The BART Board of Directors on Thursday appointed Dublin Mayor Melissa Hernandez to the seat representing several cities in Alameda County.
Hernandez replaces former District 5 board member John McPartland who abruptly resigned from the board in late March, citing family matters as the reason he was stepping down. Hernandez will serve out McPartland’s term, which ends Dec. 6.
“Melissa Hernandez is going to be able to walk into many of the rooms that we need to have leadership and representation, whether that’s in Sacramento or with the San Jose extension,” said BART Board President Bevan Dufty in a statement. “Melissa has a tremendous set of experiences and is well known.”
In addition to serving as a Dublin city councilmember and the city’s mayor, Hernandez has chaired the Livermore-Amador Valley Transit Authority, the Tri Valley/San Joaquin Valley Regional Transportation Authority and the finance committee of the Alameda County Transportation Commission.
Hernandez said one priority is keeping the transit system reliable, affordable, and safe for everyone.
“Today, BART has some big challenges. Ridership is less than half of what it used to be. While this is a result of COVID and changing work/commute patterns, we must all acknowledge that some of the ridership decline is because many people don’t feel safe on BART,’’ Hernandez wrote in her board application.
Hernandez, who was the first Latina to serve as a mayor in the history of the Tri-Valley, said it’s important to her that transit policies and investments reflect the needs of all communities, particularly those historically underserved and marginalized.
“By fostering dialogue with my colleagues, partnerships with state and federal agencies and leaders, and championing equitable policies, I strive to create a more inclusive and accessible transportation system that benefits everyone, even when times are tough,’’ she wrote in her board application.
BART faces what some describe as a “fiscal cliff” due to weak ridership in the wake of pandemic-related business shutdowns that state and local government agencies imposed to combat the spread of COVID-19.
By some estimates, BART could topple into a $1 billion cumulative deficit over the next five years, absent budget cuts, service reductions, higher ticket prices, federal or state fiscal bailouts, or some combination of strategies.
Hernandez said one of the most significant challenges the board faces is addressing the agency’s financial crisis.
“We need more ridership on BART to help lessen the impact of future fiscal challenges. But we also need strong fiscal management and accountability of our current budget,” Hernandez wrote in her application. “And we must diversify BART’s revenue stream, so rider fares aren’t solely responsible for the system’s financial health.’’
The board is made up of nine elected officials from the nine BART districts. It is a part-time job that pays roughly $17,000 a year, according to BART’s web site. Hernandez can seek a new term on the board by running in the November election. Her district includes Castro Valley, Cherryland, Dublin, Fairview, Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton, and Sunol.