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Garland hears five DART board candidates; council to appoint at June 16 meeting
Summary
Council interviewed five applicants for Garland’s seat(s) on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit board, with candidates raising concerns about paratransit reliability and governance. Council set the appointment for the regular June 16 meeting.
Garland City Council heard from five applicants for representation on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) board during its June 15 work session and agreed to make an appointment at the regular meeting on June 16.
Candidates described recurring problems with DART’s paratransit service and urged stronger Garland representation on the regional board. Jeff Bass, who said he narrowed the field to five candidates through video interviews, said Garland is a high‑use city and that his priorities would include “financial transparency” and matching routes to rider needs. Simon Matthew emphasized the need for a new DART CEO and warned of a growing budget gap he estimated at “roughly 3,000,000 or $7,000,000” in later years of the plan.
Several applicants pledged to report back to council if appointed. Jeff Bass said he would provide quarterly updates and would not serve as a purely ceremonial representative. City staff told council they will finalize the recommended appointment at the regular meeting tomorrow.
