Bill to Reorganize MTA Trustees May Help Univ. in Yards Purchase

A bill that would replace all three present members of the M.T.A. Board of Trustees is now before the Massachusetts Senate. The bill came to the floor Monday after an 11-7 vote of the Senate Metropolitan Affairs Committee reversed its previous rejection of the bill.

The present membership of the Board is one of the main obstacles to Harvard's purchase of the Bennett St. M.T.A. yards. The final decision on the sale of the yards rests with the Board, and two of its three members--Anthony Pompeo and William V. Ward--are both hostile to Harvard.

According to the Senate bill, Pompeo, Ward, and the third member of the board, Daniel Tyler, would all be replaced by new members to be chosen by Gov. Peabody and the M.T.A. Advisory Board.

Cuts Peabody's Power

Sen. Francis X. McCann (D-Camb.) said yesterday that "chances are fair" that the bill will pass the Senate and the House. A lot depends, he said, on how Gov. Peabody feels about the bill.

"At present the Governor has the power to appoint all three trustees, but with the new bill he will share this power with the M.T.A. Advisory Board. He may look upon this as a cut in his power," McCann said. Governor Peabody has expressed no official opinion of the bill.

According to McCann, the purpose of the Senate bill is to give more authority in M.T.A. management to those cities and towns who are serviced by the M.T.A. The Advisory Board, is composed of representatives from "the 18 major towns in the M.T.A. system," he said.