Who’s on first at Metra? Directors coming and going as transit reforms gel
Multiple Metra directors signed off at their final board meeting Wednesday as turnover related to transit reform legislation starts materializing.
Six newcomers will sit on the 11-person board in September.
Hanover Park Mayor Rod Craig joined Metra in 2014 as the agency regrouped after a patronage scandal and front-office turnover.
“The last 12 years have been unbelievable, and I’m proud of having served,” the outgoing director said.
Other exiting directors are Wes Becton of Elmhurst, Ken Koehler of Crystal Lake, Stephen Palmer of LaGrange, and suburban Cook County residents Mimi Rodman and Paul Ruffin.
The 2025 Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act eliminates the Regional Transportation Authority effective Sept. 1. It replaces the RTA with a NITA board that will wield more authority over Metra, Pace and the CTA, and receive millions more for buses and trains as a result of gas and sales tax increases.
“While I am excited about the future of Metra and public transportation, I am very grateful for the work all of you have put forth,” Chair Joseph McMahon said.
“Change is difficult and there’s been a lot of uncertainty about the legislation (and) what’s going to happen to Metra” plus the impact on employees and riders, McMahon noted. “This board has really been a steady hand, providing guidance and civility.”
The legislation shuffled who gets to select directors for the transit boards, adding the Illinois governor to the NITA, Pace and Metra rosters, tweaking the Chicago mayor’s allotment, and replacing suburban Cook County Board commissioners as appointing authorities in favor of the county board president.
The five collar county board leaders also pick representatives to NITA, Metra and Pace.
Incoming Metra directors are: former Federal Railroad Administration chief Joe Szabo of Chicago; economic development leader Diane Williams of Orland Park; RTA Director for DuPage and union executive John Retondo; Chicago RTA Director and attorney Dennis Mondero; and former Woodstock mayor Brian Sager, who attended his first meeting Wednesday.
Gov. JB Pritzker has not yet announced his pick for the commuter railroad’s board.
Remaining directors comprise McMahon, former Chair Romayne Brown of Dolton, Chicagoan Christian Diaz, Gary Gordon of Lincolnshire, and Brian Shanahan of Mokena.
Palmer said one defining moment for him was voting in favor of purchasing new railcars. “It was game-changing … and it’s going to make such a difference to our commuters.”
The agency ordered 200 railcars from Alstom in 2021. The expectation was for delivery in 2024, but technical and design issues have caused delays. The first cars should arrive late this year, and Metra expects full-scale delivery from 2027 through 2029.
“I’m still excited about that but I’m disappointed because we don’t have those cars yet. My dying request in leaving Metra would be — please invite me back when those cars get put into service,” Palmer said, joking.