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* Good question…
Why did the @ILTollway dramatically restructure, giving the *part-time* chairman much more authority over the agency and adding a layer of management between the full-time executive director and his former direct reports?https://t.co/GaRQpFiLhf
Old vs new org charts: pic.twitter.com/aNE87eS4Ag— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) November 2, 2021
* Marni Pyke at the Daily Herald…
Power shifts at the Illinois tollway are raising “who’s on first” questions from at least one state lawmaker after the board recently voted to delegate authority to Chairman Will Evans to reorganize departments and administrators’ duties.
The decision on Oct. 21 has resulted in significant changes in leadership responsibilities, according to tollway documents.
For example, the chief financial officer, who oversees important functions such as budgeting and securing loans, previously reported to Executive Director Jose Alvarez.
Now, however, CFO Cathy Williams reports to Evans as well as Alvarez. In addition, the chief procurement and compliance officer and the head of the information technology department will now report to Williams, not Alvarez.
* Back to Hannah…
In the next few days after the reorganization, two of Alvarez’s former direct reports, Chief Administrative Officer Kimberly Ross and Chief Procurement Compliance Officer Dee Brookens separated from the Tollway. Rozek declined to confirm the pair were terminated from their jobs, but said they no longer work for the agency.
Alvarez now only has one direct recruit: the Tollway’s chief operating officer, who now directly oversees many of the eight executive staff positions Alvarez used to oversee. The chief financial officer, now overseen by Evans, will also directly manage the Tollway’s chiefs of IT and business systems — two positions Alvarez also no longer oversees.
Rozek said that’s another move for better oversight.
“It is beneficial to have all “Order to Cash” operations tightly integrated with the Finance team, and in the Tollway’s case, Procurement, IT and Business Systems are a major part of these operations,” Rozek said in a statement.
* And…
After a marathon five-hour executive session, we’re back in regular session but it took one minute and the @ILTollway Board meeting is adjourned. I don’t know what happened yet. pic.twitter.com/FHGOWElLFU
— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) November 2, 2021
Hopefully, Hannah and Marni can figure out what the heck is going on.
* Meanwhile…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker ousted the chair of the Illinois State Police Merit Board just days after a new executive director was appointed, the latest shake-up at the agency that oversees hiring, promotions and discipline at the department.
The Democratic governor late Friday withdrew his request for the Senate to confirm Andrew Berlin for reappointment as chair, ending his service on the board immediately. […]
Pritzker booted Berlin only days after the five-member merit board he chaired had promoted Emily Fox, the agency’s program director, to the role of executive director.
Fox succeeded Jack Garcia, a former Illinois State Police deputy director who joined the merit board in 2017 and just recently left to become public safety director in southwest suburban Burbank. […]
In September, Jenny Thornley, the board’s finance officer, was indicted on theft, forgery and official misconduct charges alleging she stole between $10,000 and $100,000 by pumping up her paycheck with unauthorized overtime. She has pleaded not guilty.
* Related…
* Illinois tollway reaps rating benefit from state upgrade, traffic recovery: Ahead of the sale, Moody’s Investors Service raised the rating to Aa3 from A1 and assigned a stable outlook to the deal and $6.4 billion of outstanding bonds. Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings affirmed the agency’s AA-minus rating and stable outlook.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 3:30 pm
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So it would appear that the Chairman of the Board and the CEO are in fact co-CEOs, right?
Let me check my copy of “Corporate Governance for Idiots” to see if that’s copacetic.
Comment by Telly Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 3:59 pm
The Tollway took Alvarez and the rest of the CHA execs (J Hooker Chairman) over at ridiculously high salaries with a group that is completely unqualified. Staff leaving is just the start of what should turn into a full blown investigation of mismanagement under this suspect group.
Comment by ChiSox Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:04 pm
Future job security for U S Attorney
Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:05 pm
Is some of this organized chaos to not only change the culture but change the structure of how that new culture will be flowing through new paths?
Titles are just that.
How and where the structure of flow, the power and oversight is found in the how and where the structure flows… the side story to the implementations, I’ll be very interested to that.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:07 pm
Why does this agency even exist?
Comment by Dearborn Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:10 pm
Alvarez and company recruited straight from CHA when John Hooker was chairman. They were unqualified and inept then and not much has changed. Hope this is fully investigated given the cast of clowns with Alvarez making $200 plus to now manage—-No one.
Comment by ChiSox Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:12 pm
Didn’t Jose Alvarez bring in half of CHA leadership staff when he started as director? Maybe righting of ship sort of thing?
Just eating my popcorn waiting to find out.
Comment by Frank talks Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:15 pm
A CFO overseeing agency IT?
An Executive Director who is not directing the agency?
A CEO/Chair, Executive Director, and a COO?
Something is clearly happening behind the scenes to justify this power-grab by the Chair and/or weakening of the Executive Director position. I highly doubt these will last more than four years, which means that this agency is going to go through another organizational shift that weakens their ability to manage their staff and contracts effectively.
Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:28 pm
Good to see Hannah there with Marni Pyke. No government agency spends more money with as little scrutiny as the Tollway Authority. Pyke is often the only one asking any questions.
Comment by TNR Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:29 pm
Also, FOIA’s are definitely going to have to be filed.
With respect to Marni Pyke, she’ll have to do more legwork than just going to Sen. Murphy for her critical comments that don’t result in any real investigation (this isn’t the first article that fits this mold).
Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:31 pm
More of the same old same old.
Comment by Joe Schmoe Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:34 pm
Most Tollway Board Chairmen were only around 1-2 days per month. The Executive Director was a true CEO. What this says is the Chairmen has lost faith in the ED. However since both positions were appointed by the Governor, Evans can’t terminate Alverez, but he can limit his powers.
Comment by bogey golfer Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:35 pm
@Dearborn, totally. years and years ago I thought let’s take over so we could abolish.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:50 pm
@Amalia
Seems like IDOT could just do this.
Comment by Dearborn Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 4:54 pm
@Dearborn, exactly. save money. ever been to the Tollway HQ? it is quite the huge and to my mind not necessary operation.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 5:11 pm
@Dearborn: you haven’t seen how IDOT operates (or fails to). At least the tollway seems to get things built vaguely competently, and somewhat on time.
Comment by Mary Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 5:12 pm
Alvarez was terrible at the CHA and continues to show he is completely inept. 5 Hours of executive session! Plenty there and wouldn’t be surprised if a full investigation is underway.
Comment by Go tall Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 5:14 pm
==== Why does this agency even exist?====
=== Seems like IDOT could just do this.===
While this probably true the thought is to keep the money that is generated in the system in the system. Problem with that is it generates a lot of money. So they have to spend it. Or My gosh they would have to lower tolls. But in their defense they mostly do a good job on maintaining it.
In the other hand it could be combined with IDOT. But that obviously brings in politics. Those fiefdoms are hard to wrest away.
Comment by South Chicago Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 5:18 pm
===What this says is the Chairmen has lost faith in the ED.===
This smacks more of personality and politics. Perhaps this is to finally exercise the ghost of Arthur Philip?
Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 5:33 pm
Seems like they doing the politics part just fine.
Comment by Dearborn Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 5:55 pm
What idiot puts the CIO under the CFO now a days it’s not the 80’s/90’s anymore and the CIO should be on par with the CFO either under the COO or reporting to the top executive. I’ve seen nothing but huge turnover for the IT section for organizations that do this.
Comment by ITEngineer Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 10:49 pm
Lots of people with job titles that make little sense. Yeah, this is a well-run, cost-effective organization. And cows can fly.
Comment by Sir Reel Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 8:12 am
I’m no law dawg but guessing e state can’t take over tollway or that debt, bond holders would sue and where would IL get the dough to pay off the bond holders?
Comment by NorthsideNoMore Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 8:29 am
Evans Is the problem not Alvarez go look at how he left peoples gas in terrible financial situation
Comment by Hard D Wednesday, Nov 3, 21 @ 11:39 am