Metro's Loss, D.C.'s Gain

Virginia's dawdling over a Metro chief opened a door. Adrian Fenty smartly walked in.

DITHERING by Metro's board of directors over the selection of a general manager has worked to the benefit of the District of Columbia, as witnessed by Democratic mayoral nominee Adrian M. Fenty's selection of the Metro interim general manager, Dan Tangherlini, to be the next city administrator. Metro riders soon to be deprived of Mr. Tangherlini's demonstrated skills can credit the Metro board's Virginia members with the loss of an impressive manager. The fact that District and Maryland board members backed Mr. Tangherlini for the post apparently caused Old Dominion representatives to balk and demand a time-consuming national search for a general manager. Fortunately for the District, Mr. Fenty recognized an opportunity to snag a top-flight administrator and grabbed it.

Mr. Tangherlini left the District government with high marks after having served six impressive years as director of the D.C. Department of Transportation. He returns after establishing a similar excellent record at Metro, where he has served as interim general manager since February. His new assignment as city administrator, should Mr. Fenty be elected next month, will be as challenging as any he has been handed in his career of public service with the D.C. and federal governments.

Meanwhile, Metro finds itself back at square one, with its directors having to retrace their faltering steps since January, when they forced out former chief executive Richard A. White. The long leadership gap is of the board's own making. It comes at a time when the nation's second-busiest subway and fifth-busiest bus system needs stability at the top and broad support among local governments and its ridership. Virginia's members of the board, having cost the system and riders an outstanding top prospect, must now do their part to ensure that Metro comes up with a general manager who possesses the qualifications of the candidate they so foolishly let get away.