Metro News Release
For immediate release: April 6, 2006
Metro moves to create more oversight through independent Inspector General
A Metro Board committee has approved creating a powerful and independent inspector general, similar to oversight positions in federal and state governments.
Metro’s new Office of Inspector General would replace the current Office of Audit and Inspections headed by an Auditor General. The proposal is scheduled for a final vote April 20, and an inspector general could be hired as early as the fall.
The Metro Board asked the agency’s managers to come up with a proposal last year after congressional legislation was put forward to create an independent inspector general tied to increased funding for the authority.
"We want to move forward with creating the office because it could take some time for the congressional legislation to move forward," said Gladys Mack, Metro Board chair.
The proposed federal legislation would require an amendment to the regional Compact that created Metro, which would have to be approved by the governors and the legislative assemblies in Maryland and Virginia and the mayor and City Council of the District of Columbia.
"This proposal guarantees the establishment an independent inspector general, does it much faster and still meets the spirit of the congressional legislation that has been proposed," said Mack.
The inspector general would take over the same duties that the current auditor general performs, such as investigating contracts, complaints of fraud and waste and abuse. It would also scrutinize departmental activities and programs, review policies, issue recommendations and report the findings. But unlike the auditor general, who was hired and reported to the authority’s general manager, the inspector general would be selected and report to the Metro Board. The office also could subpoena witnesses and documents. The inspector general would still have open lines of communication with the general manager.
"Implementation of an Office of Inspector General is critical to our ongoing efforts to improve accountability, and to reassure the region’s taxpayers and our customers that we are spending their money wisely and efficiently," said Interim General Manager Dan Tangherlini.
The inspector general would have a staff of 27 auditors and serve a maximum of 15 years. The inspector general would make public reports to the Board Audit Committee periodically and submit public annual reports to the governors of Maryland and Virginia and top elected officials in the area served by Metro, Congress and the Federal Transit Administration.
The creation of the office would cost Metro an additional $314,000 in fiscal 2007, which begins in July. The estimated salary of the inspector general would be around $140,000 a year.
Three other bus and rail systems have an inspector general. In New York the position reports to the governor. In Los Angeles and Chicago, the position reports to the transit agencies’ Board of Directors. Metro consulted current and former inspector generals and local members of Congress about the proposal.
"As I understand it, the proposal being considered by WMATA provides sufficient independence for the IG office to carry out effectively its assigned audit, evaluation and investigation responsibilities," said Milton Socolar, former General Accounting Office Comptroller General of the United States.
News release issued on April 6, 2006.