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Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. at a session meeting the public July 11 at Dallas Area Rapid Transit headquarters in Dallas.<\/p>\n
Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
Dallas Area Rapid Transit\u2019s<\/a> apparent \u2014 but unofficial \u2014 choice for its vacant CEO position<\/a> brings nearly 40 years of experience in public transportation. He also brings questions over spending and travel at past agencies he\u2019s led.<\/p>\n DART\u2019s divided board of directors voted 9-6 Tuesday in favor of \u201cCandidate A<\/a>,\u201d whose name officials plan to announce July 21 after they\u2019ve negotiated an employment agreement<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Public discussion pointed to Nathaniel Ford Sr. as the board\u2019s top choice. The CEO of Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is the most tenured candidate of three finalists and has held the CEO post at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Ford\u2019s decades-long track record includes allegations of using public money for personal use or excessive travel.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> DART chooses top CEO pick despite disagreement among directors<\/a><\/p>\n He did not respond to requests for comment. Florida media outlets reported earlier this month that Ford said he would step down from JTA after 13 years, effective in January.<\/p>\n His apparent selection has divided DART board members<\/a> over whether his work history outweighs the experience he would bring to an agency already struggling with disagreements over its spending, leadership and future.<\/p>\n Some board members who voted against the candidate said they wanted more time to vet his history. Others had concerns about how and when his name came under consideration.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Director M. Nathan Barbera, who represents Plano and Farmers Branch<\/a>, said, without naming Ford, that they\u2019d been told he had removed himself from consideration earlier in the search process. But at the will of a handful of board members leading up to the final interviews, Ford came back into the mix<\/a>, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Crowd listens as DART CEO candidate Nathaniel P. Ford Sr, speaks July 11 at Dallas Area Rapid Transit headquarters in Dallas.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n \u201cRed flag after red flag after red flag has been uncovered,\u201d board member Doug Hrbacek, who represents Irving and Carrollton, said of the finalist. \u201cAs a board member, we should be able to have the appropriate amount of time to do our research.\u201d<\/p>\n Ford\u2019s supporters pointed to his extensive experience leading major transit agencies and said questions about his past could be addressed during contract negotiations.<\/p>\n Spending, travel<\/p>\n Jacksonville station WJAX-TV reported Ford was one of Jacksonville’s highest-paid employees, earning nearly half a million dollars a year as base pay and spending additional tens of thousands of dollars on travel, including international trips, mostly for conferences or transit-related events.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Ford defended his travel and told the station he was committed to supporting the citizens of Jacksonville.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a high-energy individual,\u201d he told the station of his travel history. \u201cI\u2019m sitting at the table with those decision makers and those influencers that are making policy decisions around transportation.\u201d<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> DART CEO Nadine Lee to step down amid ‘most challenging period’ in transit history<\/a><\/p>\n Ford has a history of high earnings. A 2007 article in SFGate<\/a> reported Ford was the highest-paid city employee in San Francisco as chief of the city\u2019s Municipal Transportation Agency.<\/p>\n According to 2006 reporting in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on audits of his spending, Ford and his secretaries charged nearly $150,000 over his five years at MARTA to agency credit cards that its board did not know about.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The spending came amid some of MARTA\u2019s worst deficits in its history, according to the Chronicle, and included primarily business-related expenses \u2014 meals and drinks at upscale restaurants, trips to industry conventions \u2014 that MARTA\u2019s board chair said should have been curtailed.\u00a0<\/p>\n The audit also found personal spending at a golf pro shop, clothing store and dentist\u2019s office, the Chronicle\u2019s reporting states. It said Ford reimbursed the authority thousands of dollars, but state and local officials still had questions about some charges and documentation.\u00a0<\/p>\n Barbera, the DART board member, said the CEO candidate has left transit agencies \u201cin a cloud of spending controversies.\u201d<\/p>\n DART CEO candidate Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. meeting wtih community members July 11 at Dallas Area Rapid Transit headquarters in Dallas.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n \u201cI simply do not want that to happen to DART,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Director Enrique MacGregor said, without naming the candidate, that concerns over Ford\u2019s past are \u201cpreposterous.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey’re all questions that can easily be answered during the contract negotiation process,\u201d he said. \u201cI don’t see any reason to delay, and I don’t see any reason why the candidate should not be included.\u201d<\/p>\n City officials chime in<\/p>\n Mayors and city managers were invited to a virtual meeting with the finalists before the board\u2019s vote. Some were pleased with Ford\u2019s experience and are not dissuaded by his past.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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