The state Department of Transportation board has voted to reassign its longtime treasurer. This comes as the Department continues to clean-up its books in addressing a 1.2 billion dollar deficit.
DOT officials say the re-assignment of Earl Mahfuz to assistant treasurer is not a demotion, but simply part of a long-term plan to address an expected run of senior staff retirements in the next few years. Mahfuz is within 18 months of reaching 30 years of state service.
But the move does come as the DOT has spent the past month going through its books to correct what a state audit report called "material weaknesses" in its accounting.
The DOT’s David Spear says the process has yielded good results:
"The good news relative to the deficit is that we’re whittling it down day-by-day taking steps to get our fiscal ’08 books balanced"
Spear says the deficit is now down to only 6 to 7 million dollars, down from 1.2 billion. But, he says going forward into the fiscal '09 year, the DOT's budget may only be half of its previous 2-billion dollar amount.
Spear also says that while he understands why Georgia taxpayers might have skepticism over the DOT's operations in recent years, that will change in the near future:
"I’m sure we’ve shaken their trust over the last few months in the department. I think what they’re going to see going forward through this transition which is a painful one...I think they’re going to see a department that is more responsive, is more responsible and will be focusing on the things that really do yield the most benefit".
DOT officials say the re-assignment of Earl Mahfuz to assistant treasurer is not a demotion, but simply part of a long-term plan to address an expected run of senior staff retirements in the next few years. Mahfuz is within 18 months of reaching 30 years of state service.
But the move does come as the DOT has spent the past month going through its books to correct what a state audit report called "material weaknesses" in its accounting.
The DOT’s David Spear says the process has yielded good results:
"The good news relative to the deficit is that we’re whittling it down day-by-day taking steps to get our fiscal ’08 books balanced"
Spear says the deficit is now down to only 6 to 7 million dollars, down from 1.2 billion. But, he says going forward into the fiscal '09 year, the DOT's budget may only be half of its previous 2-billion dollar amount.
Spear also says that while he understands why Georgia taxpayers might have skepticism over the DOT's operations in recent years, that will change in the near future:
"I’m sure we’ve shaken their trust over the last few months in the department. I think what they’re going to see going forward through this transition which is a painful one...I think they’re going to see a department that is more responsive, is more responsible and will be focusing on the things that really do yield the most benefit".
