FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Doug Christy
Executive Director
North Coast Railroad Authority
419 Talmage Road Suite M
Ukiah, CA 95482
Phone: 707 463-3280
Fax: 707 463-3282
North Coast Railroad Authority Executive Director Resigns
Ukiah, CA– May 7. 2003 – The North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) announced today that they have accepted the resignation of Executive Director Douglas Christy.
“Over the past two years Doug has made a tremendous impact on the NCRA. As a veteran of the rail industry he brought a great deal of experience from the private sector, and his services couldn’t have been more timely in our recent need to restructure,” said NCRA Chairman Leo Sears.
Over $41million dollars in State transportation funding programmed for the reopening of the railroad has been frozen due to the State budget crisis. This necessitated a major strategic shift in NCRA’s reopening strategy. “Doug has been invaluable in this on going process. He recently worked with FEMA and the California Office of Emergency Services to create an alternate project which will enable re-opening of the south end of the rail,” continued Sears. “His enthusiasm and expertise will be greatly missed.”
“The purpose of the NCRA has always been to provide service to the national rail grid”, said Dan Hauser, one of the authors of the legislation that created the NCRA. ”One of the things I have learned, as a State Legislator, past Executive Director of the NCRA, and presently City Manager Of Arcata, is that the downs are always followed by ups. However bleak things may look now, by putting the northern section of the line on hold, the eventual return of rail service is a must.”
“The current need to retrench, with the emphasis of the south end, is regrettable, said John Woolley, a Humboldt County Supervisor. “But given the present budget situation, every County, City, and District in the State is being forced to retrench. Rail service is vital to the future economic well-being of the north coast, and it will happen. Just not tomorrow.”
Christy has accepted a senior position with Schneider National in their Intermodal division and will be relocating to Wisconsin. He came to the north coast as President and Chief Engineer of the NCRA’s freight operator after leading a major restructuring and revitalization of the Iowa Interstate Railroad as President and CEO of the 500-mile regional line. He joined the NCRA in May of 2001 as the Assistant Executive Director, becoming the Executive Director in October 2002. “With his 26 years in the rail industry across the nation, Sears commented, I am sure Doug will be as much an asset in his new endeavors as he has been here.”
“My wife and I have enjoyed our time in California a great deal,” said Christy. “We’ve formed some wonderful relationships, and professionally I’ve worked with some of the finest folks in the north coast. I will watch, albeit from a distance, the reopening of the south end with great anticipation, and with the future thawing of funds, service to Humboldt Bay.”
The NCRA Board of Directors will begin work immediately in developing a transition plan to fill Mr. Christy’s vacancy at a special NCRA Board meeting to be held on Friday, May 9th in Ukiah, California
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The North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) was formed in 1989 by the California Legislature under the North Coast Railroad Authority Act, Government Code Sections 93000, et seq . The Mission of the North Coast Railroad Authority is to provide a unified & revitalized rail infrastructure meeting the freight and passenger needs of the region; a first class service working in partnership with others to build and sustain the economy of the region.