The Virginian-Pilot
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NORFOLK
As Michael Townes entered his last week as head of Hampton Roads Transit, he lashed out on Facebook about dishonorable politicians, scapegoating and racism surrounding his forced departure from the agency.
After a month of intense scrutiny for light-rail cost overruns, Townes agreed two weeks ago to step down as HRT president at the end of the month and retire from the agency in September.
Townes wrote on Facebook, "Dishonorable politicians cannot change the many accomplishments that the superior staff at HRT has acheived... In spite of scapegotting and racism I have nothing but positive memories of the time I have spent improving public transportation in Hampton Roads."
Townes did not respond to a phone message Tuesday.
A week before stepping down, he said racism was not driving the movement to oust him: "My support is not based on race." He also said, "I clearly understand that others demand accountability for cost overruns and I'm accountable."
HRT board members and Norfolk leaders contacted Tuesday declined to comment on Townes' post, which was on his "non-public" Facebook page. Several board members saw the posting, however, and it was later broadcast on a politics blog, Bearing Drift.
"There's too much sensitivity right now," said Jim Wood, HRT board chairman and Virginia Beach councilman. Wood and Norfolk councilman W. Randy Wright, who are both white, led the movement to oust Townes, who is black.
Norfolk's starter light-rail line, now estimated to cost about $340 million, is running 47 percent over budget and about a year behind schedule.
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Amazing!
I'm sick and tired of elitist blacks who use racism (usually dreamed up) as a way to cover up their inability to do their jobs. It is painfully clear that either he was corrupt and criminal or either stupid and blind. Pick which ever one you want to choose; he was definitely incompetent.
Even if race played a part in his forced retirement, in whatever way it has does not excuse the poor job on this project and his failed oversight, including the failure to charge the funds stolen by the employees he allowed to get away with it. None of this trumps race.
Far too many times, the evils forced on blacks has been used to excuse the more successful of the group. Frozen money for a Louisiana congressman or crack in the District of Columbia's city hall. From the common criminal who terrorizes the urban dwellers least able to prevent them to Portsmouth's 14k jacka$$ mayor who utters everything that's on his mind. Enough! Down with the Kwame Kilpatricks and their criminal family warlords who've spent decade destroying black cities and then blame whites ass racist for questioning them about it. Enough.
Townes A Coward After All - Disappointing
After first appearing to be a stand-up guy and openly acknowledging that race had no role is his support at HRT, that others (all us taxpayers) demand accountability for cost overruns and the he was accountable, in a fit of poor judgement at his keyboard Townes has showed us all that he is in no way prepared to accept responsibility for failures that are unquestionably his. Townes is a smart guy who has done well at HRT and he knows in his heart that race was not at play here. There is still much work to be done in our country regarding equality/race relations. Calling racism to avoid responsibility and accountability, when one knows race isn't a factor, lessens the needed impact of calling racism when it is actually in play. Hampton Roads citizens of all races should be appalled. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Michael.
dido
dido
Townes blew it
By his own admission, he created the initial proposal with LRT costing over $300 million. Review of guidelines, cost figures, and funding rules, he and the HRPDC, norfolk council, and MPO realized the number was way over what the feds would approve.
So they started cutting the fat. But, they knew full well once construction started the items cut would be added back in, and any additional cost would be born by federal and state taxpayers.
Check the new fancy train stops, additional pilings in the river, utility locations, and gosh what fancy hand rails on the railroad bridges. All known, all ignored.
The feigned shock by fraim, wright, sessoms, and the rest of the coconspirators was pre-planned and staged.
Yes, townes was made the scapegoat, but my opinion of him sunk to the "loser" level once he played the race card.
Townes and Light Rail
Anyone involved in the decade or more of meetings and decision-making regarding light rail also knows that Townes was not the ultimate decision-maker. Nothing that had to do with the decisions on light rail was done without full city council approval and open disclosure in public forums. If Townes was mismanaging HRT, he was doing it for a very, very long time, since that his been his whole professional existence for as long as I can remember. Was he not getting evaluations? I think he was. It is easy to point a finger at a public agency manager, but the manager is not the ultimate power behind every choice that was made. This is not a white and black race issue, the problem is politics at its worst. Find the problems, rework the funding and move on. Let Mr. Townes retire in peace. His intentions, at least in the beginning, were obviously honorable.
Gettin' Even
Townes, you're a bitter and petulant man. And you still don't get it. Blaming others for your downfall.....using the race card. None of it will help you except give you that satisfaction of pointing your finger at somebody else. You WON'T be hired for any other management position anywhere. The fact is you were not an active manager in charge of the project like you knew you should have been. You didn't do the timely reviews of costs and progress with board members. It's all on you, man! It's all on you and what you failed to deliver as the Chairman. Time to face retirement, and figure out a new job....maybe farming or something...either that or sit home and stew over what could have been.
racist
1. a word that has been pulled and stretched to the point that it is meaningless.
2. an insult hurled around by liberals like other disparaging slurs were once upon a time before that word found its power.
3. a way to obscure and argument, shift blame, cover incompetence, and/or a desperate mea culpa to which there is no response.
classic example of tactic
so sir when did you stop beating your wife?
you are a racist.
Cheapens
It also cheapens the struggle and allows for the dismal leadership, particularly political, in which race covers bad execution.
Townes, you LIED
Michael Townes, you specifically lied to the TDCHR board and you instructed senior staff to lie to the TDCHR board.
The previous overruns? You told us when they first happened.
The difference this time? You lied to the board and you instructed HRT staffers to lie to the board as well.
Race has nothing to do with this.
Townes = Fail
Sorry but in my world if you dont produce and you lose track of your budget and cant control and account for the actions of your staff you are replaced.
Sorry but accountibility is not racism. It is just good business practice.