Today Metro issued the following statement (http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=4811)
For immediate release: January 21, 2011
The Metro Board of Directors has agreed upon Richard Sarles as Metro's new Chief Executive Officer and General Manager and will have more to say on this matter at its meeting on Jan. 27, at which time a vote will be taken.
News release issued at 6:02 pm, January 21, 2011.
Richard Sarles named Metro general manager (http://wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=2243907)
The Associated Press
January 21, 2011 6:22 PM
Richard Sarles chosen for top spot at Metro (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/21/AR2011012103934_pf.html)
By Ashley Halsey III and Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, January 21, 2011; 8:24 PM
WTOP 103.5 FM reported the story on the air at 1807 EST.
Related story:
Gov. O'Malley endorses Sarles for Metro GM (http://wtop.com/?nid=598&sid=2243374)
Adam Tuss, wtop.com
January 21, 2011 - 12:48pm
I'm personally starting to wonder if, once Sarles put his hat into the ring, that it wasn't a done deal from the get-go on that, and that the entire rest of the process was a big formality, especially when you consider that Metro lost Tangherlini since he got hired away while they were doing an interview process.
GGW preemptively tried to quell the inevitable Sarles backlash earlier today (http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/8927/sarles-could-provide-useful-stability-for-a-few-years). I agree with the article especially since WMATA needs someone to cushion the blow between the Catoe reign of error and his inevitable replacement who may shake things up more. I hope this doesn't turn out to be David Paterson to his Elliot Spitzer, but a) that's the cynical ex-New York State resident in me and b) at least Sarles wants to lead.
The Tangherlini situation is proof that hiring an interim that is your desired candidate ASAP is one's best move. My alma mater (a SUNY school) learned this in a way harder than WMATA several years back during an elongated search for a president.