DRPA won't run Glassboro-Camden rail line

DRPA Chairman John Estey led the opposition to the proposal, saying he believed it would prompt "a mass exodus of our professional staff and hamstring our ability to recruit staff."

Estey was joined in voting "no" by Pennsylvania board members Robert Bogle, Robin Wiessmann, and Frank DiCicco. Since a majority of each state's eight-member delegation is required for passage, the proposal failed.

At the meeting, there was a verbal dustup between Dougherty and two top-ranking DRPA staffers when Dougherty asked about rumors that a DRPA police officer had been prevented from "doing his job" in an unspecified encounter.

Dougherty said he had heard "strong rumors" that Police Chief David McClintock intervened "to take care of somebody you know." Dougherty said he'd heard that chief counsel Richard Brown made a phone call "to keep a cop from doing his job."

Brown responded angrily that "any suggestion that anybody called the legal department for a favor is crap."

And McClintock stood up and told Dougherty to "get your facts straight."

The police chief said an arrest had been made by an officer who called the chief's office to inquire about possible legal challenges. He said "disgruntled employees" had mischaracterized the incident. And he accused Dougherty of going on TV where "you slammed me personally" with allegations of nepotism that were "absolutely false."

In a break with tradition, the Camden-based DRPA will hold its next meeting in the evening, in Philadelphia, to make it easier for the public to attend. The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal, Building 3, 5100 S. Broad St.

Contact staff writer Paul Nussbaum at 215-854-4587 or pnussbaum@phillynews.com.