Beleaguered Muni chief Nathaniel Ford’s days in San Francisco are numbered, according to a report in today’s San Francisco Chronicle. The Matier & Ross column reports that the city wants Ford to “stick around until the current union negotiations are done.” Shortly after that, “there would be an amicable separation and a buyout of his remaining contract.”
Ford has more than two years remaining on his contract as CEO of the Municipal Transportation Agency and is reportedly unwilling to commit to the city if another offer comes along – he has in recent years flirted with high-profile openings across the nation and was a finalist for a job in the District of Columbia earlier this year. Ford signed a three year contract extension in January, making a buy-out costly – some $390,000 according to a recent report.
It’s hard to tell what will cause more bad press for the agency – an expensive executive buyout in a climate of service cuts and fare hikes, or keeping the unpopular CEO until his contract expires or he finds another gig. It’s notable that city officials have learned nothing new about Ford’s suitability to lead MTA than they knew when his contract was extended – he’s been linked to several jobs over the years, so it was predictable that he’d keep looking. It appears now that he’ll have more free time to find a suitable job thanks to San Francisco’s generous taxpayers.
