You have sat too long ……………..

TransLink CEO Ian Jervis has been made to “walk the plank” in an attempt to appease the No side of the upcoming plebiscite.

A quote from Oliver Cromwell comes to mind, when he dismissed the rump parliament.

You have sat too long for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!

Many will see this as merely rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic and one wonders how many more people will forced to “walk the plank?”

TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis has stepped down, effective immediately “to restore public confidence” in the transportation authority, said board chairwoman Marcella Szel.

Photograph by: Jenelle Schneider, Vancouver Sun

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METRO VANCOUVER – Ian Jarvis has stepped down as TransLink CEO, effective immediately, in an attempt “to restore public confidence” in the transportation authority, said board chairwoman Marcella Szel.

The decision was made to replace Jarvis ahead of a controversial plebiscite in Metro Vancouver this spring that will ask the public to approve a 0.5 per cent sales tax to fund transportation expansion across the region.

Doug Allen, who most recently served as president and Chief Executive Officer of InTransit BC, will replace Jarvis on an interim basis.

“The decision was not taken lightly,” Szel said. “We believe it’s the right thing to do. We need to build public confidence at TransLink.”

A search committee has been established by the board of directors to undertake a comprehensive search for a new CEO. This search is expected to take several months.

Jarvis, who has served TransLink since 1999 and as CEO since 2009, will act an advisor to the board until the conclusion of his contract in June 2016. He will continue to be paid his salary, while Allen will also be paid $35,000 per month for the next six months.

“We are not particularly happy paying two CEO salaries for a year-a-half,” Szel said. “But it was the board’s view to change leadership and change leadership now.”

She said the board has been concerned about public confidence at TransLink for some time, especially over complaints about SkyTrain breakdowns and the Compass Card, and “is listening to customers and the public regarding the need for change and has taken action.”

TransLink will use Jarvis’s expertise while counting on Allen to bring “fresh eyes” and more accountability and transparency to the transportation authority, she added.

She said new leadership is needed both before and after the plebiscite, which will determine whether TransLink will have more funds to expand the system or continue as it is now.

“We need new vision and new strength to lead us through that phase,” she said.

The new CEO will oversee a $10-billion transportation system and $1.5 billion dollar operating budget, 6,700 employees, and

TransLink’s operating companies: Coast Mountain Bus Company, BC Rapid Transit Company, and Transit Police. Building a better relationship with customers and key stakeholders will be paramount.

Allen recently served as president and Chief Executive Officer of InTransit BC, the company that built and operates the Canada Line.

Allen is not a candidate for permanent CEO and will work directly with the Board of Directors in recruiting and selecting his successor.

“During this transition period, Mr. Allen will provide excellent leadership on all priorities, including meeting aggressive targets on the Compass program, implementing recommendations from the independent review of the SkyTrain outages, and moving forward on actions to improve safety and service for our customers,” said Szel.