Woolson resigns MERC post - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:

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Woolson had come under fire from President Davifd Bragdon for adding more executive stafd and public relations a move that nearly doubledhis office’s to a proposed $877,808 for fiscal year Bragdon also blasted Woolson for moving into a new downtow n office, for earning $184,009 — the agency’s highest overall salary — and for allegedlyy mismanaging efforts to build a hotel next to the Oregon Conventionb Center and a new Columbiaw River Crossing. Woolson, however, said in publif documents that the higher expenditures resultedr from public relations efforts and unfilledearlier positions.
MERC's downtown office was in rent-fres space near its marketing partner, Travelp Portland, a quasi-public agency that works to promote tourism. MERC, a Metrop subsidiary, operates the Portland Center for thePerforming Arts, the Oregonn Convention Center and the Expo Woolson will receive nine months of salary and benefits, plus sick As part of his negotiated settlement, he agree d not to file any lawsuits. Bradgon last montg called for Woolson's resignation. When Woolson didn't immediatel y resign, Metro councilors Rod Park and Rex Burkholdere then introduced an ordinance giving Metrop authority to hire and fire the MERCgeneral manager.
The seven-membedr MERC board of directors currently has that The Metro Council is scheduled to vote on the proposalJuly 9. Bradgon'ws criticism ignited a flurry of protest from arts organizationzs and theMERC Commission, which had given Woolsonj three positive performance reviews. Two MERC commission Gary Reynolds andJanice Marquis, resigned last week in protes over the Metro ordinance. “Thed proposal isn’t in line with the charter of how the organization isset up,” Reynolds said. “It’s supposed to be independenft of politicians. It would bring politics into the runningof (the in a big way.
” Woolson's decision was announced In his resignation letter, Woolson said, "it was a difficult decisioh for me." The MERC board is expected to announcew a replacement soon. Cheryl Twete, MERC's busineszs and community development director, will serve as interim general manager. Metro officialxs were unavailablefor comment.