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SCDOT Commission Seats Open in 2010 Notice of intent for consideration is Noon, December 3, 2009. At this printing, it is not known if the seated Commissioners from these districts are seeking re-election to the Commission. These commissioners are charged with planning, construction, maintenance and operation of the state highway system and the development of a mass transit policy. Currently Mr. Henry Taylor represents the Second District which comprises the following counties: Aiken, Allendale, Barnwell, Beaufort, Calhoun, Hampton, Jasper, Lexington, Orangeburg and Richland Counties. Mr. Hugh Atkins, the SCDOT Commission Chair, represents the Fourth Commission District that includes Greenville, Laurens, Spartanburg and Union Counties. Mr. Marvin Stevenson is the commissioner from the Sixth District consisting of Bamberg, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Florence, Lee, Marion, Orangeburg, Richland and Sumter Counties. Qualifications for commissioners must include, but not limited to, a Baccalaureate or more advance degree from a recognized institution of higher learning requiring face-to-face contact between its students and instructors prior to completion of the academic program, an institution of higher learning that has been accredited by a regional or national accrediting board or an institution of higher learning chartered before 1962 or a background of at least five years in any combination of the following fields of expertise: transportation, construction, finance, law, environmental issues, management or engineering. ACEC-SC Transportation Committee Elects New Vice Chair and Partnering Committee Members Mr. David Taylor, PE, Wilbur Smith Associates, moved into the Transportation Committee Chair position and chaired the meeting. Mr. Rick Fauteux, PE, HDR, was elected Vice Chair. He has served as the ACEC-SC/SCDOT Annual Meeting Co-Chair for the past two years. His other co-chairs have been SCDOT personnel. Mr. Jeff Burkett, PE, RPM, was elected to a voting position on the Partnering Committee; he served as an alternate member last year. Mr. Melvin Williams, S&ME, also became a voting member on the Partnering Committee. He also served as an alternate last year. Returning to the Partnering Committee is Jim O’Connor, PE, Collins Engineers, as the ACEC-SC Board of Directors Representative. ACEC-SC Executive Director, Joe Jones, holds a permanent position on the Partnering Committee. The following were elected to serve a one-year term as alternate Partnering Committee members: Mr. Jerry Carter, PE, PLS, Vaughn & Melton, Mr. Rick Day, PE, Stantec, Mr. Shawn Davis, PE, Davis & Floyd, Inc., Rocque Kneece, PE, CECS and Dan Moses, PE, STV, Inc. The committee also elected Mr. Jeff Rowe, PE, Infrastructure Engineers, as the ACEC-SC Mid Level Design Group Co-Chair. His co-chair will be an SCDOT employee. Twenty-two individuals and 19 transportation firms participated in the meeting to participate in the elections. ACEC Retirement Trust Makes Presentation to ACEC-SC Board Jim Cagley, ACEC Retirement Trust Chair, Nancy Barrette, Managing Director, Wells Fargo Advisors and John Pickett, Senior Vice President RBC Wealth Management flew into Columbia for the presentation. Currently three South Carolina ACEC-SC member firms that are headquartered here participate in the Retirement Trust. Another member firm who is headquartered in another state also participates. The trio explained how the RBC Investment Consulting fit into the Trust’s activities. It acts as the investment arm for the Trust. Currently RBC has about $14 Billion invested, including ACEC Trust’s investments. The Prudential Company is the recordkeeping arm. Mr. Cagley said they were the “best in class” when it comes to maintaining the Trust’s records for member firms. The third leg to the stool is participant education and marketing. Wells Fargo Advisors provides this service. Ms. Barrett and her company go into member firms to assist in setting up the Trust program and return to educate employees and principals on the opportunities. Mr. Cagley said member firms should consider the ACEC Retirement Trust for their companies and employees. Engineers and Surveyors Board Elect Officers and Granted Licensure to Six Engineering Technologists Mr. Gene Dinkins, PE, PLS, was re-elected as the board’s chair. He serves in one of the two surveyor positions on the Board. Mr. Andy Kinghorn, PE, resumes his position as Vice Chair and Ms. Theresa Hodge, PE, continues as the board’s secretary. Also, the Registration board granted licensure to six engineering technologists that petitioned the registration board for licensure, presented their portfolios and met the rest of the requirements for licensure. The following received their PE designation: Mr. Alfred P. McPeters, Mr. Jeremy Brickey, Mr. Steen E. Snell, Mr. David G. Pearce, Mr. Gregory R. Brandon, and Mr. John Michael Jones. SC Senate Subcommittee Holds Tort Reform Hearing in December The SC Civil Justice Coalition is having several professionals to testify on the need for further tort reform. This legislation includes the following issues: Admissibility in civil actions of nonuse of seat belts (You can be fined for not wearing a seatbelt, but under current SC law, you can’t tell the jury a person was not wearing a seat belt when an accident occurred.), Appeal bond waiver, which right now can be set so high that making an appeal to a higher court is restrictive, reasonable limits on non-economic and punitive damages, a technical amendment to the statute of repose, among others. Members of the subcommittee are:
Merrill Lynch Team Offers Retirement Program to Member Firms with Local Meetings Mr. Paul Vannatta hosted the Merrill Lynch luncheon in Columbia where he informed principals of his services. He said he was interested in helping ACEC-SC member firms with their business problems, including retirement programs for companies and their employees. Mr. Vannatta said he partners with other business providers to help relieve other non-engineering business challenges. For instance, E-Chx, Inc., a payroll service, is available through him as well. E-Chx, Inc. offers ACEC-SC member firms a discount on its rates. Merrill Lynch’s Charleston area luncheon attracted both members and non-members. Mr. Vannatta told the board he would help introduce ACEC-SC to non members when the opportunity arose along with his presentation on his other services. SC Employment Security Commission May be SC Businesses’ Albatross Mr. Otis Rawl, SC Chamber of Commerce President, said in a op-ed in The State, “Now at a crisis stage, the business community urges legislators to make reforming this agency a top priority when they return in January.” The ESC trust fund became insolvent in December, 2008, and by the end of this year it will have borrowed close to $1 Billion to pay unemployment benefits. Mr. Rawl says repaying this loan ultimately falls on businesses to repay the federal government. He said the ESC trust fund had more than an $800 Million surplus in 2001 but by the end of 2009, it will be more than $1 Billion in the hole. He said, “A number of reforms must be achieved before tax increases are ever discussed.” Legislation was introduced last year to restructure the commission, but thus far, it has not moved. Increased unemployment taxes on businesses would be another obstacle to employers struggling to remain profitable, solvent or able to hire more employees. Registration Board Investigations Draw Questions Mr. Gene Dinkins, Registration Board Chair, asked Mr. Todd Bond, LLR Investigator about the time laps between when a complaint is received by LLR and disposition by the Registration board. Mr. Dinkins said it appeared some complaints are not dealt with in a timely fashion. Mr. Bond said a complaint is date-stamped when it arrives at LLR and goes through a screening process to see if LLR is going to pursue the complaint or if it is dismissed. One individual makes this decision as to whether the compliant is opened or is dismissed. If the complaint is approved, a case file is opened, the complaint is scanned into the computer system and it comes to an investigator, he said. The investigator researches the complaint and prepares it for an Internal Review Committee (IRC) meeting. An IRC meeting is called where the committee reviews the complaint, then research and drafts a consent agreement for the engineer or surveyor to consider. The registrant may either sign the consent agreement or ask for a hearing before the registration board. Mr. Bond said the IRC meets infrequently, which may be a reason for the length of time between filing a complaint and a final disposition. Concerning the decision to either open a complaint case or not to open a case is made by one LLR employee. Attorney Sharon Dantzler said the LLR employee has specific guidelines on which to base the decision: Does the registration board have jurisdiction concerning the complaint? If it has jurisdiction a case is opened. Davis & Floyd, Inc. Opens Office in Hickory, North Carolina The American Council of Engineering of South Carolina is a member of organization of the ACEC-SC Reports is published for members firms and friends by
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"What we do is all around you."
We would like to thank those that have committed to participate in this year's annual meeting as an exhibitor or sponsor. Bronze Trade Show Exhibitors
November 13
We would like to thank those that have committed to participate in the 2009 SC Engineering Conference. Silver Bronze Mid-Morning Break Sponsor Trade Show Exhibitors
We would like to congratulate our 2009 Engineering Excellence Awards winners and their clients. Palmetto Award WPC, Inc. Engineering Excellence Awards WPC, Inc. Honor Awards HGBD/BV
ACEC-SC would like to thank our members for your continued support. For membership information contact Ginger Booker at ginger@jma-associations.com. The mission of ACEC-SC is to promote and protect the business interests and professional standards of engineers in the state of South Carolina; and to improve member firms' ability to profitably provide quality services to their clients. ACEC-SC is an Organization of more than 80 Engineering firms employing more than 4,000 individuals. Membership Information
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