Thomas A Tidemanson

A New York transit consultant who was on track to become interim chief executive of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority withdrew from the race Thursday after a county attorney declared that conflicts of interest would probably bar him from making major decisions. The withdrawal of former New York City Transit Authority chief Alan F.

A New York transit consultant who was on track to become interim chief executive of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority withdrew from the race Thursday after a county attorney declared that conflicts of interest would probably bar him from making major decisions. The withdrawal of former New York City Transit Authority chief Alan F.

In an attempt to pursue cases of illegal dumping into storm drains, street gutters and waterways, Los Angeles County officials have established a toll-free phone number to report possible violations. The number is (800) 303-0003. The county's public works director, Thomas A. Tidemanson, said the special phone line will allow "local law enforcement agencies to act quickly and effectively to protect the quality of our waters entering storm drains, local streams and ultimately the oceans."

Los Angeles County supervisors have increased the fee to cities and private companies that dump trash at landfills. They plan to use the money to pay for a state-mandated program designed to improve the collection and disposal of household hazardous wastes. The increase in the "tipping fee" of 86 cents per ton of garbage will raise $13.7 million a year and will probably be passed on to consumers, said County Public Works Director Thomas A. Tidemanson.

Los Angeles County Public Works director Thomas A. Tidemanson will retire in March after more than 38 years of county service, a spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday. Tidemanson, who has served as director of the Department of Public Works since 1985, previously was the county's road commissioner. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Tidemanson, who earns $157,586 a year, oversees a department of more than 3,800 employees and a budget of $700 million.

Politicians and bureaucrats never seem to get it. Your Jan. 8 story about public works Director Thomas A. Tidemanson retiring with a pension that is $35,000 more than his annual salary makes this taxpayer want to vomit. At age 61, he can enjoy the good life for a long time. I'm older than he, am self-employed and have no pension plan. What private company can afford a pension plan that will pay a retired employee almost $200,000 a year? We have allowed our leaders to pile perk upon perk until the retirement pensions we pay the average government employee are totally out of line.

Approval of a water system for the proposed 7,200-house Ritter Ranch development outside Palmdale was set aside for a month Tuesday by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Acting at the request of Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who represents the Antelope Valley, supervisors instructed the Department of Public Works to meet with two community groups in the area to hear their concerns about the system's effect on the rural community. The board also told Public Works Director Thomas A.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn received a telephone promise from Alaska Gov. Walter J. Hickel on Thursday that he would study the possibility of sending some of that state's abundant water to California. Hahn has proposed a 1,700-mile, undersea pipeline to connect Alaska waterways with Lake Shasta in Northern California. "We have an abundance of fresh water in Alaska," Hickel said. "It warrants a study and that's what we're doing."

Los Angeles County expanded its voluntary curbside recycling program on Monday to include parts of Topanga Canyon and Calabasas. The county now recycles about 20% of its trash through pilot programs in parts of the San Gabriel Valley and East Los Angeles, county Public Works Director Thomas A. Tidemanson said. The state has mandated that by 1995 all counties must recycle half of their trash. Whether they use the recycling service or not, county residents will have to pay between $1.50 and $1.

Los Angeles County supervisors sought Tuesday to put some political muscle behind efforts to control traffic congestion, voting to explore a proposal to withhold county road funds from local cities unless they agree to synchronize their traffic signals.

Los Angeles County supervisors Tuesday failed to approve a controversial development plan under which a Calabasas builder would be paid from tax funds for parkland and a school site he had agreed to donate. The supervisors approved establishment of a community facilities district in part of Calabasas but postponed for several months a decision on what the district will pay for.