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Member Counties Embark on NTTA Oversight Review The county judges who oversee the NTTA are undertaking a local review of the Authority’s performance and finances that should yield the best results for North Texas drivers. All believe it is important to identify any issues early and find solutions in a timely manner. This will ensure the NTTA continues to focus on mobility solutions for North Texas.
The judges and the NTTA believe that local oversight is a more proper solution than proposed state “Sunset” oversight that would have conflicted with the NTTA’s local focus and operation.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins says he favors oversight by the four county judges for several reasons. “It’s local control of a local issue, we have the ability for a private sector consultant to drill down into issues to be assessed, and it’s a faster time frame to get information required of the type that companies have to provide.”
The NTTA supports and welcomes local oversight. The Authority believes that its member counties are best suited to evaluate the NTTA’s performance and to usher in change where needed. The NTTA was created to ensure all revenue remains in the region to support mobility projects here, and only here, in North Texas.
The NTTA and its member counties already have structured a formal local review and oversight
process to be implemented within weeks. Local review speeds the process and brings about any needed change much more quickly.
The NTTA issued a Request for Qualifications in May to seek out consultants interested in working on the project. A panel comprised of the four county judges will review responses to this RFQ and will choose an entity to conduct the NTTA review. The NTTA chairman of the board serves on the committee but will not select the firm to review the NTTA.
Crucial initiatives – such as the NTTA’s upcoming procurement of consultant services, board diversity and the evaluation of the NTTA’s toll enforcement practices – will be part of the county oversight process.
The NTTA already has a vigorous and thoroughly engaged internal audit department. In addition to being accountable to the commissioners courts that create and oversee it, the NTTA is accountable to the general public and to the holders of the NTTA’s bonded debt.
“The NTTA is looking forward to this independent, outside review by our member counties,” said NTTA Chairman of the Board Victor Vandergriff. “Should any issues be identified during this external and comprehensive review, the Authority will act quickly to address them.”
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