State Rep. Deborah Silcox (R-Sandy Springs), chairperson of the General Assembly committee that supervises MARTA’s budget, wants a review of the city-backed audit that said the transit agency could owe Atlanta taxpayers $70 million.
Silcox said in a letter to MARTA’s board of directors that Mauldin & Jenkins, the firm hired by the city last year to audit the More MARTA transit expansion program, appeared to use a process that could lead to “potentially significant miscalculations.”
Silcox also said she was troubled that MARTA’s responses to issues raised by auditors were disregarded in the final report. Leaving out the responses raises “concerns about the impartiality and thoroughness of the audit process,” she said.
Silcox recommended the MARTA board of directors engage the firm KPMG to “conduct an independent review of Mauldin & Jenkins’ work” that she said would “provide a more accurate, objective assessment and address the concerns that have emerged.”
KPMG is already auditing MARTA for state legislative committee, Silcox noted.
Several board members agreed with Silcox’s concerns at the Aug. 22 business management committee meeting, including chairperson Kathryn Powers.
“It was certainly disappointing I know for MARTA leadership and for me personally as the chair, that those concerns were not included in the audit,” Powers said.
“If there’s something that needs to be corrected, I want it corrected. I think we all do. I think the board stands firm on that,” added Freda Hardage. “But some of the way it’s been handled, we all agree it is questionable, and so I feel like the best thing that we can do is bring in, I guess, at this point, a third party.”
Michael Smith, press secretary for Mayor Andre Dickens, did not address Silcox’s letter in written statement. Instead, he said the Mauldin & Jenkins audit “speaks for itself.”
“[T]he scope and parameters were agreed upon by both parties after protracted pushback by MARTA,” Smith said. “However, Mayor Dickens draws circles and looks forward to engaging with MARTA leadership to execute all recommendations with urgency for the good of Atlantans and the entire region.”
This story has been updated with a comments from MARTA board members and from the office of Mayor Andre Dickens.