NEW ORLEANS – The general manager of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad resigned a few weeks after he was suspended by the group’s board, and Mayor Mitch Landrieu said he intended to ask for the board’s resignation as well.
Jim Bridger’s decision to step down came on the heels of his announced 60-day suspension amid inquiries into the spending habits of the railroad and Bridger, in particular.
Landrieu had his representatives call each member of the troubled board Tuesday and asked them to resign.
Now that Bridger has resigned, attention turns to possible criminal charges well as the future of the 16-member board that oversees the public agency.
Bridger submitted a letter of resignation to Mayor Mitch Landrieu Monday, listing his accomplishments, but offering no reasons for stepping down. His eight-year tenure ended while he was on suspension without pay after running up large credit card expenses on meals, gifts and other questionable expenses.
A legislative auditor's report on Bridger's management is expected to be released soon.
Landrieu, who has seen a draft of the audit, welcomed Bridger's resignation in a statement:
"Mr. Bridger made the right decision by resigning as general manager of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. I have been extremely troubled by what I have learned from the Legislative Auditor's report on the operations and management of the Public Belt Railroad."
Landrieu doesn't want to stop with Bridger, however. In a letter to the legislative auditor dated Sept. 3, the mayor said he is seeking resignations from all 16 members of the Railroad's board of commissioners.
"Additionally, the Board of Commissioners itself breached its fiduciary duty to oversee operations. Based on your report, I am calling for the immediate resignation of General Manager Jim Bridger and the full Board of Commissioners."
Jimmy Baldwin, president pro-tem of the board, said each commissioner received a resignation request today by way of a telephone call a Landrieu representative. Baldwin said no board members had resigned as of late Tuesday.
Anthony Radosti of the Metropolitan Crime Commission said Bridger's resignation does not mean he is off the hook. He said the MCC, which helped fuel the legislative audit, has been made aware of two separate criminal investigations.
"We have not seen that report, but we have a good idea of what's in that report,” he said. “Mismanagement and a host of other alleged acts that are now being reviewed by law enforcement. The District Attorney's office has opened a probe of it, and the justice department, I believe, has opened a probe. Time will tell what will be the outcome, but the resignation - I think that was a foregone conclusion."
Landrieu appoints five members of the board and indirectly controls an additional six seats, so it should be apparent in coming days how he intends on achieving his goal of replacing the entire board.
