Former Vallejo Mayor To Serve As Vice Chairman Of State Water Transportation Authority
By SARAH ROHRS/Times-Herald staff writer
Article Launched: 03/21/2008
Intintoli: Appointed to state ferry board.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Thursday appointed former mayor Tony Intintoli Jr. as vice chairman of a powerful water transportation board designed to oversee state control of Vallejo and Alameda ferries.
Intintoli's appointment will give Vallejo a voice in how its four ferries, ferry terminal, schedules and fares will be transferred to the state next year.
"I'm looking forward to working to assure the Vallejo ferry service continues to thrive," Intintoli said. "Our ferry system is a very important link in the entire network. It's very important to have it continue to sustain growth."
The city views Intintoli's appointment as critical in helping to protect the Vallejo ferry system and assure adequate compensation for boats and infrastructure.
Mayor Osby Davis applauded Intintoli's appointment to the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) which will own the ferry systems and coordinate response during earthquakes, terrorist attacks and other emergencies. He said the former mayor is experienced and has a wealth of knowledge about the ferry system.
"This is an excellent opportunity for us to have a say-so in what happens with our ferry system," Davis said. Intintoli will have Vallejo's interests at heart, he added.
The Vallejo ferry system is also an important ingredient in the city's downtown and waterfront improvement plans, and the Vallejo Station transit center.
State takeover of the Vallejo and Alameda ferries stemmed from a controversial state bill that went into effect Jan. 1. All Bay Area ferry services, except those run by the Golden Gate Transit Authority, are under WETA's control.
With Vallejo's coveted ferry service hanging in the balance, many said SB 976 was shoved through the Legislature in the waning days of the session, without giving local officials enough time to react properly. Signed into law in October, the law prompted Vallejo city leaders to vow to fight for the ferry service and assure the city is fairly compensated.
The state law and WETA will be critical in making the Bay Area better prepared for emergencies, Schwarzenegger said in an announcement.
"We all know how quickly ground transportation can break down in an earthquake or serious disaster making water transit so vital," Schwarzenegger said.
The city has hired several consultants to work with Sacramento lawmakers to protect Vallejo's interests as the bill goes into effect. Leach said cleanup legislation is in the works.
"We want to be treated fairly in the transfer of (ferry) assets," Leach said.
Schwarzenegger also appointed Charlene Haught Johnson of Colma as WETA's chairwoman and Gerald Bellows of Berkeley as a member.
Both Intintoli and Johnson served together on WETA's predecessor, the 11-member San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority.
The two other WETA seats have not yet been filled, said WETA community relations manager Shirley Douglas. The group's first meeting has not yet been scheduled, she added.
Intintoli, 69, left the mayor's office in December, after filling that seat 1987 to 1995, and again from 1999 to 2007.
Intintoli also served on the Vallejo City Council from 1977 to 1985, and as the chairman of the Solano Transportation Authority in 2007. He is a Solano County Children's Network board member, and as a St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School Advisory Board member.
State Sen. Patricia Wiggins, D Santa Rosa, in a prepared statement called Intintoli "a fantastic choice for vice chair."
"He has been a long-time leader on transportation issues. His commitment and expertise on a wide range of local and regional issues will make him a real asset to his colleagues on the new board," Wiggins said.
• Contact Sarah Rohrs at srohrs@thnewsnet.com or 553-6832.
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