Director’s Pledge
GDT > RTD Info > Board of Directors > Director’s Pledge
Directors are invited to take this voluntary pledge to serve in a manner that upholds the role of the Board to set agency strategy via policy, provide governance, exercise oversight and provide representation and accountability. The pledge provides a behavioral framework informed by past Board achievements and challenges and is aimed to provide guidance towards effective oversight that is responsive to constituents.
This document is intended to encourage Directors to commit to specific, meaningful, and transparent actions that will stand to benefit the RTD riders, employees and District taxpayers by the way of improved communications and movement towards providing excellent service.
The RTD Director’s Pledge
1. Initiatives
Directors should be actively working with their fellow Board members to advance policies that improve RTD.
- In collaboration with other directors, be part of at least three Director-led initiatives per year that resolve to improve RTD policy from a rider and / or employee perspective.
- Use committee work plans or “three Director-initiated actions” as necessary to advance items through committees for further consideration of the full Board.
- Consult with RTD staff as needed, but… remember it is the Directors that have the final say!
- Repeat committee / full Board process for consent.
2. Outreach
Directors should be committed to actively making themselves available for public outreach.
- Organize at least two constituent outreach events each year in your District.
- Events should facilitate genuine two-way conversations with constituents when possible.
3. Agency Performance
Directors should be committed to meaningful transparency.
- Provide active oversight over the complete cycle of RTD’s transit service delivery from the planning and scheduling phase to the end product that the rider experiences.
- Drive RTD to publish detailed data and summaries of metrics related to safety, reliability, accessibility, ridership, represented headcount, rider satisfaction and financial performance.
- Be prepared to push back (as appropriate) on RTD staff if data is not accurate, complete or published in a timely manner.
4. GM & CEO Performance
Directors should be willing to ensure RTD has a GM & CEO that can lead the agency effectively.
- Only approve GM & CEO performance assessment criteria if key metrics are included, such as targets related to safety, reliability, accessibility, ridership, represented headcount, rider satisfaction and financial performance.
- The Board office must take the lead on defining and presenting GM & CEO performance criteria – not RTD staff.
- Directors should not be afraid (if appropriate) to advocate for a change in GM & CEO.
5. Contract Approvals
Directors should insist on the ability to exercise basic oversight when contracts are requested to be approved.
- RTD Staff should give Directors at least 7 days to review in full any contract approval is requested for.
- A summary presentation alone is not sufficient.
- Executive sessions should be used to brief Directors as appropriate.
- If staff fail to provide the required contract information in a meaningful manner, it should be an automatic “no” vote / abstain.
Current Signatories
Chris Nicholson, RTD BoD Candidate, District A
Kiel Brunner, RTD BoD Candidate, District A
Matthew Larson, RTD BoD Candidate, District E
Bernard Celestin, RTD BoD Candidate, District F
Julien Bouquet, RTD Director, District G
Patrick O’Keefe, RTD BoD Candidate, District H
Brett Paglieri, RTD BoD Candidate, District M