DEL MAR — After five years as the primary representative for the city of Del Mar on the SANDAG board of directors, some city leaders and residents say it’s high time for Terry Gaasterland to step aside and let one of her colleagues fill the role.
However, she disagrees, and due to a recent City Council deadlock over the issue, she will automatically continue in the role for the time being.
On Tuesday, Gaasterland said she would like to remain the board’s primary representative for a sixth year, with the support of Councilmember Dan Quirk. The council was divided on the matter in a 2-2 split, with Mayor Tracy Martinez and Councilmember John Spelich opposed to the idea.
Gaasterland said she had “no interest” in giving up her seat and argued that the city needs a strong representative as SANDAG continues major projects in Del Mar, including bluff stabilization, replacement of the rail bridge, and ongoing study of the relocation of the rail tracks in Del Mar.
“This is not about me. It’s about what is best for Del Mar, and best for Del Mar this year is to leverage my longevity experience and longstanding relationships to continue to work to protect Del Mar’s homes, neighborhoods, roads, highways, fragile coastal bluff, beach access, sand preservation,” Gaasterland said.
Initially, City Attorney Leslie Devaney advised that the city would have no representative on the SANDAG Board if the council could not reach consensus on whom to appoint.
However, legal counsel for SANDAG later clarified that, under California Public Utilities Commission regulations, existing representatives remain on the board until they are recalled or replaced. Because of this, Gaasterland remains the primary representative for Del Mar, followed by Martinez as first alternate and Spelich as second alternate.
Martinez raised concerns about one person holding the primary seat for six years. She said she would like to step into the role, having served for several years as an alternate.
“I would like to make a change, and I would like to take over for numerous reasons,” Martinez said. “It’s not personal, it’s that it’s time to have different representation and not be monopolized with one person for six years. It’s unprecedented in Del Mar.”
Martinez also said that going forward, it would be best for the city’s mayor to represent the city on the board each year. Unlike in most cities, the mayoral role in Del Mar rotates among council members each year.
Gaasterland disputed the claim that a several-year stint is unprecedented. She noted that former council member Terry Sinnott served as the city’s SANDAG representative for five consecutive years, including as vice chair and chair of the board, and Crystal Crawford served for six years, including as chair of SANDAG’s Borders Committee.
However, Spelich and Martinez noted that these two individuals only served as long as they did because they held leadership roles. Spelich said that last year he supported Gaasterland’s return to the board because he was hopeful she would secure a leadership role, such as chair of the board.
However, the board ultimately selected Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner as chair.
“I think it’s useful to make a change after five years and see if we can do something different,” Spelich said. “Five years is a long time, and it’s not a tradition in the city to go five years [and] not get a leadership position.”
They also noted Gaasterland’s repeated appearances on San Diego news channel KUSI, which Martinez indicated had “not helped” relationships in the region. She said she has repeatedly asked Gaasterland to stop conducting interviews for this reason.
Gaasterland most recently spoke on the news channel in December about SANDAG’s ongoing bluff stabilization project, stating that a drainage channel at the top of the bluff is much larger than originally planned.
“I don’t think it’s beneficial to always be on KUSI because I don’t think it’s building relationships. I think it’s harming some relationships,” Martinez said, although she did not provide specific examples.
Last year, Gaasterland’s statements to the media about a proposed rail realignment route put the city in conflict with the Del Mar Fairgrounds, leading to a pause in crucial affordable housing discussions.
Del Mar Planning Commissioner Jas Grewal also read a letter from resident Suren Dutia during public comment, accusing Gaasterland of prioritizing publicity over getting things done for Del Mar.
Dutia also claimed that, because SANDAG board members are paid for each meeting, Gaasterland may have received thousands of dollars over the years as the primary representative.
Gaasterland denied this, stating that board members are paid $150 per board meeting and that she has attended several meetings for which she was not compensated. According to SANDAG bylaws, board members receive an additional $100 for attending a policy advisory committee or working group meeting.
“I’ve worked long and hard for Del Mar as a SANDAG board member,” she said.
