Santa Cruz Sidetracked: Has anyone else noticed the coordinated series of attacks on RTC Executive Director Sarah Christensen this week by FORT?

A recent media rally by Santa Cruz County Friends of the Rail & Trail (FORT) demanding unusable train track s be imbedded in the Santa Cruz Interim Trail

Over just a few days, multiple letters and opinion pieces appeared criticizing her leadership and qualifications regarding the county rail corridor discussion: • A Sentinel LTE from longtime FORT member Vicki Miller (6/2/2026) • Another Sentinel LTE from Christine Weir, partner of FORT board member Sally Arnold (6/5/2026) • A Santa Cruz Lookout letter from yet another FORT supporter Makena Macambridge [aka Martha Macambridge] (6/5/2026)

Different authors, but remarkably similar messaging and timing.

Regardless of where people stand on rail, it seems counterproductive for advocates of a proposed $5+ billion passenger rail project to publicly attack the very executive director overseeing the agency responsible for managing the corridor and transportation planning process.

At some point, this stops looking like independent community concern and starts looking like an organized pressure campaign.

There is also an irony in demanding “rail expertise” while dismissing practical realities like funding, permitting, environmental review, ridership uncertainty, and the enormous construction impacts a rail buildout would have on existing businesses and neighborhoods.

Many in the community support finishing the trail now because it is the one transportation improvement that is actually funded, usable, and achievable in the foreseeable future. Constant political attacks and purity tests do not move the community forward.

Links for those interested: Sentinel LTE by Vicki Miller (6/2): https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2026/06/02/letters-to-the-editor-june-2-2026/

Sentinel LTE by Christine Weir (6/5/2026): https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2026/06/05/letters-to-the-editor-june-5-2026/

Santa Cruz Lookout LTE by Makena Macambridge [aka Martha Macambridge] (6/5/2026): https://lookout.co/letter-to-the-editor-santa-cruz-county-deserves-better-rail-leadership/story