University of South Carolina Libraries
Audit Council recommends I I mm m aoonsning live state agencies (AP) ? A legislative watchdog agency is recommending that five state agencies be abolished because they don't serve any useful purpose to the public. The Legislature Audit Council singled out the State Cemetery Board, the Board for the Barrier Free Design, the Building Code Council, Board of Social Worker Registration and Board of Examiners for Registered Sanitarians for termination. The Legislative Audit Council is a financial investigating arm of the General Assembly. The report also called for changes in the operations of the Board of Funeral Service and the state Dairy Commission. WHILE CALLING for abolition of the Cemetery Board because it "was no staff and insufficient authority to properly regualte the industry," the audit council also said several laws governing cemetery operations should be strengthened. One of the problem areas cited was the so-called perpetual care cemetery, where people buy grave lots expecting them to be maintained permanently. The council said there was no legal definition of perpetual care and that the Cemetery Board "has never enacted regulations setting standards for the proper appearance of a perpetual care cemetery." The audit council recommended the Board for Barrier Free Design should be terminated because it is not protecting the state's handicapped citizens. "In nine years of existence, the board has not defined its aicu.i vji i cspuiiMUUiiy, icvicwcu tunsu utuun uwigu pian?, caamined waivers to construction plans or established a competent on-site inspection program," the report said. THE BOARD'S duties could be absorbed by the state Division of General Services, the report said. Bill R. East, chairman of the Board for Barrier Free Design, said the report is inaccurate and the board should't be terminated. The audit report also said the Building Code Council could be absorbed by General Services. The Board of Social Workers Registration has no teeth to regulate social work, and even registration through the board is voluntary, the report said, and there is no need for the agency. BUT AN official with the board of Social Worker's Registration said it shouldn't be abolished unless a bill is supported that would create a system mandating licensing for social workers. The fifth agency recommended for closing by the audit report was the Board of Examiners for Registered Sanitarians. "The Board's only function is to give an examination and grant certification to sanitarians," the audit report said. "It does not regulate public health." But the chairman had harsh words for the audit council. "THE CONCLUSION is essentially a one-man recommendation based upon a cursory evaluation and little or no knowledge of benefits derived from registration of sanitarians,"F. Philip Ward wrote in a responding letter. "We felt the report is negatively biased in an attempt to eliminate this board in order to justify the vast sums of state funds expended on non-productive efforts by Audit council staffers." The audit council said the Board of Funeral Service has vague educational requirements for qualifying for a funeral directors license?one year of college without specific course requirements. While most states require funeral directors to know something about embalming and contagious diseases, there are no such requirements in South Carolina. Embalmers are licensed separately. Board of Funeral Service officials released a statement that said, "It has been repeatedly demonstrated that on the job training is some of the best and most valuable training avanauit iu a |)l ua|)CH IVC LctllUIUctlC IOT ci 11CCI1SC.'' nnft medium < ^ ^ WirF Toll bridges poss (AP) ? Money is in short supply for the expensive work of repairing aging bridges in South Carolina and the state highway commissioner says toll bridges are being considered as a revenue source. Hiehwav rnmmis?innpr Paul says revenues from (oil bridges might be funneled back into bridge projects because some bridges, especially those along the coast, are in need of reploacement or major repair. "There are too many needs in the coastal area not to come up with a new revenue source," Cobb said. The commissioner told a legislative committee on highways Tuesday that he's studying the practibility of toll bridges as an alternative revenue source for highway projects. "Toll bridges are a good source of jra m aB 1 jl S.C. State Court of A| The ceremony at USC's Law Center incluc Alexander Mullings Sanders Jr., Judge Cur New York Air to s GREENVILLE, (AP) ? New York Air, which will offer three daily flights from the Greenville-Spartanburg Airrinrt Kaninninn Or>? 1 urill Urinn Inmor I'UI I UV5IIHIIII5 Wl. 1 I VT 111 U1 1115 1U*TW1 air fares to the Upstate, an official of the airline says. New York Air will be competing with 13 daily Eastern Airline flights, three daily U.S.Air flights and two daily Piedmont Airline flights. The airport also is served by four regional commuter a;rlines. New York Air announced Wednesday it will offer flights at 6:35 a.m.. I? J iible state revenue revenue and could be a great thing for this state," Cobb said. He told the group a state law re quires the highway department to look into toll projects, and he is doing that. "We're looking at Charleston, Columbia and Myrtle Beach as possible toll-project areas," Cobb told the panel. The Southeast Beltway bridge over the Congaree River is one potential toll bridge, he said. One of the more popular bridges in the state is the old span across the Cooper River at Charleston, opened for traffic in 1929. But he cited concerns that the bridge one day might have to be closed for safety reasons, creating a major traffic problem for Charleston. it' r ** - *$$$ mm H m b ^^m b { B& BS B mhmww an '. ppeals judges sworn in y led, from left to right, Judge Randall Theron Bell,. tis Graham Shaw, Judge Clarence Tolbert Goodsl #*% ervice lireenville-opa 1:30 p.m. and 4:55 p.m. to RaleighDurham Airport, connecting with flights to the 10 other cities it serves. "New York Air is a child of deregulation," said Robert D. Galloway, the airline's executive vice president. "We're not a discount airline, but we'll bring low prices to Greenville and Spartanburg and to Raleigh-Durham." Greenville-Spartanburg Airport director Dick Graham said the airport's major airlines might duplicate destinations, but they will offer dif U//-M Wtt WM IJT/1 source | "It worries us," Cobb said. He said there are other problem structures, including some old araworiages. "You've got some islands' where if you had an emergency, you couldn't get off them," Cobb said. He said he believes people will support additional revenues for the highway department when specific needs are known. Despite the condition of the state's bridges - about 1,1 (X) are in need of various degrees of repair - Cobb said South Carolina is in much better shape than many other states. "I'd say our bridges overall are about twice as good as the national average," Cobb said. "People who preceded me in the department are to be commended for that." HI PRI I 1 mam. -mm GStCB*C^Oy Photo by Joe Jackson Judge Jasper Marshall Cureton, Chief Judge iy Jr. and Judge John Pickens Gardner. rtanburg ferent routes to those cities He said he's not certain whether passenger loads will support four airlines. "I don't know if they'll make it," Graham said. "But it's great for the community." Galloway said New York Air needs 50 percent to 60 percent capacity on its flights from the South, but that in Greenville only 20 percent capacity is needed, since additional passengers will board at Raleigh-Durham to increase the passenger load.