North by Northwest 09: A Slight Update…

Island Transit 411C Photo by Author

Figured some may wonder why I haven’t filed anything since Saturday.  My apologies, have been truly busy writing up notes from the audio from Friday’s Island Transit Board Meeting and with other non-transit responsibilities.  Also am grateful I got one of my posts (North by Northwest 08) promoted to the main blog – and sincerely appreciate & invite all non-spammy (aka non-49er) comments there.

That said, some updates…

• Special thanks to Tawnya Smith, Legislative Assistant to Representative David Hayes and Mary “Marummy” Lane Strow of the House Republicans Comm Shop for getting my sticky hands on a 1 August 2014 10th Legislative District Letter with four questions for the Washington State Auditor’s Office (SAO) to mull over.  Most important parts:
  

  “The article states that Island Transit had $6.2 million in reserves in 2010 with $4 million dedicated to the matching funds for the facility. That leaves $2.2 million in reserves. The article continues by stating that Savary spent $1.2 million of the reserve over the next two years. That should have left a balance of $1.0 million in reserves. Now they need loans totaling another $2.3 million to cover the matching money and operating expenses. This accounts for $3.3 million dollars that is in question, is there a detailed accounting of these expenditures?”
  “It appears to us that Island Transit started drawing down their reserves in 2010. Can you look back at the previous audits and see if the auditor was given correct information to provide an accurate audit report?”

• Thanks to Tawyna Smith also for State Auditor Troy Kelley’s response letter and the only important part was the below with my emphasis:
  

  “Based on our communications with the Executive Director, we are scheduled to start an audit at Island Transit on August 11 , 2014. Our financial and single audit will review the Transit’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2013 financial statements and federal compliance. After examining the documents you provided along with the District’s activities, we will also conduct an accountability audit to evaluate their internal controls that ensure compliance for the safeguarding, and use of, public resources.“

• I will be riding ze Sounder North on Friday afternoon in part to conduct interviews from regular users for a future investigative piece.  So if you happen to see this avgeek get on at the Mukilteo station at 5:47 or 6:17, flag me down please and I’ll interview you on how you feel about the service.
• Again, I have the audio from Friday’s Island Transit Board meeting on YouTube.  Listening and making notes in the evening while I edit photos… tentatively a go for a Sunday Special.  Once done with that, we’ll see what’s next.
• Finally anybody besides me interested in a piece about transit photography?

With that, please keep comments to the above items.  I’ll reply to almost any comment… as I believe news is a conversation.