San Antonio International Airport Receives 47 Recommendations for Improvement

March 2, 2004

Airport Receives 47 Recommendations for Improvement
News 9 San Antonio, TX
  
  
Of the 47 recommendations for improvement in the
audit, the airport has only taken some into
consideration.
 
It's an expanding airport with renovations and added
service to foreign cities.

Four years ago the aviation director at the San
Antonio International Airport asked for an audit.

The airport was installing a new, $1.5 million
computer system, to track payments for parking.

Now, the audit is done.

Auditors found concerns with that expensive system and
much more.

The report showed the biggest concern was parking. The
garage brings in more than $10 million a year — most
in cash. 

The auditor found the potential loss of that money is
a big risk to the aviation department and the city. 

The audit shows the airport does not do a good job of
tracking tickets in the parking garage. The report
indicates the structure allows opportunity for
mishandling money and fraud.

It does not, however, note money has been stolen, but
shows airport parking earned well below forecasted
revenue estimates since 1997.

"We can't say with certainty there is any missing
money. All we can say is when you don't make your
revenue projections and you can't explain it other
than the general global statement about 911 and the
economy, then you need to take a close look,” says
Patricia Major, San Antonio city auditor. 

The computer system is installed now, but the report
blasted the installation process.

Major and others say it should have taken six months,
but took 20.

The aviation director says it will help keep close
track of money.

"We think we're very, very well covered with this
system. We think we're very well covered with the
audit and the fact that we're implementing a number of
the items, but down the road, it wouldn't stop me from
asking for another audit,” says aviation director
Kevin Dolliole. 

Of the 47 recommendations for improvement in the
audit, the airport has only taken some into
consideration.

"We would prefer that instead of taking only a fourth
of our recommendations or a third of them, that the
airport would take all of them and implement them,”
Major says.

"There's duplications in there, there's items that are
already being done, there's a number that were
accepted,” Dolliole notes. 

That misunderstanding might be all about the newness
of audits in this city.

The auditor stresses the importance that council
members explain to city departments what the auditor's
office expects in the coming years.

The city auditor’s office and airport management will
continue working together to follow up on some of the
concerns in the audit.

The next audit to come will focus on the Convention
and Visitors Bureau and the Convention Center.



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