Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes

Friday, January 23, 2026 at 9:00 A.m. - 12:30 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 - Seat A)
• Second Vice Chair John Minto (Santee)
• Councilmember Kevin Shin (Carlsbad)
• Councilmember Carolina Chavez (Chula Vista)
• Mayor John Duncan (Coronado)
• Councilmember Terry Gaasterland (Del Mar)
• Mayor Bill Wells (El Cajon)
• Mayor Bruce Ehlers (Encinitas)
• Mayor Dane White (Escondido)
• Mayor Pro Tem Jack Fisher (Imperial Beach)
• Vice Mayor Lauren Cazares (La Mesa)
• Mayor Alysson Snow (Lemon Grove)
• Vice Mayor Luz Molina (National City)
• Mayor Esther Sanchez (Oceanside)
• Councilmember Christopher Pikus (Poway)
• Councilmember Vivian Moreno (City of San Diego - Seat B)
• Mayor Rebecca Jones (San Marcos)
• Councilmember Katie Melendez (Vista)
• Supervisor Paloma Aguirre (County of San Diego - Seat A)
• Supervisor Joel Anderson (County of San Diego - Seat B)

Others Present:

• Robin Joy Maxson (Association of Planning Groups)
• Ann Fox (Caltrans)
• Matthew Leyba-Gonzalez (MTS)
• Councilmember Jewel Edson (NCTD)
• Commissioner Dan Malcolm (Port of San Diego)
• James Sly (San Diego County Regional Airport Authority)
• Raymond Welch (SCTCA)
• 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 9:03 a.m.

Chair Heebner announced agenda items will be reordered.

6.

Automated Regional Justice Information Systems (ARJIS) 101

Director of ARJIS Tony Ray presented an overview of its mission, governance, funding, programs, services, applications and regional benefits.

Public Comments: Truth, Cesar Javier, Andrea Ebbing, Paul the Bold, Erin Grassi, Blair Beekman, Patrick M, Consuelo. 

• Motioned by: Councilmember Moreno
  Seconded by: Councilmember Gaasterland

  to direct staff to return with an item that would allow the Board to assess the possibility of ending ARJIS contracts with specific agencies. 

  Chair Heebner referred this item to the Executive Committee for discussion.

  
  

4.

TransNet Proposed 2026 Bond Issuance: Refunding*

Chief Financial Officer Dawn Vettese, Senior Legal Counsel Betsy Blake; Mudra Patel, Public Financial Management; Victor Hsu, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP; and Jonathan Guz, Straddling Yocca Carlson & Rauth LLP, presented the item. 

Public Comments: Truth, Cesar, Paul, Blair, Consuelo.

• Motioned by: First Vice Chair LaCava
  Seconded by: Vice Mayor Cazares

  to adopt RTC Resolution No. RTC-2026-03, authorizing up to $400 million of 2026 Bonds to refund certain outstanding bonds, and execution and distribution of the transaction documents.

  For (17)	Councilmember Chavez, Mayor Duncan, Councilmember Gaasterland, Mayor Wells, Mayor Pro Tem Fisher, Vice Mayor Molina, Mayor Jones, Second Vice Chair Minto, Chair Heebner, Mayor Snow, First Vice Chair LaCava, Councilmember Moreno, Councilmember Shin, Mayor Sanchez, Vice Mayor Cazares, Mayor Ehlers, and Councilmember Pikus
  Absent (4)	Supervisor Anderson, Mayor White, Councilmember Melendez, and Supervisor Aguirre

  The motion passed. (17 to 0)

3.

Consent

Public Comments: Truth, Andrea Ebbing, Blair Beekman, Paul the Bold

• Motioned by: Mayor Jones
  Seconded by: First Vice Chair LaCava

  to approve Consent Agenda Item Nos. 3.1 - 3.5.

  For (16)	Councilmember Chavez, Mayor Duncan, Councilmember Gaasterland, Mayor Wells, Mayor Pro Tem Fisher, Vice Mayor Molina, Mayor Jones, Second Vice Chair Minto, Chair Heebner, Mayor Snow, First Vice Chair LaCava, Councilmember Shin, Mayor Sanchez, Vice Mayor Cazares, Mayor Ehlers, and Councilmember Pikus
  Absent (3)	Mayor White, Councilmember Melendez, and Supervisor Aguirre

  The motion passed. (16 to 0)
• Motioned by: Vice Mayor Cazares
  Seconded by: Mayor Duncan

  to extend the meeting by 10 minutes.

  For (15)	Councilmember Chavez, Mayor Duncan, Councilmember Gaasterland, Mayor Pro Tem Fisher, Vice Mayor Molina, Mayor Jones, Second Vice Chair Minto, Chair Heebner, Mayor Snow, First Vice Chair LaCava, Councilmember Shin, Mayor Sanchez, Vice Mayor Cazares, Mayor Ehlers, and Councilmember Pikus
  Absent (4)	Mayor Wells, Mayor White, Councilmember Melendez, and Supervisor Aguirre

  The motion passed. (15 to 0)

3.1

Approval of Meeting Minutes

Approved the minutes from its January 9, 2026, meeting. 

3.2

Policy Advisory Committee Actions

Ratified the actions taken by the Policy Advisory Committees as noted in the report.

3.3

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 presented for information only. 

3.4

Approval of Contract Award for the Construction of the North Park/Mid-City Bikeways: Orange Bikeway Project

Authorized the Chief Executive Officer to award a contract to the vendor identified in this report for the North Park/Mid-City Bikeways: Orange Bikeway Project.

3.5

Smart Growth Incentive Program Cycle 6 Capital Project Funding Recommendations*

Approved the funding recommendations and FY 2026 Smart Growth Incentive Program (SGIP) budget amendment for the SGIP Cycle 6 Capital Projects as detailed in the report.

5.

Independent Performance Auditor's Annual Performance Evaluation and Audit Committee's Recommended Compensation Adjustment

• Motioned by: Mayor Pro Tem Fisher
  Seconded by: Vice Mayor Molina

  to approve a salary increase for the Independent Performance Auditor of 2.75% retroactive to June 30, 2025.

  For (15)	Councilmember Chavez, Mayor Duncan, Councilmember Gaasterland, Mayor Pro Tem Fisher, Vice Mayor Molina, Mayor Jones, Second Vice Chair Minto, Chair Heebner, Mayor Snow, First Vice Chair LaCava, Councilmember Shin, Mayor Sanchez, Vice Mayor Cazares, Mayor Ehlers, and Councilmember Pikus
  Absent (4)	Mayor Wells, Mayor White, Councilmember Melendez, and Supervisor Aguirre

  The motion passed. (15 to 0)

2.

Non-Agenda Public Comments/Member Comments

Public Comments: Truth, Purita Javier, Cesar Javier, Marco Espinosa, Andrea Ebbing, Blair Beekman, Consuelo

7.

Adjournment

The next Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for February 13, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.

Chair Heebner adjourned the meeting at 12:52 p.m.