EDITORIAL | Island Transit board bungled interim chief selection

Published 5:03 pm Friday, November 21, 2014

The board of Island Transit needed to find someone above reproach, someone with an unblemished history, to lead the beleaguered agency forward, even if it’s only on an interim basis.

They needed someone who could bring the community together, someone who is open and accountable.

Instead, the board went behind closed doors last week and chose a candidate for interim director who resigned from Community Transit in Snohomish County under the cloud of a bribery scandal 20 years ago. Kenneth Graska wasn’t indicted, but an audit report faulted his management style as autocratic and authoritarian.

Negotiations were completed this week, and the board voted to approve the contract Friday.

Graska may be a perfectly reasonable candidate. Coupeville Councilman Bob Clay, the chairman of the transit board, said Graska was open about his history and satisfied the board’s concerns. Graska is a great guy, he said.

Problem is, the public didn’t get a chance to hear Graska’s explanation and the board’s discussion because the board elected to do it all in secret. Executive sessions to discuss candidates for public employment are allowed under the Open Public Meetings Act, but board members can choose to let the public in.

It’s their choice, and in this case they chose poorly. Involving the public is a demonstration of trust and respect of public opinion, and confidence in the board these days is at an all-time low.

The transit board also didn’t release the names of the candidates, not even to board member and Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley until the day before the interviews. Dudley’s request — and the South Whidbey Record’s request — for the three candidates’ resumes were denied.

Again, the board didn’t have to release them, but they could have. Other agencies simply alert candidates ahead of time that their applications will be public.

Everett Herald stories about Graska from 1993 paint a pretty dismal picture of his leadership. One story says he was angry at the newspaper for its coverage and so insisted that the news of his resignation be released to any media except the Everett Herald, the daily responsible for uncovering the problems at Community Transit.

Doesn’t exactly sound like open and accountable.

It didn’t help that Graska didn’t return a call for comment for a story about his background in Wednesday’s paper.

The Island Transit board of directors really dropped the ball on this one. If there was to be any hope of rebuilding public trust in their leadership and abilities, the board members neither took it seriously, nor did they demonstrate appropriate concern for public opinion.