When the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission met in Jefferson City last week, no one mentioned a recent state audit report critical of the Transportation department's use of aircraft.
Chairman Stephen Miller, a Kansas City lawyer, told the News Tribune that no discussion was needed.
Two weeks ago, State Auditor Tom Schweich reported that the Conservation and Transportation departments commissions together "spent approximately $376,000 during the (two) years ended June 30, 2013, flying commission members to commission meetings held across the state," with MoDOT accounting for about $259,000 of the total.
"In contrast," the audit reported, "we estimate transportation of commissioners by car would cost the MoDOT $48,000, and the MDC approximately $34,000 for the two-year audit period, resulting in potential cost savings of approximately $294,000."
The audit did not compare the differences in travel times for the commissioners being flown to and from meetings, but did note that MoDOT and Conservation "are the only state agencies that regularly fly commissioners to commission meetings and other commission-related business," even though "Missouri has numerous state commissions and boards."
The audit recommended that "MoDOT and the MDC reevaluate the necessity of providing state plane transportation to commissioners."
The two departments' responses in the audit said the flights help their commissioners serve people throughout the state.
"The reality is," Miller said in an interview, that commissioners go "all over the state to meet every Missourian - and you simply wouldn't be able to run this commission in that fashion - we wouldn't get out and be able to see Missourians" without using the plane flights.
"Someone who (lives in) St. Joe is not going to be able to make the 7½- or 8-hour trip down to Hayti (in the Bootheel)," Miller explained. "So, it's essential to the functioning of the commission, and we're going to continue to use it as prudently as we deem necessary."
Miller said MoDOT officials have explained the situation to the House and Senate leaders and budget writers.
Some of them, especially in the state Senate last week, complained that the money generated by Missouri taxpayers through fuel purchases, hunting and license fees and the Conservation department's sales tax that voters approved in 1976, could be used better than flying commissioners around the state.
But, Miller said last week: "We have very talented people on this commission who run businesses, who give their time freely to Missourians.
"And we, as a commission, try to be respectful of that time - because, at the end of the day, we've determined that Missourians get a great bang for their buck from the commission - and the air travel is one way that we make that happen."