Amended Minutes
Rembert C. Dennis Building, Room 335
1000 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC
Friday Monday, March 29, 2004
3:00 p.m.
The called meeting of the Board of the South
Carolina Department of Natural Resources was held at 3:00 pm, Monday, March 29,
2004, at the Rembert C. Dennis Building, Columbia, South Carolina. Notice of the date, time and place of the
meeting was posted and mailed to the news media. Chairman Mike McShane presided at the meeting. Board members present included Michael
Campbell and Smith Ragsdale. Board
members present by conference call included Stephen Davis and John Evans. Mr. John Frampton and staff members of the
Department of Natural Resources were present at the meeting, as were various
guests.
Chairman McShane called the meeting to order at 3:00 pm and welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Mr. Chamblee informed the
Board that there are no guests.
III. Constituent Comment
Mr. Chamblee informed the Board that there were no requests for constituent comment.
IV. Item for Board
Information
A. Budget
Chairman McShane stated that Director Frampton will brief the Board on
the budget. Mr. Frampton reported that
at 8:30 am, this morning he held a meeting with Deputy Directors, Sections
Chiefs and senior management staff to further discuss the budget and the
anticipation of a budget cut, even with the work currently being done with
Senate. Mr. Frampton has asked staff to
contact all constituency groups and ask them to make contact with Senators,
specifically the Senate Finance Committee.
Mr. Frampton stated that the message he wants to convey is that with the
kind of budget cut proposed by the House, there will be a reduction in staff to
include the Law Enforcement Division.
Mr. Frampton noted that he asked staff to embrace the changes that will
have to be made. To look at these
changes with a positive attitude and realize that change is coming. Mr. Frampton asked Hank Stallworth, Land,
Water and Conservation Division, to head up a committee of staff from Wildlife
and Freshwater Fisheries, Land, Water and Conservation, as well as Marine
Resources and some of Carole Collins’ staff to look at a plan that would take
Land, Water and Conservation and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and merge
into a single division. Mr. Frampton
has asked Deputy Directors to start working with Jean Cowell to develop a
Reduction In Force Plan in case this step is necessary. Mr. Frampton stated that he was open to any
recommendations or solutions for a positive result.
B. Legislation
Derrick Meggie stated that he is
estimating that it will be two to three weeks before the budget goes to the
Senate Finance Committee. Mr. Campbell
informed the group that his father has agreed to sign a letter on the
Department’s behalf to as many Senators as necessary. Mr. Meggie reported that there will be a full Fish, Game and
Forestry Committee meeting this week.
V. Board Member
Comments
Vice Chairman Campbell commended
staff, particularly Carole Collins and her staff, who were a part of the
Palmetto Sportsmen’s Classic. Ms.
Collins stated that estimated attendance was 30,000-40,000.
VI. Executive Session
At this time Mr. Campbell
made a motion that the Board hold an Executive Session to discuss personnel
matters. Mr. Davis seconded the motion
and the motion carried unanimously.
VII. Return to Regular Session
Chairman McShane stated
that there were no items discussed in executive session which require Board
action.
VIII. Time and Location of the Next Meeting
The April meeting of the
DNR Board will be held Friday, April 16, 2004.
IX. Adjournment
There being no further business to be brought before the DNR Board at this time, the meeting was adjourned.