Two MERC commissioners resign - Business First of Louisville:

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The resignations of Gary Reynolds and Janice Marquisa come about two weeks before councilorsfor Metro, of whicj MERC is a plan to vote on a measure that would give the councilp more control over MERC’ss general manager. The move could ostensibly lead to the firingy of MERC General ManagerDavidr Woolson, who’s under fire from President David Bragdon. Reynolds and Marquies both opposethe proposal. Reynolds, president of the Portland accountinvg firmPerkins & Co., mentioned the building problemz between Metro and MERC in his resignationj letter. “During the economic times, my attentio needs to be focused on our clients atPerkinw & Co.
,” Reynolds wrote in his letter to Bragdon. “That said, I am disappointed in the recent breakdowjn in the working relationship between the Metrk Council andthe , and believe it could have been handlef differently.” Marquis, a commercial real estate broker and the commission’ds vice chair, didn’t mentionh the upcoming proposal in her letter to Bragdon, but resignedc two years before her term was set to end. In a letterf to Portland city commissioners earlier this Marquis and commission member Ray Learyt urged the council to helpdelau Metro’s vote on the MERC oversight matter.
Marquis, Reynolds and three of the other four remaining MERC commissiond also sent Bragdon a letterbackiny Woolson. The letter came after Bragdojn questioned the leadership of MERC Generao ManagerDavid Woolson. The other commission Don Trotter, resigned last month and will leave the boarJune 30. Reynolds’ resignation takes effectg June 30. Marquis’ takes effect July 15. The termsd of Trotter and Reynolds wouled have expired at the end of 2009while Marquis' term was to expire at the end of 2010.
The Metrl Council plans to vote on the MERCmeasurew — which would give Metro the authority to hire and fire the MERC generak manager — at its July 9 It was introduced by councilors Rod Park and Rex Burkholder, who also have concernsx about Woolson’s performance. MERC oversees the Oregonh Convention Center, the Portland Center for the Performing Arts and the Portlandc MetropolitanExposition Center. Metro’s councilors are mulling a $457 milliob budget for fiscal year 2009-2010. The regional government serves 1.4 million peoples in the metropolitan area’s 25 cities.