Foothill Gold Line Board Maintains Leadership in 2026

Claremont Vice Mayor Ed Reece remains Board Chair for fourth year; and Glendora Council Member Mendell Thompson remains Board Vice Chair for third year

MONROVIA, Calif., Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At their January meeting today, Claremont Vice Mayor Ed Reece and Glendora Council Member Mendell Thompson were re-elected as Chair and Vice Chair (respectively) of the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority Board of Directors, following a unanimous vote by their peers. The re-election of Chair Reece and Vice Chair Thompson comes during an important time at the Construction Authority, as the agency advances the 2.3-mile Claremont Extension from Pomona to Claremont this year.

"This is a critical time for the Construction Authority, as we begin the final design work and prepare to hire the contractor for the next project segment that will bring light rail service and all of its benefits to the city of Claremont," stated Chair Reece. "With 23 of the 25 planned Foothill Gold Line stations from Los Angeles to Montclair now complete, we look forward to continuing to guide the agency to its final destinations in Claremont and Montclair in the years ahead."

Chair Reece and Vice Chair Thompson have both been on the Construction Authority board for five years, as well as having served on the project's Joint Powers Authority board for several years before that. During their tenure on the Construction Authority and Joint Powers Authority boards, the four-station Glendora to Pomona project was completed on time and on budget, despite being built in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the agency received a funding commitment of $798 million (SB125 funds) from LA Metro to complete the Claremont Extension - the final station in Los Angeles County.

"I, along with Vice Chair Thompson, want to thank our colleagues on the board for continuing to believe, not just in our leadership, but in the vision of creating truly regional transit that expands mobility, quality of life and environmental benefits to the millions of people living in - and traveling through - this corridor every day," added Chair Reece. "I look forward to continuing my efforts to ensure the Foothill Gold Line continues to be a true success story as we realize its full potential for our region."

The Foothill Gold Line board is made up of elected and appointed representatives from throughout the project corridor. In addition to the Chair and Vice Chair, the board currently includes Pomona Mayor and Metro Board Member Tim Sandoval, La Verne Mayor Tim Hepburn, Montclair Mayor John Dutrey, Pasadena Council Member Gene Masuda, and South Pasadena representative Dan Evans.

About the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority – The Construction Authority is an independent transportation planning and construction agency created in 1998 by the California State Legislature to plan, design and build the Metro A Line system from Union Station to Claremont (later extended to Montclair). Over the last 26 years, the agency has successfully completed more than 34 miles of light rail and 23 stations over three construction segments – Union Station to Pasadena in 2003, Pasadena to Azusa in 2015, and Glendora to Pomona in 2025 – all on time and on budget. The final 3.3-mile, two-station project segment from Pomona to Montclair, which will include stations in the cities of Claremont and Montclair, will be built in separate projects. The Claremont Extension has received $798M from SB125 funding and is starting final design and engineering.

SOURCE Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority