Senator Tom Davis Appointed to Port Oversight Committee
Majority Leader Peeler: “Tom Davis’ knowledge, experience, and commitment to running an efficient port operation made him the obvious choice.”
Columbia, SC – July 6, 2009 – South Carolina Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler announced today that he has recommended State Senator Tom Davis (R-Beaufort) for appointment to the State Ports Authority Legislative Oversight Committee. The 10-member legislative committee was recently created with the passage of the port-restructuring bill to help ensure stability and efficiency in state ports operations.
The new port-restructuring bill creates a 10-member legislative oversight committee, one of whom is appointed by the Senator Glenn McConnell, the Senate President Pro Tempore, upon the recommendation of the Senator Harvey Peeler, the Senate Majority Leader.
In appointing Senator Davis, a former member of the State Ports Authority Board, to the committee, Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler said, “Tom Davis’ knowledge, experience, and commitment to running an efficient port operation made him the obvious choice.”
“Senator Davis will take a conservative approach to the oversight committee that ensures accountability and a focus on economic development. His extensive background and knowledge of port issues is exactly what we need on this committee,” Senator Peeler continued.
In response, Senator Davis commented “I am pleased that Senator Peeler recommended me to Senator McConnell to serve on the committee and accept that appointment.”
He continued, “I sincerely appreciate the faith that Senator Peeler has shown in me. It is no secret that I opposed the port-restructuring bill, but now that it has become law it is time to move on and do the best we can for South Carolina ports. And in that regard, I think I am well suited and qualified to oversee the operations of the South Carolina State Ports Authority and to screen the qualifications of new members to the ports authority board to ensure that the its objectives are met.”
The three legislative objects set forth in the port-restructuring bill:
• Section 54-3-115 of the new law requires the ports authority to: 1) “expeditiously develop a port in Jasper County in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement for Development of a Jasper Ocean Terminal on the Savannah River within the State of South Carolina that was entered into between the South Carolina State Ports Authority and the Georgia Ports Authority”; 2) enter into an Interstate Compact to operate a Jasper Port on or before December 31, 2010, as such compact is generally outlined in the Intergovernmental Agreement”; and 3) “make specific inquiries regarding the merits of using private capital to finance the construction of that port to a greater extent than historically has been used by the South Carolina State Ports Authority in connection with their existing port operations.”
• Section 54-3-118 of the new law requires the ports authority to “consider public-private partnerships with private investors that increase capital investments in port facilities and in the State of South Carolina.”
• Section 54-3-700 of the new law requires the ports authority to sell the abandoned port site in the Town of Port Royal by December 31, 2009 – a “hard” deadline – and if it is not sold by such time, requires that the property “must be transferred to the State Budget and Control Board for sale…” The new law also requires the ports authority to use expeditious means toward selling the former port site in the Town of Port Royal as, “including the conversion of a nonperforming asset into revenues in the most expeditious manner.”
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