SANTA ANA, Calif.—The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), the county’s transportation planning commission, formally elected its new chairman and vice-chairman Jan. 10, an annual tradition that occurs at the beginning of the year. Mayor of Orange Mark Murphy, who had been serving as vice-chairman, was chosen to serve as chairman to replace outgoing Chairman Andrew Do. Gene Hernandez, who had been serving the board as a director and is the mayor pro tem of Yorba Linda, was selected to serve as vice-chairman. Both Murphy and Hernandez were chosen unanimously to serve as this year’s leaders by the board’s 17 directors. The chairman of the transportation authority is tasked with leading all board meetings and working with staff to ensure transportation programs and improvement projects remain on track throughout the year, according to OCTA spokesman Eric Carpenter. “In the last couple of years … the chair has helped OCTA set priorities …