The MARTA board of directors on Thursday hired the agency’s attorney, Jonathan Hunt, as its interim chief executive and general manager while it conducts a national search for a permanent leader.

But in hiring Hunt, the board revealed the ad hoc committee in charge of the CEO search met secretly four times since July 17 — the day former CEO Collie Greenwood abruptly took an early retirement because of visa work issues.

The meetings occurred without public notice, and no one was aware of them until Thursday — apparently not even MARTA’s spokesperson, who previously said any meetings would be advertised.

The discussions in those meetings led to Hunt’s selection and to the appointment of an “operations committee” that will advise him on his executive decisions.

The committee, which will m

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