Lanny Wilson’s seat on transportation board filled by Jacksonville car dealer (Wilmington Star News)
Could Lanny Wilson’s fall from grace drag down the area’s transportation infrastructure too?
The N.C. Department of Transportation announced on Thursday that Mike Alford of Jacksonville was sliding over from his at-large seat on the state Board of Transportation to fill Wilson’s old seat and represent Southeastern North Carolina.
That means there’s no one from New Hanover, Brunswick or Pender counties on the 19-member board – and that raised some red flags among local officials.
“I’m disappointed,” said state Rep. Danny McComas, R-New Hanover, who worked closely with Wilson on several projects. “They’re the voices for the community in Raleigh on transportation issues, and right now we don’t have anyone.”
Although Alford, owner of Marine Chevrolet, does reside within DOT’s Division 3, he is from Onslow County.
Seats on the board are political appointments, so Alford’s move was vetted and approved by the governor’s office.
And, according to the N.C. Board of Elections, Alford has given money to several Democratic candidates, including the current and former governors.
Records show he gave Gov. Beverly Perdue $4,000 in 2008.
“I’m extremely honored to receive this appointment from the governor,” Alford said in a DOT release announcing his four-year appointment. “I look forward to working with the other board members and the NCDOT staff to carry out the mission and goals for the department.”
But for Wilmington, the bigger question is whether Alford’s appointment mean a loss of local clout on one of the state’s most powerful boards – even if Perdue has watered down its powers since taking office.
While the General Assembly officially has oversight of the DOT, legislators don’t normally interject themselves into the agency’s day-to-day operations or project-planning process.
As the representative for Southeastern North Carolina, Wilson was widely recognized as diligently working to determine the region’s transportation needs and priorities and getting state projects to meet them.
Among his more notable achievements was clawing back money for the region that had been used to fund transportation projects in the Triangle area after the local projects got bogged down with permitting problems.
The Wilmington attorney and developer also was vice chairman of the N.C. Turnpike Authority and a major force behind the proposed Cape Fear Skyway high-rise bridge project.
And finally Wilson was chairman of the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, which sets transportation priorities for the greater Wilmington area.
But Wilson has been fingered by federal prosecutors as having a major role in facilitating the “pay-to-play” culture that permeated former Gov. Mike Easley’s administration.
Easley appointed, and then reappointed, Wilson to the transportation board.
Wilson resigned from the Board of Transportation the morning before the 51-count indictment against Easley’s top aide, Ruffin Poole, was announced on Jan. 21. He left the turnpike board a few days later.
State Rep. Carolyn Justice, R-Pender, said she would move quickly to establish a relationship with Alford and inform him of the region’s transportation needs and priorities. They include the future of the Hampstead and Burgaw bypasses, what to do about the Surf City swing bridge and the status of the proposed Military Cutoff Road extension.
“I’m looking forward to working with him,” Justice said. “But, on the surface, this can’t be good news for us.”
Wilmington City Councilwoman Laura Padgett, who had expressed interest in Wilson’s old position, was traveling and couldn’t be reached for comment on Thursday.
Gareth McGrath: 343-2384
By Gareth McGrath
Gareth.McGrath@StarNewsOnline.com
Published: Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 11:48 a.m.
