Pennsylvania Turnpiker says nothing wrong with giving jobs to family and friends - they perform
Posted Thu, 2007-11-29 11:13
Frank Kempf (FK) chief engineer is becoming a prominent spokesman for the Pennsylvania Turnpike over tolling I-80 and other controversies. Here is a transcript of Kempf's comments to a radio journalist on charges of patronage at the Turnpike:
FK: You can make all kinds of accusations back and forth but the bottom line is how do we deliver. The independent rating agencies, the people that rate bonds across the US... they consistently
rate us in the highest level in terms of credit worthiness. In addition they also do studies and they consistently rate us in terms of operational efficiency in the highest of the toll agencies in the country. So you know at the end of the day it is how you perform and that is how we would counter discussions like that.
Q: So it is alright to give jobs to friends and family and Turnpike commissioners (friends)
FK: You know the people you know best are probably friends and family. And you have a very very good idea of what their work capacity is. There's nothing wrong with giving a job to a friend or a family (member). The fact of the matter is some of those folks can be better employees than somebody you might get off the street. So just because somebody might be close to somebody does not necessarily mean they are a bad appointment. They might be a terrific appointee, and in many instances they are."
Kempf was appointed chief engineer in July this year having had other senior positions in the 170 person engineering department at the Turnpike since he joined it in 1986.
From an interview by Pat Boland on WRSC Newsradio AM1390 State College PA
http://www.newsradio1390.com/clips
TOLLROADSnews 2007-11-29
FK: You can make all kinds of accusations back and forth but the bottom line is how do we deliver. The independent rating agencies, the people that rate bonds across the US... they consistently rate us in the highest level in terms of credit worthiness. In addition they also do studies and they consistently rate us in terms of operational efficiency in the highest of the toll agencies in the country. So you know at the end of the day it is how you perform and that is how we would counter discussions like that.Q: So it is alright to give jobs to friends and family and Turnpike commissioners (friends)
FK: You know the people you know best are probably friends and family. And you have a very very good idea of what their work capacity is. There's nothing wrong with giving a job to a friend or a family (member). The fact of the matter is some of those folks can be better employees than somebody you might get off the street. So just because somebody might be close to somebody does not necessarily mean they are a bad appointment. They might be a terrific appointee, and in many instances they are."
Kempf was appointed chief engineer in July this year having had other senior positions in the 170 person engineering department at the Turnpike since he joined it in 1986.
From an interview by Pat Boland on WRSC Newsradio AM1390 State College PA
http://www.newsradio1390.com/clips
TOLLROADSnews 2007-11-29