Here is my letter to the Treasurer and Auditor:
30 September 2007
Hon. Cary Kennedy,
Office of the State Treasurer
140 State Capital
Denver, CO 80203
RE: Colorado Historical Society; Georgetown Loop Railroad
Dear Ms. Kennedy,
Once again, one of Colorado's premier tourist attractions, the Georgetown Loop Railroad, under the direction of the Colorado Historical Society, has staggered to the end of the season, having managed to conduct actual tourist train operations for about half of the season. This is the third dismal year of Loop operations, following the Colorado Historical Society's ill-advised 2004 discharge of the previous operator of 31 years, an operator who built the Loop into a world-class attraction. Not only has the non-availability of train service disappointed thousands of Colorado visitors, it has turned the State into the object of scorn, ridicule and derision in the blogsphere nationwide. The existing situation negatively impacts not only the finances of the Society, but those of the businesses of Clear Creek County as well. Indeed, I think the last three years of Loop operation have been deleterious to the State of Colorado in general.
Since the the Colorado Historical Society has thrown hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars (they apparently can't/won't disclose any precise financial figures) at the Loop over the past three years─trying to make a horribly wrong decision right again─and since operations nevertheless continue to progressively deteriorate, it seems to me that there is a desperate need for a financial inquiry into the Society's operation of the Loop and its related expenditures for the last four years.
I am therefore requesting that you conduct an exhaustive audit of the financial affairs of the Colorado Historical Society as they relate to the operation of the Georgetown Loop for the years 2004-2007, particularly to determine if there has been any legal impropriety in expenditure of taxpayer resources.
Not being an attorney, I do not know what guidelines govern the State investigating itself. If an audit cannot be conducted by your office in this matter, I would appreciate it if you would pass this request on to the appropriate Federal jurisdiction.
Thank you for your time and assistance.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Rowe
CC: Sally Symanski, CPA, State Auditor
200 E. 14th Avenue
Denver, CO 80203-2211
