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GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.IT IS NOW 3:04 PM ON TUESDAY, JULY 21ST, 2026, AND THE DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT SPECIAL CALL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
[1. Pledge of Allegiance]
CHAIR SLAGEL.WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE? ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE, TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL I KNOW TEXAS FLAG.
I TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER ONE INDIVIDUAL.
[2. Public Comments – Agenda Item Specific]
NEXT ITEM ARE PUBLIC COMMENTS.WE WILL TAKE ALL, UH, SIGNED UP SPEAKERS FOR AGENDA ITEMS SPECIFIC AS WELL AS GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS.
MR. GENERAL COUNSEL, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ OUR RULES? THANK YOU.
AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH COMMITTEE, UH, DART BOARD MEETING TIME IS ALLOCATED FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE DART BOARD ON SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS, ADDITIONAL TIME FOR GENERAL, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE END.
ALL SPEAKERS MUST COMPLETE A PUBLIC COMMENT REQUEST FORM IN PERSON OR ONLINE PRIOR TO SPEAKING, SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED, AND THE ORDER IN WHICH OUR FORMS ARE RECEIVED.
FORMS THAT DO NOT SPECIFY AN AGENDA ITEM WILL BE TREATED AS GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
EACH BE, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
SPEAKERS WHO NEED AN INTERPRETER MAY HAVE AT LEAST SIX MINUTES TO ENSURE THAT ALL SPEAKERS RECEIVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
GREEN LIGHT ON THE PODIUM WILL INDICATE WHEN YOU CAN BEGIN.
THE YELLOW LIGHT INDICATES THAT YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE REMAINING, AND THE RED LIGHT INDICATES THAT YOUR TIME IS CONCLUDED BECAUSE MAY REMAIN AT THE PODIUM.
DURING, DURING THE COMMENTS BOARD MEMBERS WILL NOT ASK QUESTIONS, OFFER THEIR OWN COMMENTS OR OTHERWISE INTERACT WITH SPEAKERS DURING THE COMMENT PERIOD.
BOARD MEMBERS CANNOT RESPOND TO PERSONNEL MATTERS DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
THEREFORE, EMPLOYEES SHOULD DIRECT THEIR COMMENTS TO THEIR SUPERVISOR, CHAIN OF COMMAND OR CONTACT HUMAN RESOURCES.
THE AUDIENCE IS ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM APPLAUDING NOR OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION.
COPY OF THE FULL PUBLIC COMMON GUIDELINES AS POSTED IN THE LOBBY AND MAY BE FOUND ON THE DART.ORG WEBSITE.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS PETER YOUNG, FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDER DUNN.
I'M GONNA BE READING A COMMENT FROM MY, UH, FRIEND MADISON MCNAIR 'CAUSE SHE DIDN'T BE HERE.
UM, I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THE SELECTION OF NATHANIEL P FORD SENIOR AS DART'S NEXT PRESIDENT, CEOI SERVE IT ON THE DARTS PARATRANSIT AND ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY GROUP.
I WORK DIRECTLY WITH SENIORS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND FAMILIES WHO DEPEND ON THIS SYSTEM.
I KNOW WHAT THEY NEED FROM THIS AGENCY'S LEADER.
MR. FORD HAS SPENT 13 YEARS LEADING JACKSONVILLE TRANSPORTATION'S AUTHORITY, BUT RESPECT ISN IN CONFIDENCE.
THE EVIDENCE FROM JACKSONVILLE RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP AND DARTS.
WRITERS AND DARTS RIDER DESERVE A LEADER WHOSE RECORD IS BEYOND REPROACH.
THIS VOTED, THIS BOARD VOTED NINE TO SIX TO SELECT MR. FORD.
THAT'S NOT A MANDATE, IT'S A SPLIT BOARD.
OTHER FINALISTS HAD STRONG RECORDS FREE OF CONTROVERSY.
PARATRANSIT RIDERS CAN'T AFFORD A CEO DISTRACTED BY INVESTIGATIONS THEY NEED SOMEONE FOCUSED ON, ON-TIME PERFORMANCE, DRIVER TRAINING, AND BASIC DIGNITY.
INSTEAD, I HEAR ABOUT TWO HOUR WINDOWS THAT STRETCH TO THREE AND RIDERS LEFT WANDERING.
IF THEY, IF ANYONE IS EVEN COMING.
I'M NOT SAYING MR. FORD IS' INCAPABLE.
I'M SAYING THAT THERE THE RISK IS TOO HIGH.
I URGE THIS BOARD TO PAUSE THIS SELECTION AND CHOOSE A LEADER WHO CAN UNITE THE BOARD AND SERVE EVERY RIDER WITH DIGNITY, WITH THE DIGNITY THEY DESERVE.
NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEXANDER DUNN, FOLLOWED BY DAVID JACOBIAN.
BOARD NAME IS ALEXANDER DUNN, 55 TO FIVE AMESBURY DRIVE IN DALLAS.
AND I NEED TO START THIS OFF WITH A BIT OF A RETRACTION.
LAST WEEK I PRAISED YOU ALL FOR THE OPENNESS OF THIS PROCESS OF HIRING OUR NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO, UM, BUT WITH WHAT CAME TO LIGHT THAT, UH, THAT NIGHT AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST WEEK, UH, I CAN'T HELP BUT POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE A FAST ONE HAS HAD BEEN, HAS BEEN PULLED ON THEM.
UM, I, I HOPE YOU ARE ALL AWARE, NOT BY NOW, OF THE MANY CONCERNING DETAILS, UH, AROUND THE CANDIDATE YOU'VE SELECTED AND AS THE SINGLE FINALIST AND HAVE SPENT THIS PAST WEEK RESEARCHING THIS CANDIDATE IN DEPTH AND STRATEGIZING HOW YOU WILL ADDRESS THESE VERY CLEAR SHORTCOMINGS VIA BOARD POLICY.
UH, THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR THIS BOARD AND INCOMING CEO SHOULD BE SECURING A FULL FUNDING TO REPLACE THE REVENUE LOST TO THE G AND P RESTORATION OF CUT BUS AND RAIL SERVICES AND EXPANSION OF BUS AND RAIL AND PARATRANSIT SERVICES AND INCREASING FREQUENCIES
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SO THAT DART CAN BE A TRANSPORTATION OPTION THAT PEOPLE CAN RELY ON AND PAYING OUR HARDWORKING OPERATORS, MECHANICS STAFF, AND ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF DART A FAIR WAGE AND COMPETITIVE BENEFITS SO THAT WE CAN RETAIN THE TALENTED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE DEDICATED THEIR CAREER TO SERVING THIS REGION.AS WE GO TO THE LEGISLATURE, THIS BOARD WILL HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, FORGOING, WASTEFUL AND EXPENSIVE VANITY PROJECTS SUCH AS LOW RIDERSHIP, CIRCULATORS, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, AND MICRO TRANSIT.
WE MUST BE CERTAIN THAT EVERY PENNY SPENT BY THIS AGENCY IS A PENNY WORTHY OF THAT PENNY CONTRIBUTED BY EACH CITY'S SALE TAX, SALES TAX.
YOU CAN BE SURE THAT IF DART IS GETTING QUESTIONS UP HERE FROM ADVOCATES AND MEDIA ABOUT THE NEW CEO'S HISTORY OF WASTEFUL SPENDING ON TRAVEL AND EXECUTIVE AMENITIES, THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO HAVE THOSE SAME QUESTIONS WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO CONVINCE THEM THAT WE ARE WORTHY OF STATE DOLLARS.
THIS IS YOUR CHARGE AS YOU NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT WITH A NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO WILL YOU BE UP TO THE TASK.
NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID JACOBIAN, FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER QUE, I BELIEVE.
I APOLOGIZE IF THAT'S NOT HOW YOU PRONOUNCE IT.
I'M WITH THE DALLAS AREA TRANSIT ALLIANCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, MR. FORD, UH, CERTAINLY HAS SOME, UH, BASIC QUALIFICATIONS AND, UM, SHOWS SOME PROMISE AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER MONEY, BUT THEN WE'RE CONCERNED WHERE'S HE PUT THAT MONEY.
UH, AGAIN, LIKE YOU HEARD MY COLLEAGUE SAY, YOU'D WE'RE NOT TOO INTERESTED IN WAYMO AND OTHER, UH, TYPES OF PET PROJECTS.
UH, WE NEED, UH, BREAD AND BUTTER, UH, BUS AND, UM, BUS AND RAIL SERVICE, SO, UH, INVESTED.
WE ALSO NEED SOMEONE WHO, RATHER THAN AN OUTSIDER, I THINK, UH, MAJORITY OF RIDERSHIP WOULD AGREE.
I THINK PLENTY OF YOU ON THE BOARD WOULD ALSO AGREE THAT IT'D BE BETTER RATHER THAN BRING SOMEONE OUTTA STATE, BRING SOMEONE WHO'S FAMILIAR WITH TEXAS, FAMILIAR WITH THE, THE PROBLEMS OF, OF DALLAS WHAT DFW IS FACING AT LARGE.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THIS GENTLEMAN, I DON'T THINK HE'S, HE KNOWS THE INS AND OUTS OF DFW OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, AND I FIND THAT CONCERNING.
I'M SURE HE HAS OTHER GREAT MERITS, MAYBE EVEN AT THE, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
BUT, UH, IT SEEMS TO ME AMONGST BOTH, AMONGST THE BOARD AND THE RIDERSHIP, THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH FRICTION.
AND SO IT MIGHT BE BEST TO SHUFFLE THE DECK, PICK ANOTHER CARD.
THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU THAT ARE MORE UNIFYING AND WOULD HAVE, UH, A BETTER ABILITY TO, UH, NAVIGATE THINGS HERE IN TEXAS, HERE IN DFW AND, UH, DO IT WITH A LOT LESS CONTROVERSY.
UH, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JENNIFER QUEZ, FOLLOWED BY COACH NORRIS JOHNSON.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER ES AND I WASN'T PLANNING ON BEING HERE TODAY AS AN ADVOCATE.
WE DO A LOT AND IT'S HARD TO KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING, BUT WHILE I WAS WORKING TODAY DRIVING UBER, I AM AN UBER DRIVER.
I PICKED UP PASSENGER IN HIGHLAND PARK.
WE STARTED CHATTING AND HE SHARED THAT HIS RIDE WAS PART OF THE GOLINK PROGRAM AND THAT HE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY RELYING ON DART FOR OVER NINE YEARS, SINCE 2017.
HE TOLD ME HOW UNRELIABLE THE SYSTEM IS NOW AND THE, AND THEN NOW THEY'VE REMOVED STOPS FROM HIGHLAND PARK, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHERE I PICKED HIM UP AND HOW IT'S NOT A VIABLE LONG-TERM SYSTEM.
AND HONESTLY, I AGREE, HIS STORY TOUCHED MY HEART, SO I CANCELED EVERYTHING ON MY SCHEDULE TO SHARE HIS STORY HERE TODAY.
JUST BECAUSE I DON'T RELY ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, DOESN'T MEAN OTHERS DON'T FAMILIES RELY ON IT.
TO GO TO SCHOOL, TO GO TO WORK, TO GO TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND TO VISIT FAMILY AND GIVING BOARD MEMBERS JUST A FEW DAYS TO VET CANDIDATE A OR NATHANIEL FORD IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.
ESPECIALLY GIVEN, AND FORGIVE MY HONESTY, HIS CORRUPT PASS AND ALL THE REPORTED QUESTIONS SURROUNDING HIS SPEND SPENDING ON PUBLIC RESOURCES.
AND I DON'T THINK HE SHOULD BE ANYWHERE NEAR OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM.
WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE BUS STOPS GET REMOVED FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
HOW CAN WE TRUST THAT A RUSH AND AN UNINFORMED CEO CHOICE NOT TO TAKE AWAY EVEN MORE? THE ONLY WISE THING TO DO TODAY IS TO DELAY THIS VOTE.
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OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS COACH NORRIS JOHNSON, FOLLOWED BY HICKVILLE COLORADO.I, WELL, ALL RIGHT, WHO IS OUR NEW BOARD PRESIDENT? DO WE HAVE ONE YET? I GUESS NOT.
I STAND BEFORE YOU A PROUD DALLASITE NATIVE DALLASITE SITE, THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT NADINE LEE DID BEFORE SHE LEFT.
AND WHILE I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, I WANNA SAY A HELLO TO A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE, CHIEF ED EDISON, CHIEF AL, TAKE SOME CATFISH STEAKS AND SOME INNOCENT DEER WHEN YOU GET THROUGH HUNTING.
THAT'S ANOTHER FRIEND OF MINE, THE DART HISTORIAN, BUT I WANNA SAY THANKS TO THE BOARD.
AND IF WE LOOK AT THIS THING, RIGHT, WE HERE IN DALLAS HAVE ONE OF THE VERY BEST MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMS IN AMERICA.
THE BUSES LOOK LIKE STAGE COACHES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HEEL COLORADO, FOLLOWED BY CHEYENNE.
MY NAME'S HEEL, COLORADO 1 5 0 9 MAIN STREET, DALLAS.
I BELIEVE THE CHOICE TODAY IS ONE BASED ON INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS CANDIDATE FROM 10 YEARS AGO, 15 YEARS AGO, BUT THERE ARE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW THIS YEAR.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT OLD PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW.
THEY, THE JACKSONVILLE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY IS FACING A $17 MILLION DEFICIT.
THIS IS AFTER JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THEY HAD A $20 MILLION SURPLUS.
AND I'VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW THE BUDGET WORKS.
THE BOARD APPROVES A BUDGET, BUT THEY RELY ON THEIR STAFF TO MAKE ACCURATE ESTIMATIONS OF REVENUE AND EXPENSES.
AND CONSISTENTLY UNDER NAT FORD'S LEADERSHIP, THEY HAVE CONSISTENTLY UNDERESTIMATED THEIR REVENUE AND OVERESTIMATED THEIR EXPENSES.
I'M SORRY, OVERESTIMATED THEIR REVENUE UNDERESTIMATED THEIR EXPENSES YEAR AFTER YEAR.
AND IT'S RESULTING IN SERVICE BEING CUT, BUS ROUTES BEING CUT, HOURS BEING REDUCED, ALL FOR WHAT YOU'VE PROBABLY BEEN SOLD ON THIS IMAGE THAT HE'S GOT THIS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR FACTORY IN JACKSONVILLE.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BREAK GROUND IN APRIL.
IT'S BEEN DELAYED AND DELAYED.
WHY? BECAUSE THEY'RE WAITING FOR THE DEMAND.
AND I CAN'T HELP BUT SEE HIS RUNNING AWAY FROM THE PROBLEMS HE CREATED TO DALLAS AS PART OF HIS SCHEME TO HOW ARE THEY GOING TO SELL THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES AS ALL OF THESE PRESS RELEASES SAY, IF THERE ARE NOT TRANSIT AGENCIES WILLING TO SHELL OUT THE MONEY AND THE DEBT TO BUY THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES.
SO THIS FACTORY DOESN'T EXIST, BUT WE HAVE THE SALESMAN COMING INTO TOWN WHOSE THIS PLAN DOESN'T WORK IF THEY DON'T CONVINCE TRANSIT AGENCIES ACROSS THE NATION TO BUY THINGS THAT YOU MAY HAVE BEEN SOLD ON THIS IDEA THAT THEY'RE STREET LEGAL, THEY ARE NOT STREET LEGAL.
THEY HAVE RECEIVED APPROVAL TO TEST, THEY ARE LESS LEGAL THAN THE WAYMO'S AND THE ELON MUSK ROBAX THAT YOU SEE RUNNING AROUND.
AND WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR WRITERS? ALL OF THIS MONEY THAT HE IS KNOWN FOR RAISING? WHERE DOES IT GO IF HE'S SO SKILLED AT RAISING MONEY? HOW COME HE CANNOT PREVENT A DEFICIT? SHOULD IN HIS 26 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, TEACH HIM HOW TO PREVENT A BUDGET SURPLUS WHEN HE HAS CONTROL OVER THAT? WELL, HERE'S WHERE HIS MONEY IS GOING.
IT'S ON THIS NOT AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE.
IT'S A DRIVERLESS VEHICLE WITH A DRIVER THAT COSTS A MILLION DOLLARS PER MONTH TO OPERATE.
THE SUBSIDY PER RIDER IS OVER $400.
THIS ISN'T A 10 YEAR AGO PROBLEM, 15 YEAR AGO PROBLEM.
AND I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW, WHAT KIND OF CONTRACT YOU CAN COME UP WITH THAT WILL PREVENT THIS NEGLIGENCE.
SO WHATEVER YOU GOTTA DO, PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING.
OUR LAST SPEAKER IS CHEYENNE'S.
AS A WRITER OF DAR, I ASK THAT YOU DO NOT SELECT NATHANIEL FORD AS THE NEXT CEO.
FIRST, HIS PRIORITIES DON'T ALIGN WITH OTHER SUCCESSFUL TRANSIT SYSTEMS OR THIS REGION'S NEEDS.
DURING HIS LEADERSHIP OF JTA FORD PUSH FOR THE U2 C, WHICH RAN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
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AT THE EXPENSE OF CUTTING MULTIPLE BUS ROUTES AND SCRAPPING FIXED ROUTE PLANS SUCH AS RAIL WITH DFW EXPECTING TO HAVE A POPULATION INCREASED BY AROUND 2 MILLION IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.THE LAST THING WE WOULD NEED IS MORE CARS ON THE ROAD, RATHER THAN BUSES OR TRAINS THAT CAN CARRY MUCH MORE PASSENGERS IN ONE VEHICLE AND REDUCE OVERALL EMISSIONS AND CONGESTION.
ADDITIONALLY, DURING FORD'S LEADERSHIP, JTA EXPERIENCED A $19 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT AND EMPLOYEES WERE FURLOUGHED AND SALARIES WERE CUT TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
AND OF THAT 19,000,007, UH, AROUND 7 MILLION OF THIS WAS DUE TO THE AUTOMATED VEHICLES HAVING A HIGH OPERATIONAL COST WITH LOW RIDERSHIP.
LASTLY, I LIKE TO STATE THAT MANY OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS FEEL THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO WORK WITH THESE CANDIDATES AND THAT THIS DECISION WAS RUSHED.
I URGE THE BOARD TO SELECT A CANDIDATE WHO WILL PRIORITIZE OUR BUSES RAIL AND THE AGENCY'S SUCCESS FOR YEARS TO COME.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
[3. Approval of Employment Agreement with DART President & Chief Executive Officer (Presenters: Gary Slagel/Randall B. Bryant/Rosa Medina-Cristobal) ]
OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH DART PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER.IT IS NOW 3:20 PM ON TUESDAY, JULY 21ST AND THE DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT SPECIAL CALLED BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING IS GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION UNDER SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 AND SECTION 5 5 1 0.074 OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, WHICH IS, WHICH ALLOWS FOR CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND DELIBERATION OF A PERSONNEL MATTER TO DISCUSS.
AGENDA ITEM THREE, APPROVAL OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH DART PRESIDENT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
IT IS NOW 5:30 PM ON TUESDAY, JULY 21ST, 2026, AND THE DALLAS AIR RAPID TRANSIT SPECIAL CALL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING IS BACK INTO OPEN SESSION.
WE ARE BACK ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.
CHAIRMAN SLAGEL, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? I HAVE A MOTION.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE DART PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
ANY DISCUSSION MR. ABBA? THREE MINUTES.
UH, IN AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE EXISTING RED FLAGS WITH THIS CANDIDATE, UH, QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED AND THE ANSWERS HAVE UNCOVERED ADDITIONAL RED FLAGS.
AS I MENTIONED IN OUR LAST MEETING, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEARCH, A PROCESS WAS LAID OUT, UM, AND THERE WAS CONSENSUS AROUND THAT PROCESS.
IT DID INCLUDE A VERY AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE, AND THE THOUGHT WAS THAT WE COULD BRING IN OUR NEW CEO AND INSERT THEM IN THE FY 27 BUDGET PROCESS AS SOON AS WE COULD.
UH, THIS CANDIDATE HAS INFORMED US THAT, UH, THEY CAN'T EVEN START TILL THE END OF OCTOBER, AND THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN THE FY 27, UH, BUDGET PROCESS.
SO, CHAIR, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
NUMBER ONE, CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S A SPECIAL MEETING TONIGHT, TODAY AND NOT, THIS WASN'T HANDLED AT A REGULAR BOARD MEETING? SURE.
AND IF YOU COULD PAUSE HIS TIME, BUT USE HIS TIME IN MY RESPONSE.
SO ON, UH, MAY THE 15TH, UM, AN EMAIL WAS SENT FROM GREG MOSER TO MYSELF, UH, IDENTIFYING A SUGGESTED TIMELINE FOR THE CEO RECRUITMENT PROCESS.
I COMMUNICATED THAT, UM, TO YOU ALL THROUGH DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM ON JUNE 11TH, 2026.
I EMAILED THAT TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND EVERY DATE, JUNE 9TH COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE JUNE 16TH COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, UH, JUNE 10TH SPECIAL CALL MEETING WITH THE MEETINGS AND THE, WITH THE MAYORS AND THE MANAGERS AND THE UNION.
THE JUNE, JULY 11TH OPEN HOUSE AND THE JULY 14TH BOARD MEETING AND THE SPECIAL MEETING ON JULY THE 21ST WAS COMMUNICATED TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS ON JUNE 11TH.
AND NONE OF THOSE DATES HAVE BEEN MISSED, AND THERE WAS NO PLAN TO MOVE ANY OF THOSE DATES.
IS THERE A NEED OR RE OR A REQUIREMENT TO APPROVE THIS CONTRACT TONIGHT? YES.
NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER NEED TO APPROVE ANY OTHER, UH, ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, EVERY OTHER MEETING THAT WE HAVE.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS AGENDA ITEM.
THERE'S A MOTION UNTIL OUR NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING ON AUGUST 25TH.
THIS WOULD ALLOW BOTH THE BOARD AS WELL AS OUR CONSTITUENCY TO CONTINUE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE.
SO THEY MAY ASK THE QUESTIONS AND CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR THOSE ANSWERS.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
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TO DELAY THIS ITEM UNTIL AUGUST 25TH.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SO THE MOTION IS TO DELAY THE ITEM UNTIL AUGUST.
UH, MR. GRAM, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE YOU WHEN WE GET BACK TO THIS MAIN MOTION.
UH, THE MOTION IS TO DELAY THE ITEM UNTIL AUGUST 25TH.
ALTHOUGH IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
WITH THE FOUR IN FAVOR, NOT IN OPPOSITION.
WE'RE BACK ON THE MAIN MOTION.
A THING I'LL SAY IS THAT, UH, I CERTAINLY, UH, APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO INVESTIGATE CANDIDATES.
THIS CANDIDATE'S BEEN INVOLVED FOR SOME TIME, AS YOU KNOW.
HE IS, HE WAS PART OF THE FIRST, UH, PACKAGE OF CANDIDATES WE GOT.
CAME BACK IN, UH, EARLIER THIS MONTH, AND FOR THE LAST WEEK, THE CHAIR HAS BEEN WILLING SHARE TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF THE MAYORS, THE CHAIRS OF THE, UH, JTA AND OTHER FOLKS.
I THINK MAUREEN TOOK IT ON HERSELF EVEN TO SPEAK TO A SEPARATE BOARD MEMBER.
THE, THE PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO HAVE TOLD ME TWO THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, THEY ARE VERY SORRY TO LEAD HIM TO LOSE HIM.
THEY'D VERY MUCH LIKE TO HAVE HIM BACK, BUT WE ARE WINNERS IN THIS.
UH, HE'S DONE EVERYTHING AND MORE THAN THEY SAID, AND THEY TOLD ME A SECOND THING THAT IS THAT THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY CALLS.
MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE OBJECTED TO HIM AND SAY THAT SOMEHOW WE NEED TO CONTINUE OUR DELIBERATIONS, CONTINUE OUR INVESTIGATIONS.
NOT ONE OF THOSE BOARD MEMBERS HAS CALLED ANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED THE LAST 12 YEARS.
ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY NEED TO POSTPONE THIS ANY LONGER.
THEY DIDN'T TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT VOTE.
CHAIR, UH, CHAIR SCHLEGEL AND MR. UH, MCGREGOR? MY ONLY COMMENT IS THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THESE RED FLAGS AND JUST HEARD THERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
IN MY OPINION AND IN MY DISCUSSION WITH ALL OF THE MEMBERS, UH, IN JACKSONVILLE THAT, UH, WE HAD CONTACT WITH MAYORS AS WELL AS CHAIR BOARD CHAIRS, UH, WE HAVE GOTTEN OUR ANSWER FOR ALL THOSE RED FLAGS.
SO I, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REASON TO DELAY THIS AT ALL.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE CEO THAT WE ARE HIRING, AND I THINK THAT WILL BE OF GREAT VALUE TO THE REGION.
UM, YEAH, THIS, THIS CANDIDATE HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO A LEVEL OF SCRUTINY THAT IS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL, UH, A ANYWHERE WHERE I'VE SEEN, CERTAINLY IN THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY.
UH, THESE SO-CALLED RED FLAGS ARE NOT RED FLAGS.
UH, WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF 'EM, UM, BECAUSE SOME OF THIS INFORMATION IS SENSITIVE.
IT CAN BE, I CAN'T DISCUSS IT HERE, BUT LET ME SAY, THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT SPENDING INAPPROPRIATE SPENDING TIME IN THE OFFICE TRIPS, UH, THE SERVER LEVEL SERVICE LEVELS OF THREE AGENCIES, THE RIDERSHIP GOING DOWN, UH, AND ANOTHER ONE RELATED TO A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
I, I WANNA SAY THAT I AM SATISFIED THAT EVERY SINGLE ISSUE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED, THAT THERE'S A, UM, A RATIONAL, UH, EXPLANATION FOR EACH OF 'EM, AND THAT NONE OF 'EM, UH, DESERVE TO BE CALLED RED FLAGS.
THEY WERE JUST ITEMS TO LOOK INTO.
SO, UH, FOR THAT REASON, I WILL BE IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION.
UH, IN THE SPIRIT OF OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY, UH, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN ANNOUNCE WHO THIS CONTRACT IS ACTUALLY WITH
UH, AND I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO PROVIDE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON WHO CANDIDATE A IS, UH, AT THIS JUNCTURE.
I'M CONFERRING WITH THE GENERAL COUNSEL.
UM, I'VE CONFIRMED WITH THE GENERAL COUNSEL THAT WE CAN, UM, PROPERLY STATE THE NAME AS, UM, NATHANIEL FORD SENIOR.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE ON MR. LOPEZ? NO, I JUST WANTED ON THE RECORD.
UH, THAT, UH, MR. FORD IS INDEPENDENT.
I GOT, UM, MR. RICKARD THEN MR. BASS.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, I DON'T THINK THAT DART CEO SHOULD BE PAID HIGHER THAN THE HIGHEST PAID EXECUTIVE AT
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ANY OF THE 12 MEMBER CITIES.UH, PARTICULARLY SINCE AT LEAST ONE OF THE MEMBER CITIES, DALLAS HAS BOTH MORE EMPLOYEES AND A LARGER BUDGET.
UH, BECAUSE THIS CONTRACT WILL PAY DART CEO HIGHER THAN THE HIGHEST PAID EXECUTIVE AT ANY OF THE 12 MEMBER CITIES, I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS LEVEL OF PAY FOR ANY CEO OF DART.
AND, UH, AS A RESULT, I CANNOT, UH, SUPPORT THIS CONTRACT IRRESPECTIVE OF THE CANDIDATE OR CEO TO WHICH IT PERTAINS.
SO THAT'S, UH, WHY I'LL BE VOTING NOW.
OKAY, MR. BASS, THREE MINUTES.
UM, JUST TO POINT OUT, WE'RE NOT, UM, WE'RE NOT HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE MERITS OF THE CANDIDATE OR NOT, THAT THAT WAS ALREADY DECIDED LAST WEEK.
WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.
AND WE AS A BOARD OF 15, DID NOT, UH, DID NOT DISCUSS THIS AS A BOARD.
ONLY A SMALL COMMITTEE, UH, NEGOTIATED THE, UH, EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.
AND SO, UH, AS SUCH, I CANNOT SUPPORT IT THIS EVENING.
TWO MINUTES? YEAH, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
UH, AS I'VE SAID, WHAT THE AGENCY IS, THIS IS, WAS 15 CITIES THAT GOT TOGETHER AND PULLED RESOURCES TO PROVIDE TRANSIT SERVICES.
RECENTLY WE WENT DOWN TO 12, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
AND, UH, HAVING SAID THAT, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE MR. RICKARD'S COMMENTS.
UM, THE, THE NUMBERS, UH, THE TERMS, THE LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACTORS, OR NOT ANYTHING I'M COMFORTABLE WITH AT ALL.
UM, WE HAD A CHANCE AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO, UH, HERE IS ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WITH SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT.
AND, UH, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
SO, UM, CERTAINLY DISAPPOINTED IN THAT.
AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT, I'M CERTAINLY NOT COMFORTABLE WITH, UH, THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
SO FOR THOSE REASONS, I WILL BE VOTING.
YEAH, I JUST WANNA RESPOND TO THE IDEA THAT THE BOARD HAS NOT HAD A CHANCE TO DISCUSS THIS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE JUST GOT OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION WHERE EVERYBODY SITTING IN THAT ROOM AND ON TELEPHONE, UH, ON TEAMS HAVE NOT USED OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THEY WANT OBJECT TO WHAT THEY WANTED, SAY GOOD THINGS, BUT THEY WANTED, NOBODY HAS DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
IT'S JUST THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAD THE, IN MY JUDGMENT, THE PEOPLE WHO HAD CRITICISM CRITICISMS, DID NOT WIN THE DAY.
MR. ARDELL'S POINT OF VIEW, I KIND OF AGREE A LITTLE BIT WITH THAT.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY AT THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TALENT POOL OUT THERE, LER IS ALSO
IT'S A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF PAY.
I'M SIMPLY NOT WILLING TO SAY NO TO THE CONTRACTORS AS A RESULT OF THAT.
SO THE FACT THAT PEOPLE DISAGREE WITH PEOPLE IN THAT ROOM AND OUT HERE TODAY, THAT'S NORMAL, BUT EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO SPEAK ABOUT IT.
EVERYBODY HAS A, HAS A CHANCE TO HAVE TO VOTE ABOUT IT.
EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO MARK IT OUT AND MAKE POLITICAL CRITICISM THEY WANT.
AND HERE WE ARE NOW AS THE VOTE TIME.
OH, PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE A GREAT AGENCY THAT NEEDS A GREAT LEADER.
AND WITH HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A GREAT LEADER, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS PERSON CAN PROVIDE US WITH THE EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THIS AGENCY FORWARD.
AMID ANY CHALLENGES WE FACE WITH AGREEING OR DISAGREEING THAT THE WORK THAT THIS PERSON HAS DONE IS EXEMPLARY, PLEASE NOTE THAT AND WE'RE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A GREAT AGENCY.
UH, I ALSO HAVE SOME CONCERNS.
SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED TODAY.
I APPRECIATE THE APPLICANT BEING HERE WITH US.
I STILL HAVE A COUPLE, UH, AND I WILL RESPECT THE PROCESS THAT, UH, UH, BASICALLY THE DECISION WAS MADE FOR AN UP OR DOWN VOTE.
UH, BUT HAVING SAID THAT, UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS I STILL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT.
SO NOT HAVING THE TIME TO AIR THOSE OUT ANYMORE, I'LL RESPECT THE, THE WILL OF THE, OF THE CHAIR AND THE BOARD TO GO WITH THE FIVE INDIVIDUALS.
BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, I'LL BE VOTING AGAINST IT.
ANYONE ELSE? MS. GARCIA? THREE MINUTES.
UM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE BEFORE AS A CANDIDATE THAT HAS ALL THE QUALITIES OF A CEO THAT WILL BRING THIS AGENCY TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
WE ALL HAVE RED FLAGS IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, BACKGROUND SOMEWHERE SOMEHOW.
BUT THEY WERE ADDRESSED TODAY AND THERE WERE NOT RED FLAGS JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES.
EVERYONE IN THAT ROOM HEARD THE RESPONSES TO THOSE
[00:30:01]
RED FLAGS AS THEY WERE CALLED.BUT WE HAVE GOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BRING A PERSON TO REALLY LEAD THIS AGENCY MOVING FORWARD WITH HIS EXPERIENCE AND WANTING TO DO WHAT IS GOOD FOR DART.
SO I, I SUPPORT HIS CANDIDACY FOR PRESIDENT, CEO, NATHANIEL FORD.
UM, THERE IS PRESENTLY, UM, A BOARD MEMBER WHO'S VOTING AGAINST THE MOTION, WHO ACTUALLY WANTED TO SPLIT THE POSITION INTO TWO POSITIONS.
PAYING EACH ONE OF THOSE TWO POSITIONS, UM, SEPARATELY CERTAINLY WOULD'VE BEEN MORE THAN WHAT IS BEING PAID INTO THIS CONTRACT, UM, TODAY.
SO THAT'S, UH, MY FIRST POINT.
AND MY SECOND POINT IS, UM, EVERY TRANSIT, CEO, UM, ENACTS THE POLICY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THROUGHOUT HIS, UM, SERVICE AS CEO AND THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, THAT IS WHAT HE'S DONE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS BOARD GOVERNS AND, UM, VERY STRONGLY AND WORKS AND COLLABORATES WITH THE CEO.
THE CEO IS INSTRUCTED TO CARRY OUT THAT POLICY.
AND THE, OUR BOARD MEMBERS AROUND THIS HORSESHOE ARE NOT SHY ABOUT, UH, SHARING THE VISION OF WHERE, UH, WE WANT DART TO GO AND FOR WHAT TYPE OF SERVICE THAT WE WANT FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT NAT FORD IS ONE OF THE STELLAR CEOS THAT WE HAVE, UM, IN THE COUNTRY.
AND I THINK WE ARE, IT'S AN EXCITED, UH, EXCITING OPPORTUNITY.
UM, HE BRINGS EXPERIENCE, HE BRINGS VISION AND I THINK THAT HE WILL BE AN EXCELLENT CEO AND THAT IS WHY I WILL BE VOTING YES ON THIS CONTRACT.
UM, YOU CAN PUT ME ON, UH, MS. CRISTOBAL.
I KNOW YOU'RE, UH, A BIT IN TRANSIT RIGHT NOW OR TRAVELING RIGHT NOW, BUT I'LL TRY TO GO THROUGH THIS AS BRIEFLY AS I POSSIBLY CAN.
AND, AND FOR THE AUDIENCE THAT'S ONLINE, I WAS, I GOT FEEDBACK THE LAST TIME IT SAID IT'S KIND OF HARD FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE, IT'S EASY FOR US TO HEAR IT AND HEAR, BUT FOR THOSE THAT ARE VIEWING IT ONLINE, IT'S, IT'S HARD.
SO I MAY REPEAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SHE SAYS JUST TO ENSURE THOSE ARE, THAT ARE WATCHING ONLINE CAN HEAR HER RESPONSES OR UNDERSTAND HER RESPONSES.
SO, MS. CRISTOBAL, UM, DART HAS FOUR DIRECT REPORTS, OUR CEO BOARD ADMINISTRATOR, CHIEF AUDIT OFFICER, AND GENERAL COUNSEL.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, CORRECT.
AND COULD YOU JUST KIND OF WALK THROUGH US THE PROCESS? 'CAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONFUSION THIS WEEK ABOUT HOW WE LISTED CANDIDATE A ON OUR PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF HOW OR WHY WE LIST CANDIDATE A? YES, SIR.
THAT'S BEEN A, UH, PRETTY STANDARD PROCESS AT CLARK.
UM, AND THE MAIN REASON WE DO THAT IS BECAUSE, UH, DURING THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS, WHEN YOU ARE NEGOTIATING TERMS WITH A CANDIDATE, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY THAT, UM, DURING NEGOTIATION, UH, THOSE TERMS COULD FALL THROUGH.
YOU DON'T WANNA PUT OUT A NAME OF A CANDIDATE FOR A PRESS RELEASE AND THEN HAVE THAT NEGOTIATION FALL THROUGH, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO MOVE ON TO A SECONDARY CANDIDATE AND THEN YOU PUT OUT A PRESS RELEASE OR A NAME OF ANOTHER CANDIDATE.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY STANDARD PRACTICE IN HUMAN RESOURCES IS THAT YOU NEVER RELEASE A CANDIDATE NAME UNTIL THEY HAVE SIGNED AN EMPLOYMENT OFFER, OR IN YOUR CASE A, AN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT UNTIL THEY IS SIGNED BY THE CANDIDATE AND APPROVED AND VOTED ON BY THE BOARD.
WE DID THE SAME THING WHEN WE HIRED NADINE LEE.
HER NAME WAS NOT RELEASED, UM, UNTIL IT WAS VOTED AND APPROVED ON BY THE BOARD.
WE DID THE SAME THING WHEN WE HIRED THE CHIEF AUDIT OFFICER.
WE SAID CANDIDATE A AND WE DID NOT INTRODUCE, UM, THE CANDIDATE UNTIL THE BOARD MEETING THAT YOU ALL WERE GOING TO APPROVE, UM, THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.
SO THAT'S A STANDARD PRACTICE THAT WE HAD HAD IN LARGE, UH, SINCE BEFORE I GOT THERE.
AND IT'S A PRETTY STANDARD PRACTICE IN HUMAN RESOURCES.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DID DO THAT WAS NEW THIS TIME.
UM, IN, IN ANY PREVIOUS SEARCH PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE, HAVE HAD IN THE PAST, HAVE WE EVER MET WITH THE MAYORS AND THE MANAGERS PRIOR TO, UH, POSTING AND, AND AND ENSURE THAT THERE WAS ALIGNMENT WITH DART AND THE MAYORS AND THE MANAGERS PRIOR TO POSTING THE, THE JOB? NO.
UM, HAVE WE EVER PUBLISHED ANY LIST, THE PUB, THE FINAL LIST LIKE WE DID OR ANY LIST AT ALL AS FAR AS, UH, CANDIDATES THAT WE WERE REVIEWING?
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NO.UM, HAVE WE EVER HAD A, THE FINAL LIST MEET WITH THE MAYORS AND THE MANAGERS PRIOR TO THE FINAL VOTE? NO, SIR.
HAVE WE EVER HAD THE, THE FINALISTS MEET WITH THE FOP AND OR THE A TU UNIONS PRIOR TO THE FINAL VOTE? NO.
HAVE WE EVER HAD A MEET AND GREET HERE AT DART HQ FOR OVER THREE HOURS WHERE THE CANDIDATES, UH, WERE INTRODUCED AND ASKED QUESTIONS BY THE INDIVIDUALS? NO.
HAVE WE EVER HAD QR CODES PROVIDED FOR ANYONE THAT WAS ATTENDING ANY OF THESE EVENTS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO THE DART BOARD PRIOR TO THE FINAL VOTE? NO, SIR.
SO THE ONLY THING THAT WE DID NEW IN THIS PROCESS WAS TO ENSURE THE MOST OPEN, TRANSPARENT, AND AS MS. CRISTOBAL, YOU NOTED LAST WEEK, THE LONGEST PRESIDENT AND CEO SEARCH PROCESS THAT WE'VE EVER HAD IN THE 43 YEAR HISTORY OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT? MY ACKNOWLEDGE, SIR.
SO ON THE CONTRACT, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP A FEW TIMES ABOUT, UH, UM, HOW MUCH WE'RE, UH, LOOKING TO, UH, FINALIZE THIS AGREEMENT FOR MS. CRISTOBAL.
YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE ALSO ASK ALL FINALISTS WHAT THEIR CURRENT COMPENSATIONS PACKAGES ARE AND WHAT, UH, THEIR REQUESTED COMPENSATION PACKAGES OF ALL THREE FINALISTS IF THEY WERE CHOSEN AS A PRESIDENT AND CEO, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND FOR BASE SALARY ALONE, WERE, WERE OUT OF THE LOWEST THAT WAS SUBMITTED, WAS THAT HIGHER THAN FOUR 50? WAS THAT HIGHER THAN THE LOW THAN THE HIGHEST CITY MANAGER THAT'S PAID? SO IF WE WOULD EXECUTE THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY OF THE THREE FINALISTS, THEY WOULD BE GETTING PAID MORE THAN THE HIGHEST CITY MANAGER WITHIN THE SERVICE MEMBER CITIES.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY AN AGREEMENT WITH THE, THE OUTGOING CEO, IS THAT CORRECT? WITH BONUSES AND BASE SALARY YES.
AND THE PREVIOUS CEO BEFORE THAT AS WELL? CORRECT.
AND IF I RUN OUTTA TIME, PUT ME ON A TWO AND A ONE.
SO LEMME JUST BRING THIS ALL HOME FOR EVERYONE THAT'S HERE AND EVERYONE THAT'S LISTENING HERE AND THAT'S ONLINE.
CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU MAY HAVE READ OR HEARD, DART CONDUCTED THE LONGEST, MOST TRANSPARENT PRESIDENT AND CEO SEARCH PROCESS IN THE HISTORY OF THIS AGENCY.
WE FOUND ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED SOUGHT OUT TRANSIT EXECUTIVES WHO STARTED HIS CAREER AS AN OPERATOR AND WORKED HIS WAY UP THROUGH OPERATIONS AT THE LARGEST TRANSIT AUTHORITY IN THIS COUNTRY AT MTA, WHO LED TWO AGENCIES LARGER THAN DART IN ATLANTA AND SAN FRANCISCO WITH 26 YEARS OF DEDICATED CONTINUED CEO EXPERIENCE, NOT ONCE BEING TERMINATED FROM ANY OF THOSE POSITIONS AND HAVING AN APPLICATION ACCOMPANIED WITH SUPPORT LETTERS FROM CURRENT AND PAST LEADERS, NOT JUST FROM THOSE THREE TRANSIT AUTHORITIES, BUT FROM MANY OTHERS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AS WELL.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'VE PERSONALLY SPOKEN WITH THE CURRENT MAYOR AND THE PAST MAYOR OF JACKSONVILLE, A STRONG MAYOR CITY BY THE WAY, WHICH APPOINTS THREE OF THE SEVEN MEMBERS TO THE JTA BOARD AND WITH FOUR OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS BEING APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
AND LET ME MAKE THAT ADDITIONAL COMMENT THAT THE GOVERNOR ALSO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF JTA AND HAS NEVER DONE SO.
AMIDST ALL OF THESE REPORTS THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SHARE ABOUT THIS INDIVIDUAL, I'VE PERSONALLY SPOKE WITH THE CURRENT BOARD CHAIR AND THE TWO PREVIOUS BOARD CHAIRS.
NOW, OUT OF ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT I'VE CONTACTED, AND AS OF SOME OF THESE OTHERS HAVE, HAVE NOTED AS WELL, WE PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE TO DO THAT LEVEL OF DUE DILIGENCE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WERE ASKED TO DO OVER THIS PAST WEEK WAS DUE DUE DILIGENCE.
NOW ASK THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD HOW MANY ACTUALLY DID THAT.
THESE MAYORS AND BOARD CHAIRS, MEN, WOMEN FROM VARIOUS ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS AND POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS THAT HAVE ACTUALLY WORKED WITH NAT FORD GOING BACK 11 OF AT LEAST THE PAST 13 YEARS THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH AT JTA, THAT KNOW HIS WORK ETHIC, HIS CHARACTER, AND THE INTIMATE DETAILS AND THE TRUTHS OF THESE REPORTS THAT SOME CHOSE TO SPARE MR. FORD'S REPUTATION WITH.
AND IN ALL OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THERE WAS ONE CONSTANT MESSAGE FROM THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
NATHANIEL FORD MADE OUR REGION AND OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM BETTER.
AND BASED UPON THAT RESUME AND THOSE DIRECT CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE PERSONALLY HAD, I BELIEVE HE IS THE BEST CANDIDATE TO LEAD THIS AGENCY.
AND OH, BY THE WAY, HE'S WILLING TO TAKE A PAY CUT TO DO IT.
I'LL LEAVE YOU ALL WITH THIS QUOTE AND IT'S A DIRECT QUOTE FROM THE MAYOR, THE CURRENT MAYOR THAT I SPOKE WITH LAST MONDAY, AND WE WILL TAKE THE VOTE.
I HOPE DALLAS IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET HIM.
WITH THAT, WE WILL TAKE A RECORD VOTE ON THIS ITEM AND WE WILL GO AROUND THE ROOM HERE.
AND IF YOU'RE ONLINE, THEN I'LL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN THE, WHEN YOUR NAME IS, UM, READ MR. BASS.
MR. BARB'S ABSENT WHEN VOTES TAKEN.
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IS THAT NAY? NO.MR. KENNEDY IS ABSENT WHEN VOTE IS TAKEN AS MCGREGOR? YES.
WHAT'S THE OPPOSITION WITH NOT IN FAVOR? FOUR.
IT IS NOW 5:54 PM AND THIS MOTION IS ADJOURNED.