Amador County – In its last meeting, the Amador Regional Transit System board of directors heard from its manager that the transit system is in the middle of updating its accounting system.

Amador Transit Manager Carla Meyer said the new system, Quick Books, will give accurate, up to the minute accounting, and change a system that is duplicitous and prone to error. Meyer, who took over Amador Transit a year ago, said the old accounting system would have separate entries in the ARTS system, for the accountant and at the county. She said the department is now funneling all of those systems into one version of the budget, in Quick Books.

Meyer also reported that errors were found, as expected in data reporting methodology of the current reporting and tracking system for bus ridership. She said the finding showed Amador Transit is now below the 10 percent “minimum fare box ratio” as required by the California Transportation Development Act.

She also found that dedicated disabled bus routes are erroneously included in the Fair Box Ratio, though those routes are exempt from the requirement. She said she and staffer Maggie Amarant have found the errors, and must “go back to previous years to make those adjustments.”

The ARTS board approved a new contract amendment with accountant Hal Weber, which Meyer said was identical to the Amador County Transportation Commission’s contract with Weber. Commissioner Richard Forster asked if Amador Transit was careful not to lose the value in the contracting with Weber’s minimum 4 hours charge per work. Meyer said she coordinates with the ACTC office, and they always have him for longer than 4 hours.

The contract change was for up to $12,500, but it was not guaranteed, Meyer said, and Amador Transit will save money by not being at the county auditor’s office. They will have to-the-minute accounting, though they will not save in the first year as Weber gets up to speed.

Commission John Plasse said: “I don’t see it taking as much time as it is taking” as he has set up several businesses with Quick Books, and advocated for the change. Meyer said she has two employees working a lot of time on the conversion, but once it is in place it will not be as much time and cost.

Commissioner Keith Sweet asked how many hours it was estimated to take “to bring this funnel down to its final drop.” Meyer said there would be an update in late November, then the finish depends on whether more work is needed.

Plasse asked if the contract would stay on budget with its allowance that “additional assistance may be requested on an as-needed basis,” and whether it needed new verbiage to indicate that. Meyer said it does fall under the $12,500 contract, and she felt comfortable with the verbiage.

The Commissioners removed a three-year renewal clause from the contract.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.