Are they joking?
05-21-2009, 05:41 PM
alfonso.castillo@newsday.com
4:43 PM EDT, May 21, 2009
Long Island Rail Road president Helena Williams has been tapped to be interim chief executive and executive director of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority until Gov. David A. Paterson appoints a successor to outgoing chief Elliot Sander, MTA officials said Thursday.
Williams, who must be officially confirmed next week by the MTA board, will step into the post at the close of business Friday, when Sander leaves for vacation.
Williams has been LIRR president since 2007. She previously headed Long Island Bus and was a Nassau County deputy executive.
MTA chairman H. Dale Hemmerdinger, who chose Williams for the interim position, on Thursday called her "a consummate professional," and he said, "I think she's going to do a great job."
Williams will keep her position and salary as LIRR president, and LIRR senior vice president of operations Ray Kenny will take over the day-to-day duties of the president.
"I'm very honored and I look forward to working with Dale," Williams said. "The MTA is a very important institution and we want to just keep it going."
Sander resigned from the position earlier this month, reportedly at the urging of Paterson. His resignation came only days after the state Legislature passed a $2.3-billion bailout of the MTA, which was planning to plug a massive budget deficit through large fare hikes and widespread service cuts.
The state also changed legislation to combine the jobs of MTA chairman, CEO and executive director. Hemmerdinger said the jobs will be officially combined upon the governor's appointment of a new MTA chief.
Copyright © 2009, Newsday Inc.
Nothing changes but the bank accounts of these connected a**holes!
4:43 PM EDT, May 21, 2009
Long Island Rail Road president Helena Williams has been tapped to be interim chief executive and executive director of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority until Gov. David A. Paterson appoints a successor to outgoing chief Elliot Sander, MTA officials said Thursday.
Williams, who must be officially confirmed next week by the MTA board, will step into the post at the close of business Friday, when Sander leaves for vacation.
Williams has been LIRR president since 2007. She previously headed Long Island Bus and was a Nassau County deputy executive.
MTA chairman H. Dale Hemmerdinger, who chose Williams for the interim position, on Thursday called her "a consummate professional," and he said, "I think she's going to do a great job."
Williams will keep her position and salary as LIRR president, and LIRR senior vice president of operations Ray Kenny will take over the day-to-day duties of the president.
"I'm very honored and I look forward to working with Dale," Williams said. "The MTA is a very important institution and we want to just keep it going."
Sander resigned from the position earlier this month, reportedly at the urging of Paterson. His resignation came only days after the state Legislature passed a $2.3-billion bailout of the MTA, which was planning to plug a massive budget deficit through large fare hikes and widespread service cuts.
The state also changed legislation to combine the jobs of MTA chairman, CEO and executive director. Hemmerdinger said the jobs will be officially combined upon the governor's appointment of a new MTA chief.
Copyright © 2009, Newsday Inc.
Nothing changes but the bank accounts of these connected a**holes!