SAN DIEGO — An internal review has found critical systemic issues with the SR-125 toll operation system.
The investigation follows a lawsuit filed late last year that claimed tens of thousands of drivers were charged incorrectly while driving through the toll.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors and SANDAG Board of Directors met Friday to discuss the findings of the investigation – which found the toll road operation system to be unreliable and led thousands of people to be mischarged.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors is calling for more transparency and accountability at SANDAG.
The calls come after a new investigation determined that the agency lacks the internal controls needed to make sure the SR-125 toll roads financial records are accurately recorded and reported.
“Definitely need to get to the bottom of this," said Nicole Brown, who claims she was unfairly charged.
Brown is an Uber and Lyft driver who says she was unfairly charged after mistakenly taking the toll road.
“I took the 125 by accident, my GPS took me down the toll route and I got a ticket in the mail alter on and it was originally supposed to be only for a couple bucks, maybe 10, and then the ticket after the date went up to 100-and-something dollars," she said.
Last fall, former SANDAG executive - Lauren Warrem - sued the agency, claiming she was fired as retaliation for raising concerns about toll system errors. In doing so - tech problems went public.
“It was at that time that I started making complaints, I felt like I wasn’t being heard, that I wasn’t being listened to. That’s not what they wanted to hear,” Warrem told CBS 8 last November.
The report also found that senior managers at the regional planning agency knew about these issues before the board of directors were alerted.
“SANDAG has suffered significant revenue losses due to a lack of adequate and timely monitoring,” says the report. “At least $1 million in revenue has been lost due to a function in (software) not being turned on.”
Warrem believes there may be errors in up to 45,000 customer accounts.
“I felt wrongly terminated. It was very concerning that we, that SANDAG was misallocating customers’ funds, I mean those were personal funds," she said back in November.
In a statement, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman, Nora Vargas said:
“Today, as a Board, we examined and addressed the substantial and substantiated results presented by the Office of Independent Performance Auditor’s (OIPA) Investigative report. OIPA’s findings highlight blatant errors and a dysfunctional system that short-changes commuters and all who use our roads. San Diegans deserve better,” said Vargas.
“As Chairwoman, I will continue to lead the efforts to institutionalize greater oversight, accountability, and transparency at SANDAG. Our unanimous vote today to adopt initial and immediate steps to begin reforming and restructuring the system is a step in the right direction in my quest to deliver excellence in representation, accountability, and transparency. My commitment is unwavering in ensuring this board takes immediate steps to once and for all make the systemic changes that will restore the public's faith.”
The Board unanimously approved accepting the Audit Committee’s recommendation to implement the 10 recommendations identified in the SR-125 Toll Operations Investigation Report, and 1) continue to work to confirm customer accounts are accurate; 2) validate with management that no future similar issues identified in the State Route 125 contract process will occur in future contracts; and 3) development of a policy for timely reporting on all multi-million dollar projects. The Board also requests the OIPA conduct an investigation to determine whether the SANDAG Legal team, Executive Team, and/or Board members were made aware prior to the Board.
Vargas also called for an Ethics and Compliance Office and strengthened Whistleblower Program at SANDAG, and announced an item would be added to the next Board meeting to continue the Board’s assessment of these matters.
In a statement to CBS 8, Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey said:
"Between the independent auditor's report and the federal investigation, it's clear that SANDAG is a rotten organization. No one that is paying attention is surprised by the news. SANDAG has a history of abusing tax dollars, misleading the public, and circumventing state law. Until there are major, organizational changes, the public should not trust SANDAG."
WATCH RELATED: Chula Vista City Council says SR-125 tolls disproportionately impacts residents