San Rafael resident filling vacant seat on Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit board

The Golden Gate Bridge District appointed board member Patricia Garbarino to the SMART board of directors, filling the last vacancy of the 12-member group that oversees the transit agency.

Golden Gate Bridge board members voted 12-0 last week to select Garbarino, of San Rafael, to complete former Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit board member Jim Eddie’s term through January 2021. Eddie stepped down from both positions at the beginning of the year.

Garbarino has been a member of the Golden Gate Bridge District since August 2017 and has a background in education, as well as recycling and sanitary services. In 2000, she followed in her father’s footsteps to lead Marin’s Resource Recovery Center, and also serves on the Marin County Board of Education.

Garbarino joins SMART board vice chair Barbara Pahre in her appointment from the Golden Gate Bridge District. Her addition makes six Marin County appointees on the transit agency’s board. Sonoma County has five people on the board, while Pahre is Napa County’s lone appointee.

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin Fixler at 707-521-5336 or kevin.fixler@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @kfixler.