Metro Board of Directors take action on several items

The Board of Directors met this morning in downtown Los Angeles. The agenda was on the short side due to the start of the new year. Here are three notable actions taken by the Board:

•(Item 21) The Board adopted a policy to better manage and track costs of Measure R projects. The basic idea is to track spending on early Measure R projects to avoid cost overruns so that money will be left for later Measure R projects.

•(Item 24) The Board approved a policy to create two parallel processes to accept bids for new light rail cars. One process would follow guidelines to get get federal funds for the cars; the other would follow a process detailed under current Metro guidelines.

•(Item 26) The Board decided to extend a contract for 30 days with the firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips for lobbying the federal government in Washington D.C. at the cost of $51,500 per month. Metro staff had recommended not exercising a six-month option for performance issues. An amendment by Director John Fasana asked for the 30-day option along with a report by staff on issues involved with the contract.

2 replies

  1. With all due respect, I would appreciate that the board take action on the incessant and needlessly lengthy subway announcements that are intrusive to students trying to study, professionals trying to prepare for the day and people trying to snooze on the way home from a long day. I’m sure that a compromise can be met: helpful announcements, but at two-thirds the length. Please: It’s really quite torturous to endure the non-stop announcements. Frequently lately the drivers exacerbate the problem by making ad hoc announcements. I am a devoted fan of the subway, and I am fortunate that my company offers the pass as a wonderful perq, but please, board, address this issue minimizing train announcements. Many, many thanks.