THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
The House assembled at 10:00 a.m.
Deliberations were opened with prayer by Rev. Charles E. Seastrunk, Jr., as follows:
Our thought for today is from Micah 7:19: “He will again have compassion upon us.”
Let us pray. Loving God, give these women and men hearts of compassion to guide their actions. Encourage them to make the decisions that will best serve the people of this State. With Your guiding hand, lead them as they continue the work before them. Guide them in the days ahead and provide for their every need. Bless our Nation, State, and all who have authority over us. Thank You for all those who assist these Representatives. Protect our defenders of freedom, at home and abroad, as they protect us. Heal the wounds, those seen and those hidden, of our brave warriors. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen.
After corrections to the Journal of the proceedings of yesterday, the SPEAKER ordered it confirmed.
REPORT RECEIVED
The following was received:
Report of the Joint Legislative Committee
to Screen Candidates for College and University
Boards of Trustees
March 13, 2014
Senator Harvey S. Peeler, Jr., Chairman
Representative William R. Whitmire, Vice-Chairman
Senator Thomas C. Alexander
Senator J. Yancey McGill
Senator Robert W. Hayes, Jr.
Representative David J. Mack III
Representative Phyllis J. Henderson
Representative Peter M. McCoy, Jr.
The Citadel
2 At-Large seats
Term expires 2020
Stanley L. Meyers
Screened Friday, February 21, 2014
SENATOR PEELER: We’ll go ahead and get started. I would like to welcome everyone. I call the meeting to order. This is a meeting of the Joint Legislative Committee to screen candidates for college and university boards of trustees. I would like to welcome everyone.
Senator Hayes is going to be just a few minutes late. He said he would be here. Representative McCoy will not be here today. He has business to tend to.
And I understand Representative Henderson had surgery this morning. She’s okay, but they said she caught a fish bone, she had to have some surgery on that. I’m anxious to hear the story when she gets back Monday. She said she’ll be here Monday.
If there’s no objection, we’ll get started. First this morning, The Citadel. We have two at-large seats and four candidates. Today we’ll screen three of the candidates.
The first candidate is Stanley L. Myers.
MR. MYERS: Good morning, Mr. Chairman.
SENATOR PEELER: Good morning, sir. Let me swear you in.
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
MR. MYERS: I do. Yes, sir.
SENATOR PEELER: Make sure the green light is shining.
MR. MYERS: Yes, sir.
SENATOR PEELER: Okay. Good. Would you like to share with the committee why you would like to serve on the Board.
MR. MYERS: Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
My name is Stanley Myers. I grew up in the rural town of Swansea, South Carolina, on a dirt road. Graduated from Swansea High School. Was fortunate to enter The Citadel off of an athletic scholarship from Charlie Taaffe. Ran the wishbone option for him. Broke several records, but I understand they’re probably coming down now with this new offense.
But I accepted my commission out of The Citadel, was initially an infantry officer. Now I’m currently a JAG officer at the 59th Troop Command here in West Columbia. Deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to Afghanistan for 15 months with the 218.
The reason I want to be on this board is that it’s time for me to give back to the school that has given so much to me. I could not have afforded The Citadel had it not been for an athletic scholarship, through military contacts, through the academic contacts. I’m an attorney here. I’ve got a fortunate life, and I owe it a lot to The Citadel. And I think it’s time for me to give back to the school, and this is one of the ways to do it.
SENATOR PEELER: Great. Thank you.
Any questions or comments of Mr. Myers?
Representative Whitmire.
REPRESENTATIVE WHITMIRE: Welcome, Mr. Myers. Thank you for your service to our country.
MR. MYERS: Thank you, sir.
REPRESENTATIVE WHITMIRE: I see on question 8 that the school lacks diversity or still lacks diversity, and minority students remain unrepresented. What’s the percentage?
MR. MYERS: From what I am told by recent numbers, and this could be as early as about 200 days ago, or, I’m sorry, a year ago, right now the percentage of minorities is about 8 percent, from what I’m told. I believe that is an underrepresentation of what the school needs. I could be wrong about that. That’s the information that comes to me from the individuals that are there. So, again, I’m told that it’s underrepresented, and those numbers could be wrong.
REPRESENTATIVE WHITMIRE: How would you go about attracting more minority students to -- you know, a military school is probably pretty tough unless you’re going on an athletic scholarship.
MR. MYERS: Yes, sir.
REPRESENTATIVE WHITMIRE: It’s tough to attract minorities. What would you do?
MR. MYERS: Yes, sir. I think that one of the biggest things the Citadel can do is, you know -- I didn’t know a lot about The Citadel when I was coming through Swansea. And I think that one of the good things we can do is send more representatives out to the schools to make them understand that, you know, the ones that are there currently, they’re happy, they’re doing well and actually put more individuals out in the community to make them understand that The Citadel does welcome minorities. That minorities that are there actually are doing well, and they can do well.
But the ones that graduate have to do a better job of actually doing their part in making sure that we don’t just stand back and say, hey, we need to attract more diversity without doing our part. So I think that’s one of the things that the school can do a better job of but the minorities that graduate can certainly do a better job of attracting more minorities to the school.
REPRESENTATIVE WHITMIRE: Are there any minorities on the Board now?
MR. MYERS: No, sir.
REPRESENTATIVE WHITMIRE: All right. That’s all. Thank you.
SENATOR PEELER: Thank you.
Any other questions or comments?
Staff, do you have any follow ups?
MS. CASTO: Yes, sir.
Mr. Myers, you reported on your personal data questionnaire you serve on the Sentencing Reform Committee.
MR. MYERS: Yes, ma’am.
MS. CASTO: Who appoints you and is it a legislative committee?
MR. MYERS: Yes, ma’am. Representative Greg Delaney appointed me last year. About last June, July.
MS. CASTO: Okay. And if you are elected to serve on The Citadel board, are you willing to resign from that? Because it would be considered dual office holding.
MR. MYERS: Yes, ma’am.
MS. CASTO: And also on your personal data questionnaire in your congressional district you put Quail Hollow. That’s probably your voting precinct?
MR. MYERS: Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry.
MS. CASTO: Okay. What congressional district do you live in?
MR. MYERS: Oh, lordy, you put me on the spot. I’m drawing a blank. I’m in 2 -- Congressional District 2, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
MS. CASTO: Okay. That’s all the questions that I have.
SENATOR PEELER: Okay. Senator Alexander.
SENATOR ALEXANDER: Just to follow up again, I also thank you for your service to our country. With your work responsibilities and service, would it be a problem for you attending board meetings and being active from that standpoint if you were so chosen to be on the Board?
MR. MYERS: No, sir. I’m a partner in a pretty large law firm, and my partners have allowed me to at least come down and run for this race. And they’re in full support of what I’m doing. I think I have enough background from them or enough support from them to be able to attend all the Board meetings.
SENATOR ALEXANDER: Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
SENATOR PEELER: What’s the desire of committee?
REPRESENTATIVE WHITMIRE: Move for favorable.
SENATOR PEELER: Motion is a favorable report.
Second?
SENATOR ALEXANDER: Second.
SENATOR HAYES: Second.
SENATOR PEELER: Second and third.
All in favor say “aye.”
(Members respond.)
SENATOR PEELER: The ayes have it.
Thank you again for your service --
MR. MYERS: Thank you.
SENATOR PEELER: -- and your willingness to serve.
MR. MYERS: Thank you.
Fred L. Price
Screened Friday, February 21, 2014
SENATOR PEELER: Next, Fred L. Price.
Columbia.
MR. PRICE: Good morning, Mr. Chairman.
SENATOR PEELER: Got the Citadel tie on.
MR. PRICE: Yes, sir.
How are you today?
SENATOR PEELER: All right.
MR. PRICE: Good to see you all again this year.
SENATOR PEELER: Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
MR. PRICE: I do.
SENATOR PEELER: If you like, have a seat.
MR. PRICE: Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
SENATOR PEELER: Thank you.
Do you have a brief opening statement?
MR. PRICE: Yes, sir, I do.
Of course, my name is Fred Price. I grew up here in Columbia. I attended the Citadel. I graduated Class of 1975. After graduation, I became pretty heavily involved with The Citadel. I was appointed director of The Citadel Alumni Association. We used to be the Association of Citadel Men. I served in that capacity for 25 years. I was elected president of The Citadel Alumni Association. I also served as president of The Citadel Brigadier Foundation.
After those services, I ran for The Citadel Board of Visitors through the alumni and I was voted in and I served a six-year term having been elected by over 10,000 alumni. That was a -- I took, you know, a great deal of, you know, respect from that. That the alumni put enough -- you know, had a vote of confidence and trust in me to be on the Board.
So I would like to -- I’m now back running again this year for the Board of Visitors. I’ve already served a six-year term. I was chairman of the building and grounds. And I would like to be able to go back and continue working -- working on our deferred maintenance problems and helping with the LEAD Program.
SENATOR PEELER: Thank you.
Any questions, comments from the committee?
SENATOR ALEXANDER: Mr. Chairman.
SENATOR PEELER: Senator Alexander.
SENATOR ALEXANDER: Thank you.
Again, I’m going to be consistent in this questioning. As far as your work and your abilities, would there anything that would impede you from being able to attend the meetings and be an active member of the Board?
MR. PRICE: No, sir, there wouldn’t be. In fact, in my last term, I did not miss a meeting.
SENATOR ALEXANDER: Okay. Thank you.
MR. PRICE: I didn’t miss a board meeting or committee meeting.
SENATOR ALEXANDER: Thank you.
SENATOR PEELER: Any others?
Staff, do you have any follow-up questions?
MS. CASTO: No, sir. All of his paperwork was in order. Thank you.
SENATOR MCGILL: Mr. Chairman.
SENATOR PEELER: Senator McGill.
SENATOR MCGILL: Move for a favorable report.
SENATOR PEELER: Motion is favorable.
Is there a second?
REPRESENTATIVE WHITMIRE: Second.
SENATOR PEELER: Second is heard.
All in favor say “aye.”
(Members respond.)
SENATOR PEELER: Opposed, no.
And the ayes have it.
MR. PRICE: Thank you, sir.
SENATOR PEELER: Most painless one we’ve had in a while.
Douglas A. Snyder
Screened Friday, February 21, 2014
Next, Douglas A. Snyder.
MR. SNYDER: Mr. Chairman, I hope the trend continues.
SENATOR PEELER: Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
MR. SNYDER: Yes.
SENATOR PEELER: Thank you, Doug.
Do you have a brief statement?
MR. SNYDER: Yes, sir, I do. Thank you.
It’s great to be here this morning. I do want to thank you as representatives. I don’t think the people of South Carolina really understand how much time and effort you put into things not just staying over in the dome, but actually going through the Friday meetings and things like that. So I really appreciate you doing that. And as we all have to stand up here and go through the election process, it gives us a great appreciation of how much time you really spend up here. So thank you.
I graduated in 1982 from The Citadel. I grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. Spent four years at The Citadel, then I moved to Columbia. And in Columbia I was a head of The Citadel Club here in Columbia, but in 1996, I ran for the Board. So when I ran for the Board, you were holding -- the Statehouse was being reconstructed, so you were holding in the Carolina Inn. You were over there.
But I was honored to be elected then, and it began my service. The day that I started my board service was the day Shannon Faulkner came to campus. And so those first couple of years as a board member were very tough. But I have tell you that since I’ve been on the Board and where we’re headed now, The Citadel has taken certainly great strides. We have a strategic plan that we didn’t used to have. We have a president that’s taking us forward. We have a foundation that’s really growing. And I want to continue to serve on the Board of Visitors to continue seeing out the plan.