Authority, commonly holland america cruise known as Metrolink.  Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who took over as Metro Board Chair on July 1, wasted no time in exercising that power, replacing Glendale City Councilman Ara Najarian with Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.
The move has surprised and baffled local rail watchers, not the least of which is Najarian.  The Glendale City Councilman responded to the switch with shock, pleading with the Supervisor to change his mind through a formal letter and later criticizing the decision at a meeting of the Glendale City Council.
Najarian served on the Metrolink Board for six years and was one of two practicing lawyers on the Board during a time of legal crisis.  He was appointed by the following Metro Board Chairs: Supervisor Gloria Molina, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Santa Monica Mayor Pam O Connor, Villaraigosa (again), Supervisor Knabe and Villaraigosa (a third time.)  He also served as Metro Board Chair in the 2009-2010 fiscal year, where he automatically sat on the Metrolink Board.
A spokesman for the Metro Board Chair told Streetsblog that Antonovich was most interested in filling his appointments holland america cruise to the Metrolink Board with people who share his vision for regional rail.  The spokesman outlined a vision where one could take rail to every major airport in the area and where a regional rail network didn t just connect the major population centers in and near the City of Los Angeles, holland america cruise but the entire county.  According to the spokesman, Antonovich was simply more comfortable with Ridley-Thomas than with Najarian.
Supervisor Ridley-Thomas office also expressed enthusiasm for the appointment.  Transportation deputy Dan Rosenfeld writes, The Supervisor holland america cruise views our expanding public transportation network as the single greatest engine for economic development and environmental enhancement in the County. He is interested in learning details of each element in our regional transportation mix, including Metrolink, as the system can only achieve its potential if all modes integrate successfully.
Supporters of Najarian list several political and personal reasons that the Supervisor would want to remove Najarian from a position of power.  The Councilman and Supervisor have an ongoing battle over the 710 Gap Closure project, with Antonovich leading the charge to dig a tunnel connecting the I-710 and I-210 and Najarian opposed.  Indeed, when Streetsblog sponsored a let s rename the I-710 Gap Project contest it was Ara Najarian who suggested the eventual winning name, the 710 Big Dig.
Another possible reason listed by Najarian supporters is the Councilman s vote in favor of allowing an extension of the Measure R sales tax to go to this fall s ballot.  Despite his personal holland america cruise mis-givings, the Councilman decided to let the voters decide holland america cruise whether or not extending the tax is a good idea.  Antonovich, holland america cruise Ridley-Thomas and fellow Supervisor Don Knabe all voted against placing the extension on the ballot.  Knabe already served, and continues to serve, as a Metrolink director.
The truth is probably simpler.  In his comments made at the Glendale City Council meeting this week, Najarian informed the Council that Antonovich originally planned to appoint Palmdale Council Member Tom Lackey, however he was constrained by Metrolink s rules.  The Metro Board Chair can only appoint a member of the Metro Board of Directors to the Board, but can appoint anyone as the alternate.  By appointing Ridley-Thomas to the Board and Lackey as his alternate, it could be a de-facto appointment of Lackey to the Board through the back door.  This is pure speculation at this point, the proof will be in whether or not Ridley-Thomas makes regular appearances at the Metrolink holland america cruise meetings.
As Streetsblog has discussed in previous articles , Supervisor Antonovich does have a vision for an improved rail network in his district, a vision that involved Palmdale as a major transit hub.  The Palmdale Station already holland america cruise has a Metrolink station holland america cruise with local and Amtrak bus service.  The station could add Amtrak, California High Speed Rail and Desert XPress High Speed Rail services in the coming decades.  For that vision to occur, Metrolink would have to play ball with both rail authorities.  For Antonovich, it makes sense for a representative for Palmdale to be a major player on the Metrolink Board.
Which is not to say that politics or personal feelings were not involved in the Supervisor s decision, only Mike Antonovich knows for sure why Mike Antonovich does certain things.  Some of the facts of the case point away from the two theories posited holland america cruise by Najarian holland america cruise supporters above.  For example, Richard Katz, a mayoral holland america cruise appointee to the Metro Board of Directors and Chair of the Metrolink Board of Directors, remains on Metrolink holland america cruise s Board as an appointee of Antonovich.  If the Supervisor was looking to settle a personal score, he certainly has many conflicts with Katz over Measure R and projects such as the Subway to the Sea.
Najarian represents the North County/San Fernando Valley sector. Reps to the MTA board are selected through the City Selection Committee cityselection.lacounty.gov and not by COGs, and are by population weighted vote not one city one vote. And Palmdale has never had Amtrak service. The Palmdale as hub idea seems to be more for economic development than any transit demand, because holland america cruise of the sprawl conditions in that community.
Usually about mid-way through their terms Metro Chairs discover shuffling the appointees to Metrolink is one of the only unilateral powers they possess, and then use it ruthlessly to reward allies. Antonovich is unusual only for how quickly he exercised this perogative. There were similar grumbles in 1998 when then Chair (and L.A. Mayor) Richard Riordan dropped Judy Wright and Jan Heidt
One thing likely shielding Katz is his lead role in getting positive train control implemented plus invaluable contacts to co-ordinate w/regional rail (Amtrak, the eventual bullet train). Najarian in comparison is an expendible lightweight.
If you click on agendas and minutes on the City Selection Committee holland america cruise website, then use the drop down menu on the right to select City Selection Committee , you have back minutes and agendas going several holland america cruise years. Hope that helps.
Glendale City Councilman Najarian Takes Over as Metro Board Chair July 1, 2009 24 Ridley-Thomas Wants Subjective Analysis When Determining Grade Crossings October 22, 2010 24 Ridley-Thomas: Expo Line Dooms South L.A. to Second Class Status February 25, 2010 40 Ridley-Thomas, South L.A. Residents Want Leimert Park Station, But at What Cost? April 19, 2011 16 Ridley-Thomas, South L.A., Gearing Up for Fight Over Light Rail Yards? July 22, 2011 20
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