Metro Interim General Manager Richard Sarles. Photo by erin_m.

Richard Sarles, a man who once said that he hoped his legacy at Metro would be “that I came here for a relatively brief period of time, and was able to help stabilize” the system, is reportedly close to being named the agency’s new permanent general manager. Reports by both Kytja Weir in the Examiner and Adam Tuss at WTOP cite several sources who claim that the decision to appoint Sarles to the job full time has already been made. The decision could be made public at a January 27 meeting of the WMATA board of directors.

Both reporters’ sources claim that Sarles, who has been the agency’s interim general manager since John Catoe resigned last spring, is “the likely pick.” Weir first noted that board members interviewed three candidates on Saturday, including “a finalist from the private sector, someone with a public sector and transit background, and Sarles.” Both Weir and Tuss report that Sarles are negotiating a new contract. Currently, Sarles makes $25,000 per month with a modest housing allowance; before he resigned, Catoe was pulling in a $325,000 yearly salary and a $60,000 housing allowance.

Metro is obviously cagey when it comes to the rumors.

“The search for a new General Manager is being conducted by the Metro Board in a way that respects the confidentiality of the selection process,” said Metro spokesperson Ron Holzer. “When the process is complete, and the Board makes a decision, we certainly will let the public (and media) know the outcome.”

Sarles has been relatively well-received during his tenure at the helm of the oft-troubled transit agency — and his back-to-basics attitude on safety measures has come at a time when the system really needed it. However, his recent decision to institute random bag searches at rail and bus stations has many up in arms. Additionally, Metro’s Transit Police department is currently embroiled in controversy, with reports leaking out that the department’s officers recently delivered Chief Michael Taborn with a vote of no confidence.

There are also some questions about the rapidity of the vote, which, if true, has come at a time of great transition on the Metro board — at least two seats remain unfilled at this date in time.