Posted on Thu, Dec. 21, 2006

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Griping reigns at meeting

‘We heard a lot of frustration’ from the public, panel’s chairwoman says

By RODDIE A. BURRIS

rburris@thestate.com

The House committee investigating problems at the state Department of Transportation got an earful from the public Wednesday — but it wasn’t what legislators wanted to hear.

The committee wrapped up a series of meetings with DOT personnel, commissioners who lead the agency and the public.

During Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners said they knew little about how the agency was being operated.

The public knew less.

“Restructuring has to start with the engineering department,” said Harold Jones of Springdale, who complained about the recent widening of Platt Springs Road in Lexington County. “They treated me like a nobody, and I don’t appreciate it.”

The committee is trying to get to the bottom of an audit found the agency misspent millions of public dollars and may have hidden money from the General Assembly.

DOT director Elizabeth Mabry stepped down Tuesday.

Nearly two dozen people spoke before the committee Wednesday.

They complained about topics such as priority lists for road projects, environmental degradation by the department, and federal plans to build a bridge from Lone Star to Rimini across Lake Marion.

“We heard a lot of frustration,” said Rep. Annette Young, R-Dorchester and chairwoman of the study committee. “We were hoping to get more people in to give us ideas on how they want their government to work.”

Young said it is too early to predict what the committee will recommend. She said the committee hoped to hear more from Transportation employees. “They don’t feel comfortable talking,” she concluded.

However, Young produced a letter from employees suggesting numerous areas the committee should investigate. Young gave the letter to acting director Tony Chapman and directed him to find answers to the employees’ questions by Jan. 3.

DOT restructuring is at the top of some legislators’ to-do lists when they return next month, but they don’t appear ready to turn the agency over to Gov. Mark Sanford, who wants it to be under his direct control.

“At present I’m not for making it a Cabinet agency,” said Rep. Brian White, R-Anderson. “One person in charge could make it worse.”

Reach Burris at (803) 771-8398.

WHAT’S NEXT

The House Department of Transportation Study Committee will meet again Jan. 3 to review testimony and begin hashing out possible reforms for the agency.

The Senate also has two special subcommittees investigating the DOT audit. They held meetings in December and are expected to meet again next month before issuing recommendations.

Some legislation has been pre-filed dealing with restructuring state agencies, including DOT.