As state lawmakers await the release of a performance audit of the state Department of Transportation, the largely unaccountable agency continues to demonstrate why substantive reform is needed. This huge state agency -- with a $1 billion budget and 5,000 employees -- makes spending decisions that prove it doesn't sweat over every dollar that it spends, even as it is begging the state for more money.

Add even one more item to the long list of expenditures that calls into question DOT's stewardship of limited revenue: State transportation officials have paid more than $108,000 to private consultants for a report outlining what should be contained in an internal maintenance manual. As Greenville News reporter Tim Smith reported on Sunday, DOT paid this money to consultants to outline what was needed in the manual to be used by young engineers, not for the actual manual that's still being developed.

This comes on top of Smith's recent story about DOT awarding a contract to manage the state's highway sign logos to a firm that will provide DOT $1 million less in revenue over the life of the contract than its nearest competitor.

And it's added to a list of questionable practices that includes: spending $250 million on private consultants in an accelerated road project program, buying four SUVs for four agency executives, paying a highway commissioner $111,000 in between his board terms for public relations work for the agency's executive director and not showing a sense of urgency in billing for federal transportation aid.

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A road map for reform at the DOT could be found in the pages of a performance audit from the Legislative Audit Council that should be released in early November. This audit was requested by state lawmakers after DOT Chairman Tee Hooper of Greenville alleged mismanagement at the state agency and Greenville News stories highlighted some spending and hiring decisions.

Two Senate committees already are planning to study the year-long audit of the state agency. Internal reforms within DOT to ensure that it spends limited revenue more wisely surely are needed, but real, lasting reform will not come until the state agency answers more directly to the state's governor.

Currently the governor appoints only the DOT board chairman. Legislators appoint the six commissioners. Gov. Mark Sanford wants restructuring that in some form makes DOT accountable to the governor. Without such dramatic change, the culture and practices at DOT will not change -- at least not for long.

Post a Comment   View All Comments Inherent Vice I always thought their policy of hiring as many people as needed to lean on all available shovels was rather unqiue. Inherent Vice Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:44 pm AwesomeDude The DOT is lame! And believe me, it's not just in SC. I can't think of one state that has a decent Department Of Transportation. (Including the one at the Federal level.) The one in GA is just as bad. I read that some road was gonna be widened (finally) and it would be completed in 2010! I was like "2010? WTF? How about this year?" And do keep in mind that they could do that, if they would utilize Technology. If they did, they could complete roads in weeks. (MAYBE a few months for the really major stuff like Bridge Construction.) And things would be cheaper, quicker, safer, more accurate and reliable, and less error-prone, if they did that! Yes, I could write a book about the DOT. One of my recent comments was that they are "...a waste of Tax Dollars.". One time I was talking about what might happen if someone like me went and fixed all the roads, and let them have the credit for it? How long would it take them to mess up something else? (LOL Probably within 6 months, I would bet...) I just read that article and quite frankly, nothing is much of a surprise. The overspending is common in just about any Government Agency (at any level) so that was no surprise either... As far as should something be done about it? Hell yeah! ASAP. Of course, it's not like that's the only thing wrong I don't guess... What's gonna have to happen is ALL the stuff must be fixed. It's gonna be long and slow, but nothing is going to be right until it has been made right. That's just how it is. So yeah, correct you are! The DOT needs reform like a fish needs water! AwesomeDude Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:16 am ludwig DOT not only needs to be cleaned up they need to be required to hire literate people who speak English fluently can read north, south, east, northeast, southeast, et al I have traveled this country and South Carolina and North Carolina seem to have the worst sort of illiteracy in the DOT ranks. Recently I ask a DOT worker in North Carolina for directions since they had my exit closed off. This person could not speak a word of English and furthermore cause some near miss accidents as the result of his inability to give proper directions or speak English. Ever notice in Greenville the signs that say ATLANTA north? That is just one of the examples of the stupidity of these folks. Atlanta is not NORTH but South and more accurately Southwest. Columbia is not South but East of Greenville. Several years ago a British tourist was killed on I-85 in the Greenville area because the signs led him to take the wrong direction lane. Also remember that DOT knocked down every bridge etc when they were redoing bridges in Greenville and widening 385? These folks did not give any consideration to the traveling public and knocked down every bridge and access before it was needed to do so. So let's not only clean up DOT but make sure their people speak English fluently, know North from South, and forbid them from tearing down and closing exits that will be some months down the road, if ever, of repairing or redesigning/making improvements. ludwig Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:29 pm Post a Comment   View All Comments