Motropotitan Transit Authority po orces Puen a ee ae beats Wo chara METRO _aa” beh re _ ‘role Fenn craay =_= ae = meee oe biel Prepac) August 13, 2008 Prosar & ciel Gxoce Of Fans. Witon Pauline Edwards Higgins LLM, JD, CPA Dear Ms. Higgins, Itis pleasure to extenid to you this offer to join the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Your target start date is August 18, 2008. This position reports to Frank J. Wilson, President and Chief Executive Officer, and is located at METRO’s downtown facility, the Lee P. Brown METRO ‘Administration Building, 1900 Main Street. {In your first and second year of employment, your bi-weekly base salary is $10, 076.93 (Ten thousand seventy six dollars and 93 cents). You will receive a bi- weekly car allowance of $307.70 (three hundred seven dollars and seventy cents). In your second year of employment you will receive a merit sum of $25,000.00, Additionally, in lieu of relocation, you will receive the sum of $20,000.00 (twenty thousand dollars) in your first year of employment to be paid within the first thirty days of employment. You will also receive deferred compensation in the amount of $10,000.00 (ten thousand dollars), ‘As a special consideration for you, an exception to the standard vacation policy is being made. You be immediately eligible for five weeks of vacation. Our standard policy is two weeks after the first year of employment. Should you elect to leave before your first anniversary, your vacation will be prorated.METRO provides its employees with a complete benefits package including medical, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, a defined contribution Pension plan and an optional contributory retirement plan. In addition, each calendar year non-epresented employees receive three Employee Days (24 hours total) which may be first used following six month of employment, After ninety days of employment, employees may eam one well day per quarter (up to 4 per year) if no sick tims is used. Further, all METRO employees and their spouses are entitled to free use of the METRO transportation system, This offer fs contingent upon your successful completion of a background check, @ pre-employment drug screening, and 1-9 certification of your legal eligibility to work in the United States. As part of your on-boarding process, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment for orientation with METRO's HRVStatfing Division. Please bring your signed Social Security Card and one form of a valid picture Identification on your orientation date. Please be advised that this offer of employment letter should not be construed as an employment contract. Accordingly, employment al METRO is ‘at will meaning that either party may terminate employment at any time with or without cause, In the event of an involuntary seperation, METRO will provide payments until you have obtsined new employment, however, this payment will not exceed $200,000.00 (two hundred thousand dollars) in the aggregate or $16,700 (sixteen thousand seven hundred dollars) per month, Health care benefits will remain in effect until new employment is obtained but in no case longer than a 12 month period, In the event of a voluntary separation, no severance provisions will apply. We welcome you to METRO and hope this is the beginning of a long and mutually rewarding elationship. If you need any assistance, ot have any questions, please contact Roland Manzano, Director of Statfing & Diversity at (713) 739-6924, Sincere) 1. Heler'Cay Vice PresideptHuman Resources & Diversity ACCEPTANCE: » DATE: Gp 27 0K |, JD, CPA