Score: +8 (10/0/2)

Napa County Grand Jury • 2009-2010

Napa County Transportation and Planning Agency

Published: May 26, 2010 20 pages

View Original PDF

⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings and Recommendations 14 findings

F1

The original intent of the NCTPA was to provide transportation services for Napa County residents.

No recommendations for this finding

F2

Staffing and funding was increased to provide non-transportation services

No recommendations for this finding

F3

The NCTPA has become the de-facto forward planning agency for Napa County and its municipalities.

No recommendations for this finding

F4

Fare box collections account for approximately 15 percent of the 2009- 2010 VINE Operating Cost of $4,736,713.

No recommendations for this finding

F5

The current NCTPA budget is difficult to understand due to combining transportation and non-transportation revenue and expenses.

Related Recommendations (1)

R4

Prepare and publish a budget summary each year with sufficient detail which can be easily understood by the public

F6

VINE ridership is trending downward increasing the cost per person trip

No recommendations for this finding

F7

Passenger subsidies have doubled in the past eight years.

No recommendations for this finding

F8

New state of the art vehicles have been purchased and more ordered while ridership is decreasing.

No recommendations for this finding

F9

Many activities of the NCTPA “Overall Work Program F/Y 2009-2010” are for non-transportation related activities.

Related Recommendations (1)

R3

Focus on NCTPA stated main purpose of providing for transportation planning and services delivery

F10

The BOD of the NCTPA has failed to follow up on certain audit findings and recommendations.

Related Recommendations (1)

R1

Create oversight committees, including an audit committee

F11

The BOD approves issues with potential policy and financial impact by consent agenda without discussion.

Related Recommendations (1)

R1

Create oversight committees, including an audit committee

F12

The Agricultural Workers Vanpool Program started with a pilot program under a State grant and the program needs to be self-sufficient by June 2011.

Related Recommendations (1)

R5

Develop a plan for the Agricultural Worker Vanpool Program to be self sufficient after June 2011

F13

The Single Audit Report 2008-2009 indicates there were eight areas of deficiency, some of which had been brought to the attention of the BOD in previous audits.

Related Recommendations (1)

R2

Correct the deficiencies listed in the latest outside audit and other regulatory agency reviews 14

F14

The NCTPA was able to secure ARRA funds for the repair/maintenance of local and county roadways. Continuation of funding for future repair and maintenance programs throughout the County is unclear.

Related Recommendations (1)

R6

Establish a plan to seek ongoing funding for street and roadway repair and maintenance REQUEST FOR RESPONSES The Grand Jury requests responses from: NCTPA Board of Directors for all re

Agency Responses 1

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

Napa County Transportation and Planning Agency Board of Directors

July 26, 2010 • 14 pages • 12 responses • Score: +8 (+10, 0, -2) View Details ▾

PDF

12 responses to findings and recommendations

F1

The original intent of the NCTPA was to provide transportation services for Napa County residents.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The original intent of the NCTPA was to provide transportation services for Napa County residents. Response - NCTPA: Staff in spirit agrees with this Finding but would like to clarify to the Napa County residents the agency's authority under its Joint Power Agreement. The agency was created by its Member Jurisdictions to provide coordinated transportation planning and transportation services within the County of Napa. Specifically: 1. General. NCTPA is to serve as the countywide transportation planning body for the incorporated and unincorporated areas within Napa County, and as an advisory bo...

F2

Staffing and funding was increased to provide non-transportation services

Response: Agree Score: +1

Staffing and funding was increased to provide non-transportation services Response - NCTPA: Staff does not concur with this Finding as stated and written in the Grand Jury Report. Specifically; (page 9 Section vi) Additional Activities "Mission Creep"; which lists the NCTPA comprehensive planning activities proposed to be undertaken during FY 2009-2010. Each year, NCTPA develops an Overall Work Program (OWP). Prior to FY 2009-2010, the agency's OWP was simply a Table of Contents which listed the program categories and tasks that the agency was to undertake. This current version describes the p...

F4

Fare box collections account for approximately 15 percent of the 2009- 2010 VINE Operating Cost of $4,736,713.

Response: Agree Score: +1

, NCTPA is awaiting completion of several key studies and Marketing Plan to help restructure its transit system and services. Several modifications to existing services and operations as well as new services and promotions implemented early in 2010 are beginning to show positive trends. Additionally, the Board has taken steps to eliminate unproductive services over the past year. Finding 7: Passenger subsidies have doubled in the past eight years. Response - NCTPA: Staff concurs with this Finding as written. Subsidies help to keep fares affordable while reducing roadway congestion. There is ...

F5

The current NCTPA budget is difficult to understand due to combining transportation and non-transportation revenue and expenses.

Response: Disagree Score: -1

The current NCTPA budget is difficult to understand due to combining transportation and non-transportation revenue and expenses. Response - NCTPA: The Executive Director does not agree with this Finding as written. Combining transportation and non-transportation revenue and expenses is not the primary reason that makes the current NCTPA budget difficult to understand. Similar to the reason stated above, NCTPA after re-evaluating its accounting system at the beginning of FY 2009-2010 made a conscience decision to shift to an accrual based as opposed to cash based system. The main problem with a...

F6

VINE ridership is trending downward increasing the cost per person trip

Response: Agree Score: +1

VINE ridership is trending downward increasing the cost per person trip Response - NCTPA: Staff concurs with this Finding as written. However, as noted in the above response to Finding 4, NCTPA is awaiting completion of several key studies and Marketing Plan to help restructure its transit system and services. Several modifications to existing services and operations as well as new services and promotions implemented early in 2010 are beginning to show positive trends. Additionally, the Board has taken steps to eliminate unproductive services over the past year. Finding 7: Passenger subsidie...

F8

New state of the art vehicles have been purchased and more ordered while ridership is decreasing.

Response: Disagree Score: -1

New state of the art vehicles have been purchased and more ordered while ridership is decreasing. Response - NCTPA: Staff does not agree with this Finding as written. The older buses get, the more money it costs to maintain them which is partly due to wear-and-tear, but also because the technology used in vehicles is becoming obsolete. Often an aging diverse fleet means that there is a greater likelihood that your system is out of production; the technology is no longer supported; and parts are becoming scarce - all of which makes maintenance and reliability more difficult and costly. NCTPA i...

F9

Many activities of the NCTPA “Overall Work Program F/Y 2009-2010” are for non-transportation related activities.

Response: Agree Score: +1

Many activities of the NCTPA "Overall Work Program F/Y 2009-2010" are for nontransportation related activities. Response - Executive Director NCTPA: The Executive Director does not concur with this Finding as written. As previously explained, of the sixty-six items shown on pages 10 and 11 there are approximately seven that are nontransportation related activities. The OWP is structured to look at where the agency has been over the past twelve months (activities that are either nearing completion or are continuing) and to look ahead to where the agency needs to be over the next twelve months. ...

F10

The BOD of the NCTPA has failed to follow up on certain audit findings and recommendations.

Response: Agree Score: +1

, NCTPA continues its efforts toward addressing all areas of deficiencies cited in the various audits completed to date. In addition, NCTPA has researched prior actions taken by the BOD to ensure that the appropriate action is taken to ensure compliance with all Federal, State, and Local requirements. On July 21, 2010, NCTPA plans to present its action plan and schedule for the delivery of its suite of policies and procedures for each of its respective business processes. The goal is to have them in place by the end of the fiscal year 2010/2011. In addition, NCTPA staff will ask that the Board...

F11

The BOD approves issues with potential policy and financial impact by consent agenda without discussion.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The BOD approves issues with potential policy and financial impact by consent agenda without discussion. Response - NCTPA: Staff does not concur with this Finding as written. Starting in 2009 management has made a conscience effort on matters with potential policy and financial impact to introduce them over the course of several Board meetings. This helps to ensure that adequate guidance and direction is given by its BOD to staff before any final action is taken. Finding 12: The Agricultural Workers Vanpool Program started with a pilot program under a State grant and the program needs to be ...

F12

The Agricultural Workers Vanpool Program started with a pilot program under a State grant and the program needs to be self-sufficient by June 2011.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The Agricultural Workers Vanpool Program started with a pilot program under a State grant and the program needs to be self-sufficient by June 201l. Response - NCTPA: Staff concurs with this Finding as written. Finding 13: The Single Audit Report 2008-2009 indicates there were eight areas of deficiency, some of which had been brought to the attention of the BOD in previous audits. Response - NCTPA: Staff concurs with this Finding as written. As previously stated in the above response to Finding 10, NCTPA continues its efforts toward addressing all areas of deficiencies cited in the various au...

F13

The Single Audit Report 2008-2009 indicates there were eight areas of deficiency, some of which had been brought to the attention of the BOD in previous audits.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The Single Audit Report 2008-2009 indicates there were eight areas of deficiency, some of which had been brought to the attention of the BOD in previous audits. Response - NCTPA: Staff concurs with this Finding as written. As previously stated in the above response to Finding 10, NCTPA continues its efforts toward addressing all areas of deficiencies cited in the various audits completed to date. In addition, NCTPA has researched prior actions taken by the BOD to ensure that the appropriate action is taken to ensure compliance with all Federal, State, and Local requirements. On July 21, 2010, ...

F14

The NCTPA was able to secure ARRA funds for the repair/maintenance of local and county roadways. Continuation of funding for future repair and maintenance programs throughout the County is unclear.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The NCTPA was able to secure ARRA funds for the repair/maintenance of local and county roadways. Continuation of funding for future repair and maintenance programs throughout the County is unclear. <b>Response</b> - <b>NCTPA</b>: Staff concurs with this Finding as written. The 2009-2010 Grand Jury recommends that the NCTPA BOD: Recommendation 1: Create oversight committees, including an audit committee Response - NCTPA: On September 16, 2009, the NCTPA Board of Directors created the "Transit Efficiency Committee" to assist the full Board in the monitoring the performance of the Transit Serv...