In the beginning, we knew who we were sending off to TransLink to represent our municipal interests, and we knew then, who we could send packing if they didn't toe our line. eg. Barbara Sharp as Mayor of the City of North Vancouver.
But what of today's new Director's of Translink, appointed by Gordon Campbell's government, who are they really answerable to locally?
"TransLink board chairman Dale Parker will get a flat fee of $100,000 for his services -- and each director on the newly assembled board will get an annual $25,000retainer.
The eight board members will also get $1,200 per meeting -- even if they are only attending by phone or videoconference.
The pay hikes were voted on by the new board last week. The board's meetings were closed to the public; the salary information was posted on the agency's website after the vote.
Members of the former TransLink board, which was made up of elected mayors and councillors from across Metro Vancouver, received $200 per meeting. The chair was paid a $40,000 annual salary."
Dale Parker, corporate director; Nancy Olewiler, economics professor, Simon Fraser University; David Unruh, corporate director: James Bruce, investment banker; Sarah Goodman, vice-president, Canadian government and public affairs, Weyerhaeuser; Robert Tribe, professional engineer; Bob Garnett, chartered accountant; Cindy Chan Piper, urban planner; Skip Triplett, president, Kwantlen University College.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Pay hikes for TransLink board
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17 opinions/comments:
This sounds very fair for services rendered, the old board was to political, look at the alignment of the the line built in 2000.
Transit plans need impartial analysis of the growth projections across the whole lower mainland and sound investment plans to service them.
Also the ability to make difficult decisions without worrying about political fallout at home.
I think this new plan is a winner.
David Dixon, P. Eng
Amazingly I agree with Dave.
You want successful private sector types on the board you need to pay them for their time.
Hello Concerned Citizen,
Although not perfect, I preferred Translink the way it was. This new board amounts to a permanent 'in camera". Falcon and Campbell don't want any independant thinkers slowing things up. They want central control dictatorship. It amounts to more top-down draconian style rather than progressive grass roots bottom-up politics. Too bad.
Glen Henderson encouraged me to apply to serve on the Translink Advisory Board last year which I did but, my application never received a response.
I absolutely hate Translink and the ideas for which they stand. They're unaccountable (even more so now) and bloated. They're arrogant and place the regular commuters (the ones who paid for the roads) against transit. They make absolutely stupid decisions with respect to rates and fares and then have the audacity to take out full page full colour ads in all the local papers several times a day to say "look how well we're doing!".
My distaste is SO bad that when the kids are up and gone, we will be too - to a place that won't put up with the lethargy and idiocy that is Translink.
However - the one smart thing they may have actually done is hired a decent chair and paid him a decent wage. If he can drop fares, drop their internal costs, perhaps produce a product that's actually useful to the commuting public and do so in the next several years without telling me how well they're doing at my expense, I may bend a new ear.
I am not a transit user, except to go to the occasional hockey game, but I find these hikes in compensation more than a little offensive. Why could they not have waited at least until they'd delivered something that looked like they were earning their keep. Bad timing, folks.
"... since when did the people who run the publicly financed TransLink morph into a commercial board?"
"Pay Hike self-indulgent for TransLink Board" Miro Cernetig - Vancouver Sun
The public was told that its community leaders, Councils, would be given the opportunity to vote on motions from the TransLinks new board. Does anyone believe that this 500% raise would receive one hand in support from Councils, and risk losing at being re-elected?
What other perks has Kevin Falcon written into their contract appointments that allow these guys to give themselves anything, without having the public's input?
Councils need to vote on this issue otherwise what other items are going to be ram-rodded through without our having a say, without our having been informed of what they are up to.
Democracy is getting whittled away.
And they should have to perform first, prove themselves and then maybe get this raise after not before.
Falcon should have had the guts to change the payscale prior to their first meeting. Starting off by giving a payhike is bad move.
Do they deserve it?
Last year North Van's contribution to the Translink board was a Mayor who is also a CA. Amazingly they managed to attract a professional at $200 per meeting, and a bus pass.
CKNW did a bit where they compared these "wages" against that of other boards. No comparison - these rates are WAY over the top.
In defense, Translink compared itself to the Airport authority and to the Port of Vancouver boards. Somewhat arrogant me thinks - both of those boards actually make money by doing commerce - Translink makes money by increasing taxes.
Is this a sign of another fast ferries - where a bloated government shows so much disdain for it's public that it has to play "we know best" when all the advice form all the sources suggested contradicting avenues of progress?
I certainly hope not.
But closing board meeting to the public reeks of removing accountability. And placing a paid board in place that's not elected yet have control over almost a billion dollars of tax payers money and who have the authority to tax additional revenues at their whim is not democracy in action.
It kinda stinks of regimes toppled not too long ago.
I'm hugely concerned that the arrogance shown by the sitting government, if measured by no other means that Translink and BC Ferries, means they place government profit (actual profit!) over the needs of the people. Democracy has slipped towards socialism and with the big heads on the front lines (Campbell, Falcon etc.), I'm wondering if they have visions of ultimate power over the people.
It's SUCh a shame that the only competition to this group is the NPD...
To compare Translink to the Port Authority and Airport Authority is rather disingenuous since the VPA and VAA operate on user fees while Translink has taxing power.
In particular I dislike the lack of turnstiles since the apparent high level of fare cheating on the Skytrain effectively means a subsidy by areas not served by Skytrain to those areas that are. There is also a pernicious belief among a LOT of people that their transit ticket is good for a TWO-WAY fare - uh no. No it isn't.
I did not like the old Translink governance system as I felt it was not particularly accountable particularly for North Shore residents - Mayor Walton listened to people like me because he hoped for our votes while former Mayor Sharp didn't listen at all to folks like me since I'm a District taxpayer and she had nothing to gain from representing my views and people like me.
The cry of "No taxation without representation" is as valid now as 200 years ago - and if Falcon is determined to ram this "solution" down our throats then he should at least have had the jam to ram their bloated pay scale through as well.
I have a MAJOR personal long-term grudge against the NDP due to what they did to post-secondary funding in 1973 - I graduated from high school in the first year of the Barrett NDP regime and if I had graduated one year earlier I had 75% tuition guaranteed for four years whereas the NDP gave me $200 for TWO years only.
I started 2007 as a solid provincial Liberal but they're seemingly hell-bent on losing my vote.
Nevertheless Falcon has so offended a long time rightist provincial voter like me that my vote is no longer assured. They certainly haven't done any favors for the North Shore despite this being the most loyal Liberal stronghold in the province.
Oh dear - I must have offended some provincial Clear Grit!
Lyle,
Isn't it because it's a long time Liberal stronghold that they haven't done any favours? Why do anything for a riding(s)where, even if you were a comatose liberal candidate you would still be elected?
By the way, how did that conversation go between Martin and Lisa go last night after the District Hall workshop?
Last year North Van's contribution to the Translink board was a Mayor who is also a CA. Amazingly they managed to attract a professional at $200 per meeting, and a bus pass.
Have you checked the credentials, is he a CA or a CFA ,, why would a ca be a high school teacher, or run a chain of unsucessfull video stores, who by the way distributed less that for public video offerings, but is a friend of our MP and served as his best boy twice.
Its not what you know its who you &^%$.
Lynn Valley Boy
Lynn Valley Boy why are you being so secretive by using an acronym without indicating what it actually means?
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
As to calling yourself out as being a "&^%$", we knew that already.
I got my BC teaching certificate before I got my MBA. So?
People change careers all the time - if you are determined to dump on the Mayor you have far better reasons than this to take him to task.
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