The Regional Transportation District Board of Directors unanimously approved a three-year contract for new RTD General Manager Phil Washington, who was unanimously chosen by the Board in December. Washington’s total annual compensation is $306,449, which includes a base salary of $275,000 plus the normal fringe benefits that are regularly paid to all RTD salaried employees.

FasTracks’ federal funding picture came into sharper focus on Friday as the Federal Transit Administration announced it will provide the sought-after $304 million in loans toward the conversion of Denver Union Station and $120 million in grants to three rail corridors.

The RTD board will decide Tuesday whether to hire the executive search firm of Krauthamer & Associates for up to $100,000 to help it select a new general manager to replace Cal Marsella. Marsella, who headed RTD through a time of expansion and controversy, left last month for a private sector position with MV Transportation. Phil Washington, who was assistant general manager for administration and finance under Marsella, is the acting general manager and is an applicant for the permanent appointment. The proposed $100,000 contract includes a fixed fee of $40,000 for the new general manager search, an optional $35,000 if the board decides to recruit a second top manager to separately head the beleaguered FasTracks transit expansion program, and $25,000 in reimbursable costs for things such as advertising the position, candidate travels to interviews and background checks.