2008-2010 BART Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight Committee Selected
On Thursday, January 24, 2008, the BART Board of Directors selected members and alternates for the 2008-2010 Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight Committee. The members and alternates are as follows:
|
Seismic Seat |
Alternate: Lawrence Donovan, Contra Costa County |
| Auditing Seat Elmo Wedderburn, San Francisco County |
Alternate: Claudia Spencer, Contra Costa County |
|
Engineering Seat |
Alternate: William Kaplan, San Francisco County |
| Public Finance/Project Management James Zumwalt, Contra Costa County |
Alternate: Robert Barksdale, Contra Costa County |
| Community At Large Linda Lautenberger, Contra Costa County |
|
COC Overview
On November 2, 2004 Bay Area voters passed Measure AA, which authorized the BART district to issue bonds for $980 million dollars to make earthquake safety improvements to BART facilities in Contra Costa, San Francisco and Alameda counties. The measure also required BART to establish a Citizens’ Oversight Committee (COC) to verify that bond revenues are spent as promised.
The COC is comprised of five members selected from citizens of the BART District. COC members may not be elected officials or employees or officials of the BART district. The COC shall be comprised as follows:
- One member shall have expertise in seismic retrofitting
- One member shall have expertise in auditing
- One member shall have expertise in engineering
- One member shall have expertise in public financing or project management
- One member shall represent the community at large
The duties and responsibilities of the COC are to:
- Review scheduling and budgeting of projects to be funded by the bond measure.
- Confirm that work is completed and bond funds are expended in accordance with the bond measure.
- Inform the public concerning the expenditure of bond revenues.
Members will serve two-year terms, without compensation.
Citizens' Oversight Committee Meeting Agendas and Minutes
Meetings for the BART Citizens' Oversight Committee are held in the BART Board Room, located in the Kaiser Center 20th Street Mall, Third Floor. The address is 344 20th Street, Oakland, CA 94612. Directions to the BART Board Room (264k).
2008 - 2010 COC Agendas
October 13, 2009 (59k)
July 14, 2009 (47k)
April 7, 2009 (47k)
January 6, 2009 (53k)
October 14, 2008 (50k)
July 1, 2008 (54k)
April 1, 2008 (48k)2008 - 2010 COC Minutes
July 14, 2009 ( 224k)
April 7, 2009 (226 K)
January 6, 2009 (177K)
October 14, 2008 (173K)
July 1, 2008 (179K)
April 1, 2008 (24K)2006 - 2008 COC Agendas
September 13, 2007 (49.7k)
February 15, 2007 (60k)
June 8, 2006 (60k)
April 27, 2006 (60k)2006 - 2008 Minutes
September 13, 2007 (68.1k)
February 15, 2007 (49k)
June 8, 2006 (61k)
April 27, 2006 (60k)The Citizens' Oversight Committee provided a report to the BART Board of Directors on September 17, 2009. To view a pdf of the report click here (82k).
2008 - 2010 Citizens' Oversight Committee
Members
H. Andy Franklin, Seismic Retrofitting Expertise Seat
2008 Chairperson
Dr. Andy Franklin holds the Seismic Retrofitting Expertise seat on the 2008-2010 BART Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Dr. Franklin holds a Ph.D. in Structural Mechanics from the University of California at Berkeley and is presently retired. He is licensed as a Civil Engineer in California and was previously Principal Engineer with the R&D Department of Bechtel Technology in San Francisco. Dr. Franklin has more than 40 years of experience in design, construction, testing and research, including seismic design, field forensic assessment of seismic damage, and observing seismic testing of structural remedies for strengthening and isolation. He served as the Engineering Expertise Alternate on the inaugural Citizens’ Oversight Committee and resides in Contra Costa County. Mr. Franklin is the Committee Chair for 2008-2009.
James Zumwalt, Public Finance / Project Management Expertise Seat
2008 Vice Chairperson
Jim Zumwalt holds the Public Finance/Project Management Seat on the 2008-2010 BART Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight committee. Mr. Zumwalt is a Registered Civil Engineer, holds an M.B.A. from Saint Mary’s College of California, a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley, and is President of a private project management/civil engineering firm in San Ramon. Mr. Zumwalt resides in Contra Costa County and is the Committee Vice Chair for 2008 - 2009.
Amin Almuti, Engineering Expertise Seat
Dr. Amin Almuti holds the Engineering Expertise seat on the 2008- 2010 BART Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Dr. Almuti holds a Ph.D. in Structural Engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He is a registered Professional Engineer in California and a Fellow in the American Society of Civil Engineers. His career spans over 40 years in engineering, construction and university teaching. He is a resident of Orinda in Contra Costa County.
Linda Lautenberger, Community At Large Seat
Linda Lautenberger holds the Community at Large Seat on the 2008-2010 BART Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Ms. Lautenberger holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio and Television from San Francisco State University and works for a not-for-profit health insurance company in San Francisco. Ms. Lautenberger resides in Contra Costa County.
Elmo Wedderburn, Auditing Expertise Seat
Elmo Wedderburn holds the Auditing Expertise seat on the 2008-2010 BART Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Mr. Wedderburn holds a Bachelor in Business from Medgar Evers College, the City University of New York. Mr. Wedderburn was born in Central America, Panama. Mr. Wedderburn is a Senior Manager in the Control Audit and Oversight Division of a public financial brokerage firm in San Francisco, and he is an Industry Arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. Mr. Wedderburn’s financial industry experience spans over 23 years. He currently holds several financial industry Principal licenses. Mr. Wedderburn resides in San Francisco.
Alternates
Robert Barksdale, Public Fiance / Public Management
Bob Barksdale holds the Public Finance/Project Management Expertise alternate seat on the 2008-2010 BART Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Mr. Barksdale has over 40 years of diversified experience in all aspects of engineering and construction. He has experience in planning, engineering, estimating and scheduling on the original BART Transbay Tube and a number of the underground (hard and soft ground) facilities. Mr. Barksdale has been involved with a number of domestic and international mass transit projects, including planning, preparation of cost, scheduling and bond election for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the expansion of the Buenos Aires Metro. He was formerly Manager of Internal auditing for a major international engineering, procurement and construction company. Mr. Barksdale holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Arizona and was the recipient of the Centennial Achievement Award. He also holds a Business Management Certificate from the University of California Extension and is a registered professional engineer in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Texas and Kuwait. He served as the Public Financing/Project Management Expertise seat holder on the inaugural Citizens’ Oversight Committee, serving as Chairperson for both years. Mr. Barksdale is currently active as an independent management consultant and resides in Lafayette.
Lawrence Donovan, Seismic Retrofitting Expertise
Larry Donovan holds the Seismic Retrofitting Expertise alternate seat on the 2008-2010 BART Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Mr. Donovan has over 47 years of diversified management, engineering and project management experience in major civil construction projects including new projects requiring application of earthquake criteria and retrofit projects requiring updated earthquake protection. He has 27 years of governmental experience as a Navy Civil Engineer building facilities in the United States on both coasts, Hawaii, the Philippines, and major construction on the Island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Mr. Donovan has 20 years of commercial experience as a senior manager and engineer with a major engineering and construction company where he was responsible for USAF Launch Facilities, USAF Laboratory Facilities, Mass Transit projects in New Jersey and Kennedy Airport Light Rail, Army Weapons Disposal Facilities, State Department Embassy Upgrades, and major electronics manufacturing facilities in China. All of these projects required application of earthquake protection criteria. Mr. Donovan holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and Master of Engineering degrees from the University of California and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University and is a registered engineer in the State of Massachusetts. Mr. Donovan is presently retired but remains active as a management and financial consultant to several firms and resides in Walnut Creek.
William Kaplan, Engineering Expertise
Mr. William S. Kaplan holds the Engineering Expertise Alternate seat on the 2008 – 2010 BART Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Mr. Kaplan graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. Mr. Kaplan was a consulting structural engineer in San Francisco from 1959 until his retirement in 1997. He resides in San Francisco.
Guy Miller, Community At Large
Guy Miller holds the Community At Large alternate seat on the BART 2008-2010 BART Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Mr. Miller has an Associate of Nursing Degree from Merritt Junior College. Mr. Miller is a registered nurse at Children's Hospital in Oakland, and resides in San Lorenzo. Mr. Miller held the Community At Large seat on the inaugural Citizens' Oversight Committee.
Claudia Spencer, Auditing Expertise
Claudia Spencer holds the Auditing Expertise Alternate seat on the 2008-2010 BART Earthquake Safety Program Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Ms. Spencer is an audit partner in the San Francisco office of BDO Seidman, LLP, the fifth largest international (7th largest domestic) accounting firm. She has over 25 years of public accounting experience and specializes in the services, software, technology, consumer, manufacturing & distribution, and life science industries. Ms. Spencer has substantial experience in SEC filings, initial public offerings, private placements, stock options and mergers & acquisitions. She is involved in BDO's Continuing Professional Education program as an instructor and coordinator, and has spoken before other organizations on a variety of accounting and finance topics. She has also served as an accounting instructor at the college level. Ms. Spencer has spent time with tax services and holds a Master of Science in Taxation. In addition to her public accounting experience, Ms. Spencer spent two years in industry as a controller for a manufacturing company. Ms. Spencer received her MS in Taxation and her BS in Public Accounting from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington and currently resides in Contra Costa County.
Contact the Citizens' Oversight Committee
You may contact members of the Citizens' Oversight Committee via email at eqcommittee@bart.gov or by phone at (510) 874-7478.
2006 - 2008 Citizens' Oversight Committee Members
On February 9, 2006 the BART Board of Directors selected the following members for the Citizens’ Oversight Committee. The current Committee's term ended on February 9, 2008.
Robert Barksdale, Public Financing / Project Management
Chairperson, 2006 & 2007
Bob Barksdale holds the Public Financing/Project Management Expertise seat on the BART 2006-2008 Citizens' Oversight Committee. Mr. Barksdale has over 40 years of diversified experience in all aspects of engineering and construction. He has experience in planning, engineering, estimating and scheduling on the original BART Transbay Tube and a number of the underground (hard and soft ground) facilities. Mr. Barksdale has been involved with a number of domestic and international mass transit projects, including planning, preparation of cost, scheduling and bond election for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the expansion of the Buenos Aires Metro. He was formerly Manager of Internal auditing for a major international engineering, procurement and construction company. Mr. Barksdale holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Arizona and was the recipient of the Centennial Achievement Award. He also holds a Business Management Certificate from the University of California Extension and is a registered professional engineer in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Texas and Kuwait. Mr. Barksdale is currently active as an independent management consultant and resides in Lafayette.
Raymond Jee, Auditing
Raymond Jee holds the Audit Expertise seat on the BART 2006-2008 Citizens' Oversight Committee. Mr. Jee has been a Certified Public Accountant for over 30 years. Mr. Jee is a Director of a CPA firm headquartered in San Francisco and resides in Fremont.
Mei Kuen Liu, Seismic Retrofitting
Mei Kuen Liu holds the Seismic Retrofit Expertise seat on the BART 2006-2008 Citizens' Oversight Committee. Ms. Liu obtained both her Master of Engineering and Bachelor of Science degrees from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. She has been working for DeSimone Consulting Engineers, a private structural engineering firm, for the past six years, where she is a Senior Project Engineer and licensed Professional Engineer in the State of California. Through her tenure with DeSimone, she has acquired specialized experience in the analysis and design of concrete structures in high-seismic and high-wind areas, as well as in the design of both deep and shallow foundation systems for various soil conditions. Aside from new construction, Ms. Liu also has expertise in conducting seismic risk assessments and evaluations of existing and historic structures, and in developing rehabilitation designs, as warranted. Ms. Liu currently serves as Chairperson for the Public Affairs and Membership Committee of the Structural Engineers Association of Northern California. She also serves as the Structural Team Leader for tsunami reconstruction efforts in Sri Lanka on behalf of the San Francisco Professional Chapter of Engineers Without Borders. Ms. Liu has been working and living in San Francisco since 2003.
Guy Miller, Community At Large
Guy Miller holds the Community At Large seat on the BART 2006-2008 Citizens' Oversight Committee. Mr. Miller holds an Associate of Nursing Degree from Merritt Junior College. Mr. Miller is a registered nurse at Children's Hospital in Oakland, and resides in San Lorenzo.
Colin Paul, Engineering
Vice Chairperson, 2006 & 2007
Colin Paul holds the Engineering Expertise seat on the BART 2006-2008 Citizens' Oversight Committee. Mr. Paul holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University, New York and a Professional Engineer's license with the State of California. Mr. Paul is currently a Project Regional Manager for a real estate services firm in San Francisco and resides in San Francisco's the Glen Park neighborhood.
Last Updated: November 10, 2009
