San Diego’s lead transportation agency has set in motion a plan to fill its soon-be-vacant chief executive post.
On Friday, the San Diego Association of Governments board voted 16-3 to approve a more than 8-month-long process to replace current CEO Hasan Ikhrata, who previously announced his intent to step down from the role at the end of the year. The action also created a new, six-member board subcommittee that will help both vet and recommend interim and permanent candidates.
With the action, CPS HR Consulting, which was hired at the direction of board Chair Nora Vargas at a cost of up to $50,000, will immediately begin working with the subcommittee to consider interim CEO candidates. The goal is for the board to appoint an interim CEO at its Dec. 8 meeting, said Pam Derby, who is the executive recruitment manager for the consultant firm.
Meanwhile, the search for a permanent replacement is expected to include an 8-week application window starting on Jan. 1 and culminate with the board voting on an employment contract in May for an anticipated start date of July 1, 2024.
“The CEO position is a critical role for the organization,” Vargas told board members during her opening remarks on the item. “The chief executive officer recruitment (process) is critical for selecting the best candidate. It is important for all of us in making sure that it is a fair and competitive process. It is important for me, as it is for all of you.”
SANDAG oversees the long-range planning for county infrastructure and transit needs. The agency is governed by a board of elected officials from the region’s 18 city councils and the County Board of Supervisors.
In late July, Ikhrata announced his resignation from the agency, effective Dec. 29. The chief executive, who has advocated for the massive urbanization of the San Diego region, was hired in 2018 and collects an annual salary of $433,014.
Ikhrata’s decision to leave appears linked in part to what he has characterized in the past as a dysfunctional board, with leaders often divided along partisan grounds. Ikhrata was, for instance, displeased with the board’s September 2022 decision to ax a controversial, per-mile driving fee — designed to boost revenue while curbing car travel — from the 2021 Regional Plan. The $160-billion plan reimagines much of the San Diego region by 2050 as a collection of pedestrian-friendly villages complemented by a more robust bike and rail network, and a Grand Central Station with a direct transit connection to the airport.
Although seemingly just a procedural decision, Friday’s board action to approve the work plan for the CEO search was met with pushback from some of the board’s Republican members.
“This is going to be the most important decision that we make moving forward in this agency, bringing back a spirit of collaboration where people really have their voices heard,” said San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, who voted against the work plan.
Jones challenged Vargas’ decision to appoint board members to a new subcommittee when an Executive Committee already exists, implying that Vargas purposefully chose not to include critical voices. Jones also questioned the appropriateness of Vargas’ ability to hire CPS HR Consulting without going through a solicitation process. CPS HR Consulting, a public agency, was also used for the prior CEO search. SANDAG General Counsel John Kirk said that the agency’s bylaws allow the chair to hire the firm.
The sentiments were echoed by Carlsbad Council member Melanie Burkholder and Escondido Mayor Dane White, who also voted against the item.
Later, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria warned that a warring board would limit interest.
“Whatever size city you represent, you surely understand that having a functioning (metropolitan planning organization) is very important to our collective quality of life of our residents, and your behavior will absolutely determine whether or not people choose to apply for this position,” he said. “We need a functioning SANDAG and you are all contributors — or you’re actually detracting from this process. I’m hoping we get high-quality applicants and I hope board members will keep that in mind as they act over the next several months.”
The partial board divide mirrored public speaker sentiment, which was split between people who said they wanted the next CEO to continue Ikhrata’s push to limit car travel in the region and others who were skeptical about the process.
Based on the schedule approved Friday, the newly created subcommittee, with help from the consulting firm, will recommend an interim CEO candidate for appointment at the Dec. 8 board meeting.
The six-person subcommittee consists of Vargas, Encinitas Mayor Tony Kranz, Vista City Council member Katie Melendez, Santee Mayor John Minto, Imperial Beach City Council member Jack Fisher and San Diego City Council member Sean Elo-Rivera.
The group will work alongside CPS to put together a public outreach plan, with opportunities for public input expected to take place throughout November. In December, CPS is scheduled to finalize the candidate profile and job description, with the subcommittee tasked with approving the job announcement and advertising plan.
Starting Jan. 1, CPS will then lead an 8-week application period. The subcommittee will then conduct initial interviews and recommend two finalists for consideration by the full board.
