The administration secured another key permanent appointment Thursday with Senate confirmation of St. Croix business executive Frandelle Gerard as director of the Industrial Development Commission. Gerard, who has been serving in an acting capacity since last spring, was approved on a vote of 8-6.
Sen. Lorraine Berry, who was among those opposing the confirmation, noted that under the pending Government House reorganization plan, the IDC would be consolidated with the Small Business Development Administration and other entities under a proposed new Economic Development Authority. It would make more sense, she argued, to extend the acting capacity in which Gerard had been functioning.
The Senate did just that with William Quetel, who has been serving for months as acting director of the SBDA, voting to extend his interim appointment for 60 days. It took the same action on the appointment of Keithley Joseph, who has been serving as acting executive director of the Public Services Commission.
Gov. Charles Turnbull's request to withdraw his earlier nomination of Michael Bornn to be Tourism commissioner was approved. The governor fired Bornn, who had been commissioner designate for two and a half months, last week but was advised that the proper procedure was to ask the Senate to approve his withdrawal of the nomination.
The Legislature also approved the nominations of John deJongh Jr. to serve on the board of trustees of the Government Employees Retirement System and of Carol Burke, William Lomax and Claude Molloy Sr. to serve on the Water And Power Authority board.
