Eric Eyre and Scott Finn continue to impress us with their reporting - whether it has been in education or, most recently, their articles which reveal questionable spending in the state's $23.7 million Wheels to Work program. This investigation cited the Human Resources Development Foundation, which was recently awarded a $1 million grant, instead of the Good News Mountaineer Garage.

We are pleased that senators Rowe and Unger have asked for a hearing and review. However, it is regrettable that newspaper reporters and legislators must provide the oversight which should be occurring within the department itself.

In light of our organization's experience with the Good News Mountaineer Garage - and years of work with Barbara Bayes and Arla Ralston when they headed Legal Aid and advocated for the rights of the poor then and now - we think the Good News Mountaineer Garage should have been awarded the contract for some of the following reasons:

• They rely 100 percent on donated vehicles, and received 427 such donations during a two-year period.
• They developed written procedures and forms for all aspects of running a program.
• They have mechanics on staff and a working mechanic apprentice program.
• Noting its success, DHHR decided to adopt the Good News system as the model for the statewide car donation program.

• Purchased 1,250 cars not only from used car dealers, but from their own organization and employees.
• Received 25 donated cars during a two-year period.
• Had a 2 percent donation rate when past contracts with DHHR required that 10 percent of vehicles be donated.
• Has not had staff trained nor forms developed in the operation of a car donation program.
• Based on the high costs of the foundation's program (and those of other Wheels vendors), DHHR decided to abandon car leasing in favor of a more effective and efficient car donation program.

While the above points are not an exhaustive list, they and others should be part of the public record.

What an outrage that the Good News Mountaineer Garage - a nonprofit organization with a proven track record, regarded as a model for the statewide donated car program, and praised by state officials for effectiveness - would not receive the contract.

Upon closer examination of names mentioned in the articles, though, we are not surprised. Having helped create the Wheels to Work program, one former DHHR official assumed a position in the foundation and has apparently received contracts through that same DHHR office.

Having the inside track should not eliminate the most worthy competition. It leads us to ask: What is the relationship between individuals from DHHR making decisions and those of the Wheels to Work program? Who chose committee members deciding on the competing proposals? And, therefore, who ultimately benefited from those decisions? Was there an unfair advantage?

Decisions and awarded contracts become suspect if they are based on who you know, not what you know, what has been accomplished or the merits of proposals themselves. Who wrote and submitted the proposal? Who decided that running a leasing program would count as equal experience with running a car donation program? And why did DHHR decide not to provide a hearing or independent review of the committee's decision? While actions may not be illegal, potential conflicts of interest need close examination.

There's too much work to be done in the state and on behalf of those living in poverty to squander the diminishing resources. Many of West Virginia's poverty problems begin with, or are aggravated by, a lack of rural transportation opportunities, be they private or public. Where there was at least one good nonprofit transportation program, through the Good News Mountaineer Garage, now there is a good chance there will be none.

Hussey and Ferraro are co-directors of Charleston's Covenant House.

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