By Dan McCue

S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford and Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue announced Wednesday the six members of the task force that will develop the joint proposal for a cargo container terminal in Jasper County.

Sanford has selected S.C. State Ports Authority Chairman Bill Stern, former SPA chairman Bill Bethea, and his Chief of Staff Tom Davis as South Carolina’s representatives on the task force. Perdue appointed his Chief Operating Officer Jim Lientz, state Sen. Jack Hill and Jim Balloun, former CEO of Acuity Brands, to fill Georgias three spots on the task force.

Sanford has also named an additional group of three advisory members to provide input and expertise during the process of drafting the bi-state compact, including Charlestonian David Maybank III, president of Maybank Properties LLC.

The other two advisers are Gayle Averyt of Columbia, former chairman of Colonial Life Insurance; and Jim Micali of Greenville, chairman and president of Michelin North America.

Perdue has indicated members of Georgia's business, financial and maritime communities will be called upon to advise him and the task force as the need arises.

“Today's announcements are an important step for both states as we continue down this cooperative path,” Sanford said in a written statement. “Putting this committee together and the fact that Georgia has already made its easement release request both show that our respective states are committed to the idea of getting this port built sooner rather than later.”

The formation of the task force also puts planning for the Jasper County terminal on a fast track. The bi-state task force’s work must be completed and a plan submitted to the respective governors within 180 days or the cooperative agreement the governors formally agreed to on March 12 will be null and void. The 180-day constraint means the agreement would have to be delivered by Oct. 1.

On a related note, Perdue announced Wednesday the Georgia Department of Transportation has formally petitioned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release or modify the easements on the Jasper County property and begin the process of finding alternate sites to dispose of spoils from the Savannah River.