After a vote of the board, the CEO of Ben Franklin Transit is out, and going without severance.
Accusations of Financial Malreasance Levied
Tom Drozt came to BFT in August of 2024, replacing Rachelle Glazier as CEO. The board’s vote was unanimous. His 25 years in the transit industry was divided between, according to the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business:
“…deputy chief at Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority in Atlanta, Georgia, and general manager at MV Transportation in the greater Los Angeles area.”
However, Issues Began to be Brought to Light
Last November, CFO (Chief Financial Officer) Alex Smith, who came to BFT with Drozt abruptly resigned, but not before informing the board about what he called a pattern of decisions and directives that went against standards to safeguard taxpayer dollars, uphold transparency, and ensure compliance with rules and regulations.
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Drozt was accused of awarding no-bid contracts to people he knew or even was related to, and allegedly had asked favors of. He also allegedly spoke with commissioners about (informally) setting aside $3 million dollars from the agency’s cash reserves for a non-transit related grant fund.
Tensions Simmering Between Workers and BFT Leadership
Dorzt was placed on leave February 6th during the investigation, the specific details of which have not yet been released. Sources say Chief Experience Officer Brian Lubanski, who took over as interim CEO, will remain in that position for the time being…