(The Center Square) – The Seattle area’s public transit agency is keeping candidate details confidential amid its search for its next permanent CEO, but transit advocates are calling for a transparent and public-involved process.
Sound Transit narrowed down its list of candidates for the CEO position to five. However, details about most of the candidates have remained undisclosed from the public.
The lone exception is King County Executive Dow Constantine, who also serves as a board member for Sound Transit. During the Sound Transit Executive Special Meeting, Constantine confirmed he is pursuing the CEO position as he is finishing up his fourth term as county lead and not running for reelection this year.
The transportation advocacy group, Seattle Subway, is calling on Sound Transit to reveal the names of all CEO candidates as the agency is in possession of billions of dollars in public funds to connect the Puget Sound region.
David Scott, political campaign liaison for Seattle Subway, noted that the agency has experienced issues, including costly delays to light rail expansion projects.
“Riders deserve to know who will shape our region’s transit future, especially given ongoing issues like disruptive maintenance closures, weak real-time bus data, and significant schedule delays,” Scott said in a press release.
Sound Transit Media Relations Manager John Gallagher explained to The Center Square that the agency provides applicants for the CEO position with anonymity to encourage qualified people who are currently employed to put their hat in the ring.
“Many applicants likely wouldn’t have stepped forward if doing so was conditioned on their current bosses, employees and stakeholders potentially learning of their interest to move on,” Gallagher told The Center Square in an email. “For these and other reasons, Washington’s public meetings and public records laws very explicitly allow confidentiality in hiring processes.”
Seattle Subway also notes Constantine’s candidacy presents an inherent conflict of interest. Constantine has previously served as the board chair, most notably when the agency successfully had its Sound Transit 3 ballot measure approved by voters in 2015.
That measure intends to connect the Puget Sound region’s transit network, including 16 cities with its light rail system. The measure totals $54 billion, with construction anticipated to end in 2041.
Seattle Subway is demanding Sound Transit provide opportunities for public comment and to commit to selecting a CEO based on merit.
Goran Sparrman has served as the agency’s interim CEO since January of last year. His contract included an annual base salary of $385,000, as previously reported by The Center Square.
Finalists for the CEO job opening could make even more. According to a public post for the position, the next CEO could make a salary ranging from $450,000 to $650,000.
The Sound Transit Board is hoping to consider a motion next month to hire a new CEO.