Pam Sablan, the council’s acting executive director and spokeswoman, told the Variety last week that she will remain in acting capacity until a permanent individual is named to the post.
She declined to elaborate and said all inquiries should be directed to the board’s interim chairman, Derek Duenas, who was on personal leave.
In a separate interview, Public Auditor Michael Pai said he has met with the board to discuss the preliminary status of its request for a financial audit of the council’s financial management of its operations, including the Call-A-Ride program.
He said Chong’s contract was set to expire on Sept. 30 but he has no information if the board terminated it or extended the former executive director’s “administrative leave.”
Variety learned, however, that the board has no intention to renew the contract.
Press Secretary Charles Reyes Jr. yesterday said the administration will “respect the board’s decision-making process.”
The administration earlier expressed its intention to transfer the operation of Call-A-Ride to a “more responsible and reliable” entity through the bidding process in light of allegations of fiscal mismanagement regarding the management of the federally funded program.
Call-A-Ride provides transportation services to people with disabilities for a minimal fee.
