Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes

Friday, November 21, 2025 at 9:00 A.m. - 1:30 P.m.

SANDAG Boardroom

1011 Union Street, First Floor

San Diego, CA 92101

Voting Members Present:

• Chair Lesa Heebner (Solana Beach)
• First Vice Chair Joe LaCava (City of San Diego)
• Second Vice Chair John Minto (Santee)
• Councilmember Kevin Shin (Carlsbad)
• Deputy Mayor Carolina Chavez (Chula Vista)
• Councilmember Carrie Downey (Coronado)
• Supervisor Paloma Aguirre (County of San Diego - Seat A)
• Mayor Terry Gaasterland (Del Mar)
• Mayor Bill Wells (El Cajon)
• Mayor Bruce Ehlers (Encinitas)
• Councilmember Judy Fitzgerald (Escondido)
• Councilmember Mitch McKay (Imperial Beach)
• Vice Mayor Lauren Cazares (La Mesa)
• Mayor Alysson Snow (Lemon Grove)
• Councilmember Luz Molina (National City)
• Mayor Esther Sanchez (Oceanside)
• Councilmember Christopher Pikus (Poway)
• Mayor Rebecca Jones (San Marcos)
• Deputy Mayor Katie Melendez (Vista)

Others Present:

• Supervisor Joel Anderson (County of San Diego - Seat B)
• Robin Joy Maxson (Association of Planning Groups)
• Ann Fox (Caltrans)
• Councilmember Patricia Dillard (MTS)
• Gil Cabrera (San Diego County Regional Airport Authority)
• Dennis Keck (U.S. Department of Defense)

 

Meeting Video

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1.

Call to Order

Chair Heebner called the meeting to order at 9:07 a.m.

2.

Non-Agenda Public Comments/Member Comments

Public Comments: Truth, Purita Javier, Cesar Javier, Blair Beekman, Andrea Ebbing, The Original Dra, Consuelo, Paul the Bold. 

Member Comments: None. 

Chief Executive Officer Mario Orso presented an update on agency activities. 

3.

Closed Session

Public Comments: Truth, Cesar Javier, Blair Beekman.

Chair Heebner adjourned the meeting to closed session at 10:43 a.m.

Chair Heebner resumed open session at 11:45 a.m.

Counsel Rod Betts reported that the Board of Directors met in closed session to review and discuss the employment terms and conditions for the General Counsel appointment, to be voted on in open session. The Board also provided direction to staff regarding a possible future update to the SANDAG FY 2026 position classification and salary range table. There was no reportable action or vote taken. 

3.1

Closed Session: Appointment of the SANDAG General Counsel (Government Code 54957(b)(1))

3.2

Closed Session: Personnel and Compensation (Government Code 54957.6(a)) Agency Designated Representatives: Joshua Golter, Director of Human Resources, SANDAG

4.

Consent

Public Comment: Truth, Cesar Javier, Katheryn Rhodes, The Original Dra, Paul the Bold, Consuelo. 

• Motioned by: Mayor Sanchez
  Seconded by: Deputy Mayor Chavez

  to approve consent agenda item nos. 4.1 - 4.6. 

  For (18)	Deputy Mayor Chavez, Mayor Gaasterland, Mayor Wells, Councilmember Molina, Mayor Jones, Second Vice Chair Minto, Chair Heebner, Deputy Mayor Melendez, Councilmember McKay, Mayor Snow, First Vice Chair LaCava, Councilmember Shin, Mayor Sanchez, Councilmember Downey, Mayor Ehlers, Councilmember Fitzgerald, Councilmember Pikus, and Supervisor Aguirre
  Against (1)	Vice Mayor Cazares

  The motion passed. (18 to 1)

4.1

Approval of Meeting Minutes

Approved the minutes from the November 7, 2025, meeting. 

4.2

2026 Legislative Calendar*

Approved the 2026 calendar of meetings of the Board and the Policy Advisory Committees.

4.3

Chief Executive Officer Delegated Actions and Other Reportable Actions*

This report summarized delegated and reportable actions taken by the Chief Executive Officer. This item was provided for information. 

4.4

Overview of Developments in the Financial Markets, Quarterly Finance Report as of September 30, 2025*

PAUL HENKIN

The title says "Report as of September 30, 2025." It is late November. Financial markets are turning down. There are significant political developments, like the Government shutdown and aftereffects which are likely to further depress the market. You deserve to have an updated report and we deserve to know that SANDAG is using current financial data.

This report provided an overview on the latest developments in the financial markets, economy, sales tax revenues, and strategies being explored and implemented to minimize possible impacts to the TransNet Program. This report was provided for information. 

4.5

Quarterly Project Progress and Budget Update, FY 2026, Quarter 1

This quarterly report provided an update on the status of the agency’s projects as approved in the FY 2026 Program Budget through September 2025 (Quarter 1). This report was provided for information. 

4.6

Wall 508 Stabilization Project Change Order

PAUL HENKIN

As usual, no contract attached, no transparency for the public, yet grossly over inflation. We are told that this is an emergency project, the origial amount was $5.5 mil and now it is estimated at $10 mil. And the original award was only 6 months ago! The This is a 2,600-foot retaining wall is located along Santa Fe Street near Damon Avenue (across from In&out Burger just north of Balboa) in the Bay Ho/Clairemont area. This is on a project completed in 2020. There is a flyover posted on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7yiOzrEUcg) about 22 sec. but I did not see anything near there that looks particularly unstable. While it is within the already approved budget, it seems like a huge excess.

Approved a Construction Change Order worth more than 25% of original contracted amount.

5.

Appointment of the SANDAG General Counsel

Public Comments: Cesar Javier, Truth, Katheryn Rhodes, The Original Dra, Consuelo. 

• Motioned by: Second Vice Chair Minto
  Seconded by: Mayor Sanchez

  to approve the proposed salary, benefits, and other terms of employment with the General Counsel candidate selected by the Board in Closed Session on October 30, 2025; and authorize the Chair to execute an employment agreement, including such terms.

  For (19)

  Deputy Mayor Chavez, Mayor Gaasterland, Mayor Wells, Councilmember Molina, Mayor Jones, Second Vice Chair Minto, Chair Heebner, Deputy Mayor Melendez, Councilmember McKay, Mayor Snow, First Vice Chair LaCava, Councilmember Shin, Mayor Sanchez, Councilmember Downey, Vice Mayor Cazares, Mayor Ehlers, Councilmember Fitzgerald, Councilmember Pikus, and Supervisor Aguirre

  The motion passed. (19 to 0)

6.

Proposed Updates to Board Policies and Bylaws

Public Comments: Truth, Cesar Javier, Blair Beekman, Katheryn Rhodes, Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, Paul the Bold, The Original Dra, Consuelo. 

• Motioned by: Supervisor Aguirre
  Seconded by: Deputy Mayor Chavez

  to continue the vote on Board Policies 007, 009, and 025, and direct staff to return to the Board of Directors with an analysis of the changes that are mandatory by law or discretionary including justification and provide an analysis of alternative strategies regarding changes at the federal level, and to approve the remaining proposed amendments to SANDAG Board Policies and Bylaws.

  For (17)	Deputy Mayor Chavez, Mayor Gaasterland, Councilmember Molina, Mayor Jones, Second Vice Chair Minto, Chair Heebner, Deputy Mayor Melendez, Councilmember McKay, Mayor Snow, First Vice Chair LaCava, Councilmember Shin, Mayor Sanchez, Councilmember Downey, Vice Mayor Cazares, Mayor Ehlers, Councilmember Fitzgerald, and Supervisor Aguirre
  Against (2)	Mayor Wells, and Councilmember Pikus

  The motion passed. (17 to 2)

7.

Adjournment

The next Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for December 12, 2025, at 9 a.m.

Chair Heebner adjourned the meeting at 12:42 p.m.