South Carolina’s Legislative Audit Council (SCLAC) is preparing an inquiry into a totally superfluous state agency that bills itself as being responsible for the well-being of senior citizens in the Palmetto State.
The S.C. Department on Aging (SCDA) – which is in its first year as a standalone cabinet agency – was previously a part of the lieutenant governor’s office. In 2018, however, governors and lieutenant governors in South Carolina were elected on the same ticket for the first time ever – prompting a discombobulated transfer of the agency into the governor’s cabinet.
This forgettable game of bureaucratic musical chairs would have ordinarily been no big deal, but then governor Henry McMaster tried to nominate the husband of one of his wife’s hair salon buddies to lead the agency.
No, seriously …
The result? In a rare rebuke of executive prerogative, the Republican-controlled S.C. Senate voted 41-2 against McMaster’s nominee, Steven Morris. Undeterred, McMaster installed Morris as his acting director – defying legislative leaders in a (successful) effort to keep him at the helm of the agency.
According to our sources, Morris met with SCLAC staffers this week about the looming audit.
What will it cover? Good question … but staffers at the office are hopeful its findings will provide an impetus for Morris’ removal.
(Click to view)
(Via: Jennifer McGill)
“We are hopeful this will be a way of getting rid of (Morris),” one source within the office told us. “Things here continue to deteriorate.”
What is going on?
“Steve and his ‘administration’ are targeting employees (as opposed to) meeting the needs of the senior citizens we are supposed to be serving,” the source told us. “He has done absolutely nothing to focus his efforts on seniors since he started working at our agency.”
Wait … targeting employees?
Specifically, Morris is said to be using Who’s-In – an employee tracking software system – to keep tabs on which employees are present in the office at any given time.
“He is trying to use the program as a time clock to catch employees coming in late or leaving early,” our source said. “He is also having the IT manager check the office cameras to see when staff is coming and going.”
Employees at the agency have also reportedly been asked to provide their parking decal numbers to Morris’ administrative staff to “further track (their) comings and goings.”
Hmmmm …
While such alleged behavior strikes us as a bit obsessive, ultimately the management of this agency up to Morris – who is accountable only to the governor’s office for his performance (or lack thereof).
-FITSNews
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our stories? Please feel free to submit your own letter to the editor (or guest column) via-email HERE. Got a tip for us? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE. Want to support what we’re doing? SUBSCRIBE HERE.