BOSTON — Former Lynn Mayor and former Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation Thomas McGee has just been appointed as a member of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Board of Directors by Gov. Maura Healey.
“I really believe that there’s a lot of opportunity to really take control of the challenges that the T has faced and start to move it forward,” McGee said.
He added that this is a time for him to be a representative of the North Shore on the board and “reflect the regional equity” that everyone wants to see as part of the effort for moving the T forward.
“It’s really going to take a concerted effort from the riders, the advocates, community leaders, local and legislative elected officials, and all employees to really work together, collaborate, and really take on the big challenges we face,” McGee said. “I’m excited to have a chance to be part of that and add my voice to the hard work that it’s going to take.”
Being chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation from 2011 to 2018 gave him experience working on transportation bonds and working in the legislature on transportation issues. He said he can now take those skills to the MBTA Board.
As a former Lynn mayor, he said he understands how important it is to work with every transportation agency, such as Regional Rail.
“That experience being on the local level and building those relationships with local leaders, I think gives me a more broader perspective than just having the legislative experience,” McGee said.
He added that he is looking forward to working on addressing safety issues throughout the MBTA.
“We need to take a look and focus on safety, getting the maintenance going, getting the system back up to speed, making progress there and not losing sight of some of the exciting opportunities for growth,” McGee said.
He said he would like to see the MBTA as a “21st-century system.”
Along with McGee’s appointment, Healey also named former MBTA manager and former CEO of Massport Thomas Glynn as chair of the MBTA Board of Directors, and Worcester commercial banking executive Eric Goodwine as a member.
In March, Healey named Phillip Eng, a former Long Island Rail Road president, as the MBTA general manager.
“I look forward to meeting the other board members, building relationships, and getting a chance to work with the new general manager,” McGee said. “I really want to thank the governor for giving me the opportunity to be on the MBTA Board.”
