After Amorello
THE APPOINTMENT of Matthew Amorello as chairman in 2002 saved the Turnpike Authority from a period of management drift, worsened by a struggle between its board and Acting Governor Jane Swift. Amorello's decision to resign yesterday ended a controversy that had eroded his effectiveness, worsened by Governor Romney's feud with him. The governor, who will take control of the authority next month, needs to be careful not to bequeath a similar rift to his successor.
Romney wants to have the board split the jobs of chairman and CEO. Even though he will leave office in January, Romney and his four board appointees will have an opportunity to put their imprint on the authority for years. They should, instead, defer to the next governor, and the future of the Turnpike Authority should be elevated as an issue in the gubernatorial campaign.
At a press conference yesterday, Romney said the CEO would be nonpolitical, with previous management experience, much like Craig Coy, the former CEO of the Massachusetts Port Authority. Coy was an effective chief executive, but with its long construction history, cost overruns, and safety problems, the Central Artery has imposed a huge political burden on the Turnpike Authority, one that is best handled in concert with the next governor, not devolved onto an autonomous board.
And while the appointment of Coy was successful, the last time the turnpike board turned to a nonpolitical CEO, in 2000, it selected the ineffectual Richard Capka. Amorello was more effective in his early years than Capka, in part because he had the confidence of Swift and the Legislature. In the coming few years, the turnpike CEO will have to finish the Big Dig, convince the public that the highway system is safe, and manage the authority within the state transportation bureaucracy. These responsibilities require political as well as management skills, and the confidence of the next governor.
Since he took office, Romney has tried to fold the Turnpike Authority into the Highway Department. That would be a mistake. Revenue from tolls frees the authority from the state budgetary process.
Now that the death of Milena Del Valle has underscored the need for improved inspections, the authority should be better able to get the funds and expertise needed to maintain the system.
Amorello will resign Aug. 15, and the Romney-dominated board will meet Aug. 16. Romney needs to avoid the temptation to put in place a long-term CEO and a governing structure. He should, instead, devise a temporary solution, with an interim CEO. The next governor and the authority need to work without friction to make sure the Artery system lives up to its early promise of safety and convenience. 