The Delaware Senate Executive Committee approves three of Gov. Matt Meyer’s nominations to the Diamond State Board Port Corporation (DSPC) Board after two preemptive rejections.
Senate Democratic leadership announced Monday they would not be holding confirmation hearings for former DelDOT Secretary Jen Cohan and former Port of Wilmington Executive Director Gene Bailey.
Leadership feels “different voices” are needed on the board, but three of Meyer’s candidates now head to the full Senate for final confirmation.
The nominees that received hearings include Business Agent for the International Longshoreman’s Association Local 1883 Ronald "Kimoko" Harris, former Delaware Board of Pilot Commissioners Chair Robert "Jerry" Medd and former New Castle County Board of Adjustment Chair David Burt.
All three nominees expressed explicit support for getting the Edgemoor Port expansion project done as soon as possible.
"The longer it takes for us to do it, the more opportunities we lose because ports like Baltimore, Virginia, Philadelphia and [New] Jersey are going to get that business because they have the infrastructure to accommodate those vessels," Harris said to members of the committee.
Burt says although he is new to the expansion project, he believes his expertise in dispute prevention and resolution during his time as corporate counsel to the DuPont Company will come in handy when navigating the public-private partnership between the state and Port of Wilmington operator Enstructure.
“I'm mindful that I'm a newcomer here, but that comes with advantages like fresh eyes. I'm eager to study up. I realize this moment of fantastic opportunity for the state is the product of a lot of other people's effort over the years. I'm humbled by that and respectful of it and eager to carry it on," he said.
Medd also believes he brings a distinctive perspective to the Port project as a government affairs correspondent for the Delaware Board of Pilot Commissioners, training all new pilots who work with the Port: "We are sort of the ambassador of the Port, the state and the country. We're the first Americans these ships see. So we have contact with them for the five hours to Wilmington, eight hours to Philadelphia."
Meyer is expected to send new nominations to the Senate to replace Cohan and Bailey, but his administration declined to comment on the rejections.
Secretary of State Charuni Patibanada-Sanchez was also confirmed as chair of the DSPC Board, awaiting approval from the full Senate.
During her hearing, Sen. Majority Leader Bryan Townsend (D-Newark) asked for clarification on the Meyer administration's stance on the Edgemoor Port expansion project, which has been questioned over the past several months.
"For the record, the port expansion project is in fact the Edgemoor Port on the Delaware River that we are fully in support of. We are looking to build this project as soon as we can. We 100% respect and admire all of the work that has been put into it over 3-4 different governors," Patibanda-Sanchez responded. "It does take years, and we are ready to bring it over the finish line. That really is my goal."
The project has been deemed "shovel ready" if the necessary permits are reissued after ongoing legal struggles that began in the fall of last year.
