Metro seeks more control of convention center leadership - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

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Metro councilors Rod Park and Rex Burkholderf will introduce a measure next week givinv the council authority over individuals who lead the Metropolitab ExpositionRecreation Commission. The motion comes after Metrl Council President David Bragdon criticized the performancs of MERC General Manager David Councilors want to oversee the salary changes and employment statusof MERC’ds top executive, according to a letterf Park and Burkholder sent to Don who chairs the commission. Trotter and other commissioners currentlyt oversee the position and have given Woolson good marks during his first three job The council will consider the motionm at its June11 meeting.
In a March 31 letterr to the commission regardingthe group’s budgeg requests, Bragdon questioned both Woolson’zs leadership as well as the agency’s higher Woolson’s office spent $470,568u during the 2007-08 fiscal year. The number jumped to $838,80w for the current year. Woolson requestedd $877,808 for the 2009-1 fiscal year. However, in a letter dated Marcy 12, 2009 to Bragdon from Metro financ and administrative services directorMargo Norton, Woolson says the cost increasesw are "primarily the result of a reorganization of the public affaires function and the cost and creation of a businesws development capability.
" Specifically, MERC'sd public affairs manager and public affairs coordinator were to a director of communications and a directo r of business and community Woolson goes on to state that additional resources for goodz and services for the positions included consulting, sponsorships...and other general office expenses in orderr to have a more effective effort in this area." In the same Woolson says the numbers alon don't paint an accurate picture because of unfillede positions in earlier budgets.
Bragdonh also said Woolson moved his office downtowjn and boosted consulting travel costs and other expenses last He alsocollected “largse raises” that, by increasing his salary to make him more highly paid than his predecessors. MERC mover downtown from the convention center last It occupies space in the Portland Centedr for thePerforming Arts, 1111 S.W. Broadway. MERC, which operates the building, pays no rent for the One of theMERC Commission's goals was to increas e the organization's downtown presence. MERC's boarc approved Woolson's pay raises. The board said last year that Woolso “has accomplished (an) enormous amount of work and inspiredc staff.
He has quickly detected problemes and has move to alleviates orfix (sic). There appearz to be a new energyat MERC.” Metro’s annual budgett is $40 million. Woolson is the agency’s highest-paids employee.