Posted on Fri, Oct. 27, 2006

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The conflict over DOT leadership

By ELIZABETH S. MABRY

Guest columnist

In response to the widely reported criticism of me by Transportation Commission Chairman Tee Hooper, it is only fair that your readership hear the rest of the story.

When Gov. Mark Sanford appointed Tee Hooper chairman in 2003, Mr. Hooper apparently came with a mission. It is now clear that the mission was to put the agency under the control of the governor. Mr. Hooper’s strategy: Destroy the reputation of the Transportation Department.

He is well-suited to wreck the career efforts of hard-working people because at the time of appointment he had just finished serving 10 years on the board of directors of HomeGold. HomeGold lost $278 million and cost thousands of South Carolinians their life savings.

By destroying the reputation of the department, Mr. Hooper and his allies could claim the need for “reform.” He began by surreptitiously contacting employees to seek out as much damaging hearsay as he could find. He also used subterfuge by misrepresenting himself and his motive. Never did he offer a vision, guidance or even criticism directly to the department.

In the corporate boardrooms of America, when a chairman has questions or sincerely wants changes to improve performance, it is brought before the board and management to review and resolve. Instead, he presented a letter to the Transportation Commission that summarized his charges based on anecdotal information, and in part from anonymous sources, with his recommendation that I be fired. Before giving me the time or courtesy to respond, the letter was leaked to the media. This is not “leadership” this is the antithesis of leadership.

Mr. Hooper’s efforts prompted a formal review by the Legislative Audit Council. Typically, audits focus on the negative and downplay the positive. Therefore, the final audit report will no doubt emphasize the negative. In fairness you should remember there are two sides to every issue, including an audit opinion. I am sure that Mr. Hooper and his allies will attempt to use this audit as justification for his attack. But please remember that the department has accomplished many great things without Mr. Hooper’s help:

• It is rated as the second most cost-effective state transportation department in the nation. That rating is by an independent national study published by the Reason Foundation.

• In 1999, it initiated the “27-in-7” Accelerated Construction Program, which saved taxpayers between $3 billion and $10 billion. The result: South Carolinians are driving on roads today that would not have been completed until 2026.

• The department completed the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston on budget and one year ahead of schedule.

• The leadership changed the culture of the organization to ensure integrated management and a partnering approach to local issues.

• The department installed cable barriers in record time to save hundreds of lives and is re-engineering roads for bicyclists and pedestrians.

• The department has been awarded numerous international, national and state awards for quality construction, financial management, safety, environmental mitigation and innovation.

And last Thursday, even as Mr. Hooper publicly criticized me, the department was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, becoming only the fourth state transportation department in the nation to receive this distinction.

You can verify these accomplishments by contacting the transportation and construction industry and asking them how South Carolina has fared under my leadership. They will also tell you that because of Mr. Hooper’s disruptive actions, a great economic engine is about to be starved. The Transportation Department and the construction industry provide the vital arteries over which commerce is moved. Moreover, the department’s work provides jobs for more than 20,000 South Carolinians in the private sector!

Mr. Hooper’s effort to wreck the department and stop this economic growth engine is politically driven. There is no honor in that.

During my tenure, the department has acted responsibly and in the best interest of the taxpayers. We stand by our solid record of performance.

Some readers may think I am simply defending my reputation. It is more than that. It is an outstanding organization of dedicated and talented people who care about what they do. It is not a “thing.” I am defending these men and women who have achieved tremendous success with great efficiency. They are true craftsmen, and they have suffered because of Mr. Hooper’s negativity.

In all organizations, public and private, there will be times when performance could have been better. There will always be differences of opinion whether an expenditure is a prudent investment or a waste of funds. Constructive debate will be beneficial. However, it is poor leadership and morally wrong to publicly demean, embarrass and belittle people because you disagree with them, or to further a political agenda. Public employees are not pawns for people in power to use for political gain.

It is easy to be a critic. It is hard to be a craftsman. In June, I published my vision for the future of transportation in South Carolina (at http://www.scdot.org/). As we move forward for South Carolina, perhaps Mr. Hooper will join us.

Ms. Mabry is the executive director at the S.C. Department of Transportation.