NEILS 'MORE AND BETTER' PLAN HAS SOME HOLES IN IT!

Last week, I began a round of employee brown bags to discuss TriMet’s 5-Year Plan. What I have been calling the MORE and BETTER Plan. As part of my introduction, I outlined a number of “threats” facing TriMet – some in and some out of our control.


Those threats really are a list of the many budget uncertainties we face. First, there is the economy as a whole. It doesn’t take an economic expert to know that the economy is not rebounding as it should. As you know, unemployment affects our bottom line – generating fewer payroll tax dollars.

It doesn’t take a governmental affairs expert to know that Congress is in turmoil and that places our federal funding in jeopardy. Add to this rising costs in fuel and healthcare and you have, what I believe, is a pending crisis. We also have the uncertainty surrounding our labor contract. Each of these items adds to our financial stress.

I am an optimist by nature and a problem solver by profession as I believe most TriMet employees are. This means we all want to believe that there are better times ahead. My MORE and BETTER plan describes those future times. However, we must first deal with the challenges of today. We must accept the fact that worst case scenarios can play out. Those worse case scenarios would be more service cuts and more layoffs.

I say in the brown bags that I didn’t sign on to be general manager to dismantle the system and pledge to do all I can to ensure that doesn’t happen. I suggest focusing on three key areas: customer needs, financial stability and building partnerships for transit growth. Although I think of these three as equally important, it is clear to me that one must happen before the others can be fully realized and that is securing financial stability. It is the one that determines if this agency moves ahead.

I also can’t emphasize enough how serious this is. I have looked at the numbers. It is serious because we have already made numerous cuts over the past ten years. Our community has felt the pain, our riders have felt the pain and our employees have felt the pain.

I wish I could tell you today that I have all the answers. I don’t. What I can tell you is that I will do all I can to lead the organization in the right direction. I will make tough decisions and unpopular ones when I believe they are decisions that preserve service and the long-term health of the agency.

I can lead, but I need your help if we are to have any success at all. I ask each of you to do your part – come to work every day and give your all. Quality does not have to suffer no matter what level of service we provide. Look at how you do your work and find ways to do it smarter, faster, better. Speak up when you have ideas for improvement. I need every one of them.

TriMet employees have continually risen to every occasion – celebrating our triumphs and finding solutions to our challenges. Luckily, we have had much to celebrate. But, now the focus must be on finding solutions to our challenges.

Neil

OK Neil, suggestion #1-STOP EXPANDING THE SYSTEM! You are ruining what we have by this addiction to expansion!