Leadership style of UTA board is under fire

At bus stops across Salt Lake County, bright yellow signs are being posted to warn riders of a major redesign this August, with some routes eliminated and most rearranged.

Riders generally support the idea after fighting successfully this summer to restore a few routes. But they question the process that led to the changes and wonder if the Utah Transit Authority and its board of trustees are truly accountable to the public for decisions.

"I think management doesn't feel accountable to the board, because on major decisions the board lets them do what they want," said Bill Tibbitts, director of the Anti-Hunger Action Committee. "I think what you have right now is a board that leaves a lot of the big policy decisions to staff."

About four years ago, the UTA board changed its governance style to be less involved in day-to-day operational decisions and instead focus on creating and managing broad, long-term goals for the agency. As a result, the board was not required to approve the redesign.

Board president Orrin T. Colby Jr. said UTA operates better with a board that focuses on long-term results instead of approving every route change or monitoring how many pencils the agency buys and uses.

"A few years ago, we really didn't have any goals, because we were too busy worrying about how many pencils they had," Colby said. "Now our effort is to see ridership at a certain level, and we want it to cost no more than so much — which are pretty meaningful things."

But issues about accountability go beyond the board's governing style. UTA critics question why the board approved a $274,621 base salary for general manager John Inglish this year. His bonus in 2006 was almost $40,000. The heads of most state agencies make just over $100,000 a year.

The low-income and disabled also worry because only three members of the 16-person board actually use the bus on a regular basis, according to Barbara Toomer, with the Disabled Rights Action Committee. The board members don't represent the interests of regular riders, she said, pointing to the redesign and recent fare increases as examples.

Colby said the board believes Inglish's salary level is appropriate, given the size and budget of the agency he leads. Colby said that the board looks at many criteria when setting Inglish's salary, including comparisons to what other transit-agency heads and engineering-company executives earn across the nation.

As for concerns about whether the board represents regular riders, Colby said the board's membership represents a "good cross-section of the public" when it comes to issues and transit use.

"It's my view that at least half the board would be what I call regular users, and that includes the bus and train," he said.