Comments on: AATA Board Treasurer: Where’s My Report?

By: Peter Eckstein

Peter Eckstein — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:50:42 +0000

I am amazed at the resistance to letting the Treasurer of the board submit a written report and have it included in the meeting packet. The notion that nothing should go before the board that does not represent a “team” effort is the most egregious form of Groupthink I have heard of since the early days of the George W. Bush administration. Why can’t the treasurer report and then, if some board members don’t agree, they can say so in the meeting? Or even submit written rebuttals to be included in the packet or passed out in the meeting? This does NOT inspire confidence in the quality of decision-making at the AATA.

By: Steve Bean

Steve Bean — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:15:07 +0000

John, I think that the issue is that the distinction between a “report” and what might be called “communications from” (to use the term used by city council) hasn’t been sufficiently clarified and agreed upon. My impression is that there’s not any effort to prevent or hide a report “on matters within his bailiwick”, just to not have it include those that extend beyond it into personal opinions.

By: John Floyd

John Floyd — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:51:42 +0000

It is a foundational principle of financial control that a Treasurer’s comments should never be vetted or filtered through any one, or any committee – they should go straight to the top of his organization’s food chain. That is, part of the function of a Treasurer, in any organization, is to speak directly to his Board, on matters within his bailiwick, without interference from anyone. That is likely why the provision of a Treasurer’s report is in the by-laws. AATA might not be able to get a clean audit report if, as a matter of policy, the Treasurer is muzzled or filtered before his board.

By: Rod Johnson

Rod Johnson — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:06:43 +0000

David and I overlapped there, so let me just vote “waste of time.”

By: Rod Johnson

Rod Johnson — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:05:55 +0000

Did anyone else experience a slight feeling of unreality reading this? They talked about whether to include the treasurer’s report in the meeting packet (!), moving the meeting across the street, which would involve changing the bylaws (!) and, um, crossing the street (!?), the digital format of meeting packets and the survey vendor. Is there no actual transportation-related business to discuss? Do they not have a staff?

By: David Lewis

David Lewis — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:03:23 +0000

Good coverage. Some might see this meeting as a possible waste of time but it is good to see these fundamental discussions taking place.

AATA is a solid transportation service and they seem to be heading in a good direction, preparing to provide full service for the next logical step, commuter rail.