More churn on Metra board

Another Metra director has stepped down amid a power struggle over the board’s future.

Jim Dodge, an Orland Park trustee and former Republican candidate for state comptroller, said he would not seek reappointment Friday during a meeting.

An emotional Dodge praised staff at the agency saying, “I’m very excited about its future.”

But he noted, “I would prefer to exit under different circumstances. It’s unfortunate Metra has turned into a political chew toy for Springfield.”

The agency was thrown into turmoil last April during a probe into financial fraud by former CEO Phil Pagano, who later committed suicide. Pagano swindled nearly half a million dollars in vacation pay and exercised complete control over Metra operations, an investigation concluded. The top-down approach resulted in favoritism and other irregularities.

The board enacted reforms in the aftermath but several state senators have called for all directors to step down, introducing legislation to that effect.

The Metra board is appointed by a mixture of county chairman, Cook County commissioners and the Chicago mayor. County leaders have split on whether their appointees should stay or go.

Former board Chairman Carole Doris and Director Ed Paesel both announced their resignations this spring.

Dodge said he was not pressured to go. “It’s the right time,” he said.

Some officials, however, said Cook Commissioner Liz Doody Gorman and other colleagues did not intend to rename Dodge to the board.

“We appreciate his dedication and service,” Gorman said. Dodge would definitely have been reappointed but county leaders were “pigeonholed” by threats from state lawmakers to take away their appointing authority, she said.

Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat, commented that “many state lawmakers believe that having new blood on the Metra board is necessary during these challenging economic times. Ultimately, this is not Springfield’s decision. It has been and will continue to be the responsibility of the county chairman and commissioners who appoint Metra directors.”