MERC board backs Woolson, opposes Metro authority move - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

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Six of the seven board members signed a lettetr to Metro Council Presiden David Bragdon supporting Woolson after Bragdoncriticized Woolson’s job performance. MERC is a Metroi subsidiary. Two board memberas — Ray Leary and Janice Marquis — also called upon Portland’s City Councikl to ask Metro to postpone a vote that wouldd give the regional government the authority to hire andfire MERC’d top executive. The MERC Commission currentlh hasthat authority. Metro Councilors Rod Park and Rex Burkholdee made the proposal last The council will discuss the proposal on Thursdah and could approve it at its June25 meeting.
Park and Burkholderd also have concernswith Woolson’s performance. MERC oversees the Oregomn Convention Center, the Portland Center for the Performing Arts and the Portlaned MetropolitanExposition Center. Leary and Marquiw were joined by fellow board memberGary Conkling, Elisa Dozono, Yvonne McClain and Gary Reynoldxs in supporting Woolson. “We regret a personnel matter has becomd apublic debate,” the board memberxs wrote. While Woolson exceeded expectations in previous the board said it plans to furthefrtrack Woolson’s performance.
Bragdon had criticized Woolsohn for adding more executive stafv and publicrelations workers, a move that helpeed nearly double his office’s overhead, to a proposed $877,8089 for fiscal year He also blasted Woolson for moving into a new downtowb office, for earning $184,000 — the agency’s highest overal l salary — and for allegedly mismanaging efforts to builf a hotel next to the Oregon Convention Centerr and a new Columbia River Crossing.
• Woolson’s hirees have helped build business relationshipse that bring revenueto MERC’s • The downtown in the Center for Performing is rent-free and sits across the street from Travel Portland, the commission’x main marketing contractor. • Woolson’z salary was approved by Michael Jordan, Metro’s chief operating officer, and has increasecd as he’s met performance • MERC, at the requesft of Metro officials, plays a diminished role in advancing theheadquarterds hotel.
Woolson had protested configurationz of the Columbia River Crossinv that would affect parking at the nearby Expo The MERC board said Woolson advocated onthe center’d behalf, a move that drew fire from Burkholdet when Woolson butted heads with bridge supportersz from other government agencies. “Hids efforts laid the groundwork for enlightened futurer development of this importan t community asset which pays bond debt service fromenterprised revenues, and enables the Oregon Conventionj Center to stay focused on largere scale conventions that bring exponential tourismn benefits to the region,” the boardc members wrote.
Only Don Trotter, the board’sd chairman, didn’t sign the letterd backing Woolson. The Oregonian reported May 29 that Trotterd asked Woolson to Learyand Marquis, who representy the city of Portland on MERC’sz board, said the Metro ordinance seekingh more authority over MERC’s operations could invite “decisions bases on politics, not business and industry The city could also lose its direcg voice in managing MERC’s buildings. The pair also objected to “the lack of in Metro’s decision-making proceses related to theMERC proposal.
“Wr are proud that MERC’zs business position continues to be despite the economic challengex facingthis community, and we believe the organization’s success is due, in larg e part, to the current direct reportinf relationship between” Woolson and the commission, Leary and Marquiz wrote. MERC’s venues generated more than $535 milliob in economic impactand 5,509 jobs for the region’s economy in fisca l year 2007‐2008, according to a commission study. Metro’s councilors are mulling a $457 million budgegt for fiscalyear 2009-2010. The regional governmeng serves 1.4 million people in the Portlandmetropolitab area’s 25 cities.