Here is a link to the fireworks at this past Thursday’s SCDNR Board meeting.
http://199.66.238.56/recorded/19008961
For those who don’t yet know, DNR Director John Frampton announced his retirement several weeks ago. At Thursday’s meeting, however, his retirement letter was rejected after sparks flew. Two DNR Board members, Norman Pulliam of Spartanburg and Johnny Evans of Orangeburg, called Board Chair Caroline Rhodes of Charleston to task for violating the Freedom of Information Act by holding a phone conference with all other board members except them to essentially act to demand that Frampton resign so Gov. Haley can name another DNR director. Pulliam and Evans demanded that Frampton submit another letter of resignation, which was then later accepted in executive session.
Frampton has served DNR for 37 years and was planning to resign, but was asked to do so by Rhodes supposedly acting on behalf of the ENTIRE board. However, Evans and Pulliam were excluded from the conference call, and they pointedly asked Frampton if he was asked to retire “at the request of the entire board,” to which he answered “yes”, indicating he was lied to by Ms. Rhodes.
The same scenario is playing out at SCDHEC…in that Gov. Haley wants to name a new director and folks are up in arms. When this hit then papers Friday, reporters questioned Haley, who bascially “begged off” on answering directly. Now, she has indicated she wants to replace Frampton with a “businessman” NOT another professional wildlife biologist or law enforcement person. Here’s an excerpt from The State’s reporter Sammy Fretwell’s article:
"State wildlife agency chief John Frampton’s decision to retire gives Gov. Nikki Haley an unusual opportunity to shape the future course of environmental policy in South Carolina.
Both of South Carolina’s largest environmental agencies now have openings for executive directors, less than a year after Haley took office. And the Haley-picked boards at both departments will look for directors to make S
