Metro News Release

For immediate release: December 18, 2006

Metro freezes non-operations hiring, reviews expenditures, seeks to hire consultant to analyze organization

Metro officials have implemented a hiring freeze for all non-operations and non-police staff. They are also reviewing all non-operations consultant contracts and looking for ways to streamline its organizational structure to trim the budget.

Officials have imposed an immediate freeze on hiring new employees who are not directly involved in providing Metrorail, Metrobus, MetroAccess or Transit Police service to customers. So while new bus operators or mechanics may be hired, no new external administrative office personnel will be brought on board without the approval of the new General Manager.

Metro managers have also been directed to review all consulting expenditures of more than $100,000 that are not related to providing service to customers.

Metro’s incoming General Manager John B. Catoe Jr., in consultation with Acting General Manager Jack Requa, and the Board of Directors, is also seeking to bring in a consultant who will analyze Metro’s current organizational structure in an effort to streamline the 10,000-employee agency’s way of doing business.

“I want to bring in experts to help us look at ways we may be able to do business a little differently, so we can gain efficiencies along the way,” said Mr. Catoe, who will become the permanent General Manager on January 29, 2007. “Metro is a large organization, and we need to do a self-assessment of the way we run this organization. I’m confident that what will come of this introspective analysis are recommendations for ways we can do our jobs more efficiently and save taxpayer dollars along the way.”

Several Metro Board members told Metro staff last week during a Metro Board Budget Committee meeting that they wanted an outside consultant brought in to assist the agency look at the way it operates. Mr. Catoe and Mr. Requa thought it best to start that process immediately.

“John and I have the same goals of gaining efficiencies and cutting costs as we begin the six-month process of building the FY2008 budget,” Mr. Requa said.

“The hiring freeze, the review of contracts over $100,000, and the organizational efficiency study are the first steps--but not the only steps--we must take to ensure that we ultimately pass a budget next year that is fiscally responsible and customer focused,” said Metro Budget Committee Chair Jim Graham.

News release issued on December 18, 2006.