JAY JACKSON LEAVES THE BUILDING

Jay Jackson

Former Director Operations Command Center & Field Ops

(2015) Last known salary $109.698.00

Not sure if he left on his own or with assistance. 

His salary wasn't that much compared with other Managers of similar merit. His title indicates a whole hell of a lot of responsibility in terms of Supervising front line support staff,  but some folks need the 'title' more than the money. 

I  first met Jay when he was a Mini Runner. We used to talk on our way to road reliefs.  Never had words or anything negative. When the signup came to an end he told me he was gonna miss our conversations. He later went to rail. Few years after he went on to an Executive position. We ran into each other at Park Rose TC. He was all excited about his promotion. He was telling me that if I ever had a problem or needed anything to let him know - any time of day. "I'll meet up with you or you meet up with me, any time." I felt it was just talk coming from his excitement but nevertheless, something did come up about 6 or 8 months later so I contacted him.

Thinkin' it was around 2010 when Rider Advocates rode the Buses and Max. They were mostly from the problem areas in town. Their "mission was to provide a viable, recognizable and physical presence on the Buses and Max."

The program, run by the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods since 1994, is financed through a contract with TriMet. Effective Sept. 30, TriMet will end the contract, part of operation cuts because of a budget deficit." 

They not only handed out information about the system but worked with youth and gang members on the Buses, offering resources even for our homeless populations. Wonderful folks. They truly represented Trimet/Portland in virtually every context. I drove nights so they were especially welcome on my Bus. They were experts at de-escalating situations. They made it safer for everyone. They connected our riders with the Agency which is unheard of today with Trimet's current Administration. At one point they became Unionized which was unfortunately the beginning of the end. Trimet wasn't having it. As a result, I was told, Trimet eliminated the Rider Advocate program then blamed it on 'budget deficits'. Had they listened to the community and their Operators, they would've realized  all of the basics happening on Public Transit such as fare disputes, gangs, safety, schedules, customer information, what's playing at the Schnitz, etc was happening through Rider Advocates. Paying these folks a Union wage and benefits was always more economically feasible then paying outrageous salaries to Executives. 

Below are the top 6 Executive salaries.  The number to the right of their title doesn't include bonuses, pensions, health care, vacations, travel, credit card use... motels, meals and on and on.........  (from 2015)  

Top Salaries

                   Neil McFarlane, General Manager, $267,441.00

                 Robert Nelson, Intérim Deputy Manager, $216, 92.00

                    Martha Brookshire, Director Finance and Administration, $195.319.00

                    Daniel Blocher, Executive Director Capital Projects, $190.308.00

                    Shelly Lomax, Executive Director Transportation, $186.508.00 (gone)

Lest we forget, the infamous:

Randy Stedman

Executive Director Labor Relations & Human Resources 

Professional Union Buster 

$219,883.00

Jobs With Justice Scrooge of the Year, 2017 (video)

Much of this money could go, should go for advocacy groups riding the Buses which promote public awareness and safety. Why can't a more humanistic approach be re-created  (from 2009) in dealing with our customers instead of the 10.2 Million budgeted for Transit Police?!! Much of this could also go for the salaries and health care of front line workers. 

Trimet's Rider Advocate program was never about employee/public safety in the first place, but for the sake of appearances. It was as if their priorities changed from the real world to what the folks at the City Club thought of them. That mindset's even reflected in the attitude of their Board of Directors. 

Trimet then replaced the Rider Advocates with a group from an extreme right wing conservative Ministry called Victory Outreach. Evangelicals. Don't know if they were paid or volunteered. I believe there were some grievances filed by the Union but never heard what became of them. Some of these folks were born again, from prisons and the streets which I have no problem with. My problem was the fact that they were actively preaching hatred on the Buses, of a public agency, to the LGBT community.  They were extremely homophobic and known for it. They were confronting folks (me too) who they felt fit the LGBT stereotype and demanded that we repent, followed up with informational brochures from their church and a shame based berating. They even went after women traveling alone on the Bus at night. Talk about judgmental! It didn't sit well with me and since Jay was in charge of the program I contacted him.

Several times, in fact. 

He didn't return my calls. One day I saw him in the Bullpen. He tried to run from me.  I was taken aback. What was that about?!! As far as I knew, we were still on good terms and his offer to assist "anytime, anyplace, anywhere" was still open.  Even if we hadn't been on good terms, as a Manager he still had a professional obligation to treat me equally. He finally stopped and we talked briefly.  He was extremely nervous, kept looking around as though he was afraid someone would see him talking to me. Trimet's like that. They provide their managers and executives with a list of employees who're under their radar. Trimet promotes a culture of fear. It's an Authoritarian culture were employees are afraid to break ranks. If they don't comply they're terminated. It's also called Bullying and  Mobbing. All those big (I own you) salaries out the door.  Nevertheless, Jay was openly Gay. I informed him about what was going on with this group. "Haven't heard about it yet." Said he'd get back with me then scurried off.  Never did.  Co-workers told me they complained to him as well. He knew it was going on and supported it by doing nothing.  It's like, 'if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem'. 

What type of a Public Agency knowingly hires haters, puts them on the Buses then brags about their commitment to 'Diversity' in the Community?!!  It comes under the 'lack of transparency and accountability' section. They hire 'haters' inside the Agency too, but on the Buses where our customers are often victimized as well, made it equally disturbing.

So the Ministry eventually left but not because of anything Jay did or didn't do. 

Then there was THIS when he was sitting in an official capacity as a Judge for my Step III Grievance hearing. Scroll 3/4 of the way down to his picture in front of the stove. I posted that image in particular because I believe (and it's just alleged) that Trimet hires certain people for certain managerial and executive positions because of their appearance. Jay 'looks' like an Executive. He even has a  large loud growl. In other words, they look and sound like a big shot but in actuality are folks who just 'appear' Presidential, if you know what I mean. They take orders. According to Shirley Block, he was illegally audio/video recording me in that meeting. 

Parov Stelar - Booty Swing

FINALLY GETTING BACK TO BLOGGING

(or women)

Finally getting back to blogging. Some posts will be older than others. They remain on my 'to do' list.  

Before I click 'Publish' on any individual post, I always sit back a day or two, examining my motives. I write to inform and heal, but mostly to create change through awareness.  

In 2013 when Trimet Blind Sided me into a meeting with an outside lawyer in an attempt to SILENCE me from writing this Blog, I came to realize the power of public exposure through Blogging. It didn't change who they are or how they conduct business, but it did give them enough heartache to attempt a $5,225.76 (tax payer paid) maneuver against my First Amendment rights and through that process, I realized how much power they unwittingly handed me. 

Trimet is an Agency built on secrets, lies and bullying their workers.  They don't respect the boundaries between personal and professional. Most of their Executives and Managers are narcissist psychopathic personality types. They don't feel emotion - yours, theirs or mine. They're not held to the standards of other Public Agencies. They remain unaccountable and lack transparency.  In this very progressive State, Trimet remains an open sore - an embarrassment to everything Oregon stands for.

The solution is to lobby the Legislature for the right of the citizens to elect Trimet's Board of Directors from where it stands now - which is an appointment by the Governor.  Trimet desperately needs oversight. Not just in-house but in the community.  Hopefully we can get that process started by years end.

MARY FETSCH LEAVES THE BUILDING

Mary Fetsch

Former Chief Media Relations Officer

$120,928.00  (2015)

per:

 Trimet Top Salaries

Fetsch is the latest to leave. In my experience, not the most honest person on the block. 

She was also on the Board of Directors of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance.  Years ago when I was an avid cyclist I was continually freaked out by being BUZZED by Trimet Buses. I was in the bike lane, the Bus would suddenly floor it, cross over the line separating us, which forced me right up against the curb. The enormity and velocity of the machine vibrated my world to pieces. There was nothing like it - raw fear and panic. It was happening frequently and to other cyclists was well. We were complaining to Trimet but our complaints were never taken seriously.  One of the Managers told me I should be riding on off streets. I contacted Fetsch to see if there was anything she could do.  She said she understood the problem and suggested I talk with training - which is what I did. Allen Morgan. Those of us familiar with him said, "Good luck with that."  

One day I was listening to a bicycling show on KBOO and they happened to be interviewing two Trimet employees/cyclists, about - of all things - 'the training they provide their Operators to insure bicycle safety.  I listened in disbelief !!  Thought my head was gonna spin off and explode!!  

About a week later as I was getting ready to leave the bullpen one of the guy's from the KBOO interview was there. I asked if he was Kiriam Limiay (spelling), who was an Assistant to Fred Hansen. He acknowledged and I went off on him, "Who gave you the script for that that program?" He said, "Mary Fetsch".  He, in fact, rode a bike. I asked if he had ever sat in on any of the 'bicycle awareness training classes he proclaimed Trimet provided on the show, "No but Mary filled me in." At the risk of being insubordinate, at that point, I dropped it,  but it left a really really bad taste in my mouth.  They were giving cyclists in our community a false sense of security. Trimet is after all,  an alternative form of transportation Public Agency and yet they had their heads up their asses when it came to protecting other forms of transportation sharing the roads with the 40,000 pound, 20 ton Buses, then lying to the community with a, 'so what' attitude!  They even refused to provide safe, covered areas for our bikes all the while allowing the executive floors to bring their bikes into their cubicles. A more quintessential example of this Agency's absolute arrogant superiority towards the tax payers doesn't exist. 

NEVERTHELESS, 

...as the BUZZING problem continued I eventually took it to Mayor Sam Adams who arranged for City bike advocate Linda Ginenthal to give me a call to see if the City would assist Trimet in creating solutions instead of denying the problem. She was one of Mary's buddies. LOL  Said, "Not my Mary... she wouldn't do that"  Instead of discussing the problem she defended her friend.  It eventually went to a meeting with the City. Trimet sent several of their trainers, all of whom lied about training Bus Operators on bike safety. The folks in the room knew they had a problem and were disappointed by Trimet's rhetoric.  

Trimet, in fact, continued to refuse the need for bus/cyclist training UNTIL 13 YO Austin Miller was killed by a Trimet Bus while riding his bike in Beaverton.  Unfortunate as it is, most Agencies refuse to correct their problems until someone is killed. Trimet, however likes to be MORE different in that they additionally continue to deny their huge LEFT MIRROR is responsible for killing a few people walking in the crosswalk several years ago. As long as the mirror remains positioned to block the Operators view when making a left turn, no one's safe. 

Note: About 3 years ago while riding a bus to work I ran into a coworker I hadn't seen in years. We visited. He brought up the KBOO interview and shared with me that he was the other voice that day along with Kiriam. He said they used to hang out. Kiriam asked him to say he rode a bike too, and no, he never rode a bicycle. He said Kiram talked him into it.  

Example of a a Bus BUZZING a cyclist. 

Uploaded on Oct 16, 2011

Bus passing cyclists FAR TOO CLOSE and at TOO GREAT A SPEED on Broad St, Newark, NJ at approximately three minutes past 2 pm on Sunday October 16, 2011. The bus comes into view, at 1:02(note the cyclists patiently waiting for the lights to change before setting off). Slow motion of the pass is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzX7FE...

TRIMET PUBLIC RECORDS - ARE THEY REALLY TRANSPARENT?!!

Awhile back I contacted Trimet Public Records for Randy Stedman's 2015 W2 gross salary which is BOX ONE.

They sent this:

click images for zoooooomm

I then saw (below), published from another blog, Randy Stedman, same year, different figure. I've been told the 'other' blog received their figures from the same source I did, which is Trimet Public Records.

WHOA - Notice the $42,000 discrepancy?!!

Most families live on far less !!!

Nevertheless:  

In past public record requests I've asked for bonuses, health benefits, retirement/pension, vacations, credit card reimbursements, etc but have repeatedly been told those items were exempt from Public records. I wasn't asking specifics just the dollar amount. "tips, other compensation" which is what Box One of the W2 is. Taxable or not I simply wanted his gross salary - all of it. But apparently NOT!  

From Google:

So...  I again wrote asking for clarification. This time I didn't hear back so again filed an official records request:

This arrived:

My response:

He sent this:

Again:

It turns out, all of the years I've been asking for Public Record requests from W2's including extra monies received for benefits, they basically denied there were additional monies/benefits received by the Executives and Managers by simply stating they were "exempt" from sharing it. The only numbers they were willing to share was 'Gross Salary', or actual pay received less benefits. Salaries can appear smaller when substantial negotiated benefits like  $42,000 was given away in leu of pay. 

To deny that a sum as large as $42,000 exists, in my request, but is clearly factual in someone else's for the same year, same employee, is misleading to say the least...