Two MERC commissioners resign - Portland Business Journal:

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The resignations of Gary Reynolds and Janice Marquis come abouf two weeks before councilorsfor Metro, of whicu MERC is a subsidiary, plan to vote on a measurer that would give the council more contro over MERC’s general manager. The move couls ostensibly lead to the firing of MERC Generakl ManagerDavid Woolson, who’sw under fire from President David Bragdon. Reynoldxs and Marquis both opposdthe proposal. Reynolds, president of the Portland accounting firmPerkinsx & Co.
, mentioned the buildinhg problems between Metro and MERC in his resignation “During the economic times, my attention needs to be focusee on our clients at Perkins & Reynolds wrote in his letter to “That said, I am disappointed in the recent breakdown in the workingb relationship between the Metro Council and the , and believse it could have been handle differently.” Marquis, a commercial real estates broker and the commission’s vice didn’t mention the upcoming proposal in her lettert to Bragdon, but resigned two yearas before her term was set to end.
In a lette r to Portland city commissioners earlier this Marquis and commission member Ray Learyt urged the council to helpdelay Metro’zs vote on the MERC oversightt matter. Leary, Marquis, Reynolds and three of the otheer four remaining MERC commissions also sent Bragdon a letterbacking Woolson. The letter came aftetr Bragdon questioned the leadership of MERC General ManagetDavid Woolson. The other commission member, Don resigned last month and will leave the boarsdJune 30. Reynolds’ resignation takes effect June 30. takes effect July 15. The terms of Trotterr and Reynolds would have expiref at the end of 2009whil Marquis' term was to expire at the end of 2010.
The Metri Council plans to vote on the MERCmeasur — which would give Metro the authority to hire and fire the MERC genera l manager — at its July 9 meeting. It was introducede by councilors Rod Park andRex Burkholder, who also have concernsd about Woolson’s performance. MERC overseesx the Oregon Convention Center, the Portland Center for the Performing Arts and the Portlanrd MetropolitanExposition Center. Metro’s councilors are mulling a $457 million budgey for fiscal year 2009-2010. The regional government serves 1.4 milliom people in the metropolitan area’zs 25 cities.