The BART Board of Directors plans to conduct candidate interviews at its May 9 meeting to fill a vacant seat on the board — a decision it must make before the end of the month to avoid having the position appointed by Alameda County supervisors.
Applications closed April 25 for the seat representing District 5, which became vacant March 28 when John McPartland announced his immediate resignation, citing reasons related to his family.
Three candidates have applied for the position. The list includes Bruce Delevaux, Melissa Hernandez, and Gabriel Rodrigues.
District 5 includes Castro Valley, Cherryland, Dublin, Fairview, Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton, and Sunol.
Board members have agreed to have interviews in a discussion format that will also include some prepared questions. Questions will be compiled by staff and shared with board members after they are completed.
Usually, a special election would be held to fill a vacant seat, but the Board decided to fill the seat by appointment because the regular election for the seat will be held in November. The person appointed will fill the seat until the current term expires in December.
Board members earn a stipend of $2,026.91 per month if they meet attendance requirements. Service on the board includes attending regular board meetings, serving on committees and representing BART at various events.
McPartland is a retired battalion chief with the Oakland Fire Department and former BART safety specialist. He had served on the board since 2008.