Dublin Mayor Melissa Hernandez is the newest member of the BART board of directors, representing District 5.
She joined the board immediately after being sworn in Thursday to learn more about the gloomy fiscal outlook facing the agency in the coming years.
The seat representing Castro Valley, Cherryland, Dublin, Fairview, Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton and Sunol was vacated when Director John McPartland announced his immediate resignation in March. He cited reasons related to his family for his retirement.
The vote was 6-2, with Directors Liz Ames and Debora Allen voting no. Following the vote, Hernandez was sworn in with other directors looking on. She then joined the full board on the dais to resume a presentation by staff on a budget deficit of more than $350 million in each of fiscal years 2027, 2028 and 2029.
Hernandez said she was honored and humbled to be appointed.
“My vision is to keep public transportation working for everyone — and to keep BART reliable, affordable, and safe for everyone who rides,” she said in a statement.
“By fostering dialogue with my colleagues, partnerships with state and federal agencies and leaders, and championing equitable policies, I will strive to create a more inclusive and accessible transportation system that benefits everyone,” she said.
Experience with other transit agencies
Hernandez previously chaired transit agencies including the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority, Tri Valley/San Joaquin Valley Regional Transportation Authority and the finance committee of the Alameda County Transportation Commission.
Candidates besides Hernandez included Bruce Delevaux and Gabriel Rodrigues.
Director Allen said she preferred Rodrigues, but never offered a motion to vote on his appointment. Ames implied that the many transportation boards Hernandez already served on were a deterrent for her vote, saying that she thought the BART board needed new ideas from someone who was not already involved in transit decision-making.
But director Rebecca Saltzman said Hernandez’s experience would be beneficial and made the motion to approve her appointment.
“By fostering dialogue with my colleagues, partnerships with state and federal agencies and leaders, and championing equitable policies, I will strive to create a more inclusive and accessible transportation system that benefits everyone.” BART Director Melissa Hernandez
“I think we need somebody who’s ready on day one to lead us through this crisis and I know that Mayor Hernandez is,” Saltzman said.
The board is struggling to plug a gaping budget hole after the next fiscal year that will balloon in subsequent years, with projected deficits of over $350 million starting in fiscal year 2027. A budget for fiscal years 2024-25 and 2025-26 needs to be finalized by June 13.
Board members discussed moving some funding from capital improvement projects to the district’s operating budget, something Ames warned would prevent the agency from improving service and operations over time.
Allen suggested that contract negotiations be opened up with BART’s workforce, which will see its current contract expire in June 2025. Labor costs represent about 75 percent of BART’s operating budget, Allen said.
The District 5 seat is up for election this November. Hernandez’s appointment is for the remainder of the current term, which runs through early December.