Robert Weber had a plan that eventually he would move and possibly retire in Sedona. Little did he know that the plan would take effect several years earlier than expected.

The city of Sedona recently announced that Weber was hired as its first-ever transit manager as it embarks on a multimillion dollar plan over the next several years.

Currently, Weber is the Chief Operating Officer for the Monterey Salinas Transit District in Monterey, Calif., and has been with the agency just shy of 20 years. In his role, he maintains operational, budgetary and regulatory oversight of all directly operated and purchased transportation services, maintenance operations and mobility programs within Monterey County.

When he saw there was an opening in Sedona for transit manager, Weber said he didn’t hesitate to apply.

“For almost three decades, I have been returning to Sedona for vacation whenever I can get away,” he said. “I eventually concluded that I want to relocate to the area permanently and have been looking for a professional opportunity that would allow me to do so.

“I applied for this position as it will allow me to continue to do what I enjoy doing in such a magnificent area.”

In short, Weber said he was hired to lead the effort of transforming the city of Sedona’s written plan into a quality public transit system that provides a safe, reliable and on-time service to its visitors and residents.

“We are extremely excited to have found Robert and that he’s agreed to be our new transit administrator,” Assistant City Manager and Community Development Director Karen Osburn said.

“While creating a robust transit system in Sedona has been discussed at length, has had consistent community support and we now have an adopted transit plan that provides the blueprint for doing so, the fundamental first step toward implementation has always hinged on the city’s commitment to hire someone dedicated to seeing that effort through. The city council has made that commitment by authorizing this position, and I believe we have found someone with the expertise, enthusiasm and tenacity to finally get us there.”

Weber said when he got the call that he was the preferred candidate he felt “excitement with a dash of anxiety.”

“Let’s face it, it’s not easy to leave a community that has been so much a part of my life for the past 20 years, pick up and move 750 miles and start a new job. But the beautiful red rocks of Sedona and the people in this community won me over.”

Being that this is a newly-created position, with that often comes pros and cons. But Weber sees more of the former than the latter for when he starts. He should be starting sometime in late January, depending on selling his home in Monterey, but will be on the job no later than Monday, Feb. 1, with a salary of $100,000.

“Mostly I see opportunity,” he said. “There are challenges, of course. Building a new transit system from the ground up is not for the faint of heart. It will take a commitment from the community and its elected officials to see it through. Fortunately, there are state, federal and industry resources available to help us succeed.”

From what he has seen, read about and been told, Weber said developing a public transit system in Sedona has been extensively studied, discussed and debated. Public transit in Sedona is much like a mythical beast, he said.

“Everyone is talking about it, but no one has actually seen it,” he said. “Public transit is long overdue in this community, and I think that people will have to see it to believe it, but more importantly, support it.

“With the support of the community, its elected officials and city staff, I know we can build a public transit system that will not only help to mitigate traffic congestion but reduce carbon emissions in this beautiful valley.”