Metra chairman’s resignation leaves tough job open

Legislative scrutiny, budget woes and regaining public trust are among the challenges facing the next leader of Metra in the wake of Chairman Carole Doris’ resignation Friday.

Doris’ move comes a year after a probe into financial misconduct by former Executive Director Phil Pagano in 2010 that rocked the agency. Pagano, who lived in Crystal Lake, committed suicide by stepping in front of a Metra train.

It was later found he abused his power by taking at least $475,000 in unauthorized vacation pay, along with other irregularities such as generous perks to senior executives.

Doris instigated an investigation into Pagano last April after learning of allegations of wrongdoing. She and other directors have come under fire from state lawmakers who are pushing legislation to dismiss current board members.

Doris said the time was right to step down. The chairmanship had become essentially a full-time job since the scandal erupted, she noted.

“It’s been a challenge. I wanted to meet that challenge,” Doris said.

But with new Executive Director Alex Clifford in place and a number of reforms in place, “there’s been an uptick in morale,” she said.

Board member Arlene Mulder told Doris that “not many people would perform to the high level you have.

“You’ve taken the brunt of unjust criticism of this organization,” said Mulder, who is the mayor of Arlington Heights.

The Federal Transit Administration also informed Metra this week that it lifted restrictions on access to federal funds instituted as a result of the Pagano crisis. But the agency fined Metra $90,000 for failing to file required documents for lobbyists such as the Carmen Group, a firm whose executives include the son of former Metra Chairman Jeff Ladd.

Pagano considered filing such reports unnecessary because he acted as a lobbyist for Metra, Clifford said.