Board committee advances Caltrain governance MOU to full Board

Supervisor Dean Preston's Government Audit & Oversight Committee on July 21 voted to send a resolution to the full Board that would approve a memorandum of understanding among the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain), Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans), SFMTA and the City and County of San Francisco.

President Shimon Walton, the item's sponsor, told the committee the MOU is the outcome of more than three years of negotiations that followed voter approval of Measure RR and the JPB's own governance review. "This resolution is to approve the memorandum of understanding between the peninsula corridor joint powers board, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Mateo County Transit District, and the city and county of San Francisco relating to governance of the joint powers board," Walton said during his presentation.

Steve Heminger, SFMTA board member and chair of the JPB, outlined longstanding governance tensions dating to the 1980s and said the agreement trades concessions among the three counties: repayment of an outstanding SamTrans advance and late fees, and greater hiring and oversight powers for San Francisco and Santa Clara. Heminger described the MOU as a "quid pro quo" that would, in his view, increase accountability while protecting Caltrain's operational independence as it embarks on a roughly $2 billion electrification program.

Public commenters who called into the hearing expressed support for the MOU while urging vigilance if the Joint Powers Agreement itself is later amended. After public comment the committee moved the measure to the full Board with a favorable recommendation; the motion was made by Supervisor Rafael Mandelmann and recorded as passing with three ayes.

Next steps: The committee report sends the MOU to the full Board of Supervisors for consideration on the Board's agenda; Walton said partner agencies have approved or planned approvals on staggered dates, with VTA expected to act in early August.

Note: This article reflects committee deliberations and a committee recommendation. Final adoption will depend on the full Board's action and any subsequent approvals by partner agencies.