SPOKANE, Wash. – The search for Spokane Transit Authority’s next CEO has drawn criticism from community members and employees who say the process has not been transparent.
STA helps people across the county get where they need to go. The new CEO will oversee operations that impact over one million rides per year.
“The next CEO is ultimately in charge of running the agency that impacts over a million rides a year,” said Council Member Zack Zappone, a member of the CEO search task force.
Union President Chad Camandona said workers want change.
“For the workers there, it hasn’t been the most pleasant environment. We’re very short handed. Workers are very unhappy. Morale is down. So we’re looking for a change,” Camandona said.
The process began with a consulting firm interviewing employees and community members about what they wanted in a CEO. The firm found about six candidates to present to the search task force.
The task force was supposed to recommend one to three candidates for employee and community feedback before board approval. The task force voted to recommend only one candidate.
Zappone was the only member who voted against the decision.
“Three board members voted yes to move one finalist forward. And during that meeting, I said I believe that this is not fully transparent and an open process that the public was expecting from us,” Zappone said.
Liberty Lake Council Member Dan Dunne, who is on the task force, defended the decision. He said the task force did its job and that recommending less qualified candidates would be patronizing to the board.
Critics say by recommending only one candidate, the task force picked the CEO instead of letting the board or community choose.
“It’s difficult when there’s just a single person put forth to know if that person is the best fit for STA and for the region at large,” said Erik Lowe of Spokane Re-Imagined.
The Spokane Transit Authority Board will meet at the end of this month to discuss the candidate and the selection process. The meeting will be open to the public.
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