By Betsy Finklea
Who is on the Dillon County Economic Development Public-Private Partnership Board? That’s a good question.
If one attended the Dillon County Council meeting on Wednesday, one might think that this question had been answered when council approved the members unanimously.
Council had been given a list of proposed members. The Herald was given a list of proposed members by Dillon County Economic Development Director Tonny McNeil, and McNeil read from this list when presenting the names to council. Council approved the members and then they went on to other business.
It was some time after the meeting yesterday afternoon that the controversy about the members broke out.
On the list given to council, Bo McInnis was listed as a proposed member having been proposed by the Dillon County Delegation.
On the list given to The Herald and read out at the meeting, Rep. Jackie Hayes himself is listed as a member and McInnis’ name is no where to be found.
Rep. Jackie Hayes told The Herald on Thursday morning that the names submitted for the board were Bo McInnis by the Dillon County Delegation and Robert Johnson by Rep. Jackie Hayes, and he’s not clear on how he became a proposed member of the board.
McNeil was out-of-town on Thursday afternoon and unavailable for comment on the matter.
What happens now is also unclear. Did council vote on the list they were given or the list as presented and read by McNeil? Also unclear at this point is how the matter will be straightened out.
The Herald will keep you posted as this matter develops.
Other members of the board who were appointed include the following: Josephine Gilchrist (Dillon County Planning Commission), Ron Bartley (NETC), Nancy Brigman (Town of Latta), Todd Davis (City of Dillon), Richard Schafer (Dillon County School Board), Macio Williamson (Dillon County Council), Robert T. Smith (Town of Lake View), Chris Phillips (CSX), Eric Gardner/Mindy Taylor (Progress Energy), Wilmer Arnette (Trico Water), Bobby Holland (SCANA), William L. “Bill” Fleming (Marlboro Electric), William L. Fleming, Jr. (Pee Dee Electric), Charles McLaurin, Doug Miller, Charlie Vance, Alvin Nobles, Robbie Coward, Robert Abson, Robert Johnson, and Linda Hayes.