South Carolina DOT Reorganization Task Force Makes Recommendations

A special task force on the reorganization of headquarters operations created within the South Carolina Department of Transportation by Secretary Robert St. Onge has reported its initial recommendations.The most important recommendations include creating a Procurement Office that will consolidate all procurement activities in one centralized operation, developing a Division of Support Services that will include a Customer Relations Office, and restructuring the Office of Budget and Cash Management, according to a statement issued by SCDOT.

These organizational initiatives and others will be implemented over the next 30 to 60 days. The initiatives will complement the process and procedural changes already underway at SCDOT.

St. Onge announced Monday the first round of key changes in the organization’s personnel. Christy Hall, district engineering administrator for SCDOT’s eight-county District 2 (headquartered in Greenwood) has been selected to serve as deputy secretary for finance and administration. Hall replaces Angela Feaster, who will assume other duties at SCDOT.

Hall will officially begin reorganizing the Finance & Administration Division on Nov. 7. Her appointment comes two months after St. Onge told state lawmakers he’s making several changes to SCDOT procedures after it ran behind paying several contractors this past summer. (see Sept. 16 AASHTO Journal story)

In other personnel moves, St. Onge has asked Hart Baker, a long-time attorney and current deputy secretary of the Intermodal and Freight Programs Division, to move back to SCDOT’s Legal Office. Doug Frate, a long-serving transit planning professional, will lead the Intermodal and Freight Programs Division on an interim basis.