At a special meeting held earlier this month, the Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) Policy Board voted 9-0 to terminate the employment of Executive Director Rosa De León Park, effective immediately. Ms. De León Park had been on paid administrative leave since June 30, 2025. The termination was made for cause, and she will not be entitled to severance.
This action follows the Board’s June 26, 2025 statement, issued in response to the Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury report titled “Stanislaus Council of Governments: Transparency and Accountability Needed.” The statement reflected the Board’s decision to initiate a comprehensive review of internal operations and agency leadership, with several actions and expenditures by De León Park called in to question.
“This was a difficult but necessary decision,” said StanCOG Policy Board Chair Buck Condit. “We are focused on moving forward with transparency and stability while the ongoing workplace investigation and forensic audit continue. Our goal is to ensure StanCOG remains a trusted and effective agency for the region.”
Elisabeth Hahn will continue to serve as Interim Executive Director during this leadership transition.
The Policy Board will discuss next steps at a future meeting and the termination of De León Park’s employment occurred on Aug. 6.
Because this is a confidential personnel matter, the agency will not be providing further comment at this time, officials said.
The Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) serves as the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the state-designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA), and the Local Transportation Authority (LTA) for the Stanislaus region. Established in 1971 through a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA), StanCOG is a council of governments representing the County of Stanislaus and the cities of Ceres, Hughson, Modesto, Newman, Oakdale, Patterson, Riverbank, Turlock, and Waterford. StanCOG provides a collaborative forum for local mayors, city council members, county supervisors, and the public to plan and fund regional transportation improvements.
