Two longtime board directors resign as RTD upheaval continues

Two long-serving members of the San Joaquin Regional Transit District Board of Directors have resigned, with one saying Tuesday that a new majority has left them unable to influence decisions.

The catalyst? The board’s decision to replace its chief executive soon after three new directors took their seats, before voting a week later to appoint former deputy CEO Kimberly Turner as the transit district’s interim CEO.

Gary Giovanetti, who served on the board for 18 years, confirmed to Stocktonia he left the board following Turner’s Feb. 20 appointment. As of Tuesday, the biographies for Giovanetti and Les Fong, who has served on the board since 2009, have been removed from RTD’s online roster of directors.

RTD’s media contact did not immediately respond to Stocktonia’s request for comment on the sudden departures, while Fong declined to comment about his exit.

Giovanetti, who also confirmed Fong’s departure, said a newly-seated majority left him feeling superfluous.

“The moment they were sworn in, they fired the CEO without knowing anything about him,” Giovanetti said. “With a 3-2 majority that acts as a bloc, I don’t see how I could have any real influence.”

Turner, who served as RTD’s deputy CEO from 2019 to 2021, was chosen in closed session by Directors Derek Graves Jr., Geneva Moorad and Aaron Edwards. In the two weeks prior, that same majority had voted to place former CEO Alex Clifford on leave Feb. 9, firing him without cause four days later, while also elevating Graves to board chair in place of Giovanetti.

Giovanetti and Fong voted against Turner, saying other candidates were more qualified.

Turner previously applied to be permanent CEO in 2022. Giovanetti said the personnel committee at the time found she did not meet minimum qualifications.

“I didn’t even have the opportunity to make a case for another candidate,” he said. “The decision was already made.”

Giovanetti said his and Fong’s resignations were not coordinated — but they arrived at the same conclusion.

“We didn’t plan it,” Giovanetti said. “But we both saw the writing on the wall.”

Turner’s contract is for six months at $28,000 per month, plus a $500 auto allowance.

Reflecting on nearly two decades of service, Giovanetti said he was proud to have been repeatedly trusted with leadership roles, including multiple terms as board chair. In 2020, he received the agency’s John Lopez Award for embodying “the highest ideals of service and excellence.” 

He also served on the American Public Transportation Association’s Transit Board Members Committee, rising to the executive council.

Giovanetti said one of his priorities was pushing for RTD to gain voting representation on the San Joaquin Council of Government, which serves as the transit district’s funding agency. RTD’s board records show the agency has discussed steps toward seeking a voting seat. He added his biggest lingering frustration was the difficulty of securing that recognition earlier, despite RTD providing more than 80% of the county’s transit ridership.

“For years it fell on deaf ears,” he said. “But at least it’s finally happening.”

Turner steps into a district still missing a permanent chief operating officer and chief financial officer. COO Ciro Aguirre resigned Feb. 10, one day after Clifford was placed on leave. The CFO job has been posted since January, though RTD has not said why the position became vacant.

Until Turner started, RTD had been led by acting CEO Noel Mink, the district’s human resources director.

The executive upheaval follows a Feb. 9 partial service disruption, when dozens of bus operators left their routes to attend an emergency meeting in support of Clifford. The walkout prompted public frustration and a statement from Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi accusing Clifford of encouraging the action, which he denied.

The agency’s turmoil has unfolded against the backdrop of RTD’s ongoing dispute with the San Joaquin Council of Governments over $62 million in transit funding made up of state and local money, including $40 million from a California Senate bill meant to replace aging buses and restore service.

Clifford has claimed he was removed because he pressed SJCOG to release the funds. The three directors who voted to fire him have not addressed that claim publicly.

Giovanetti said he plans to return full time to his insurance business and remain active in several community organizations. What he will miss, he said, are the employees.

“When Les and I stopped by to say goodbye, about 30 staff members came out,” he said. “It was very heartwarming.”

With two veteran board members gone and three of RTD’s top administrative positions in limbo, the direction of the transit agency now rests largely with the three-member majority that has driven its major decisions this month.