1994 Permanent House Journal Printed Pages 2520-2529 - South Carolina Legislature Online

Journal of the House of Representatives
of the Second Session of the 110th General Assembly
of the State of South Carolina
being the Regular Session Beginning Tuesday, January 11, 1994

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Printed Page 2510, Feb. 24 | Printed Page 2530, Feb. 24

Printed Page 2520 . . . . . Thursday, February 24, 1994

Q. Mr. Chairman, we have had the opportunity to review Mr. Moseley's credit report and also the report from SLED. Both were negative in the sense that there was no negative information on the reports.

Mr. Moseley, please state for the record your full name?
A. Charles Robert Moseley.
Q. What is your interest in running for the Public Service Commission?
A. To serve the area, the community and the state.
Q. What are the one or two major issues that you would see being before the Public Service Commission or should be before the Public Service Commission at this time? What issues do you think are important? What would you like to accomplish?
A. Well, I think we need to have a fair representation for the public taxpayers and also for the corporations on the other side to come before the Utility -- of the Public Service Commission.
Q. Mr. Moseley, do you own any utility stock?
A. No, sir.
Q. Does your wife or anyone in your residence own any?
A. No, sir. If you remember my statement, I think I sold -- and I sold everything in the last week. I think you've got an amendment to that now.
Q. I hope you sold at the right time.
A. Well, I took a loss.
THE CHAIRMAN: You sold your stock after you decided to run for the Public Service?
A. Yes. I think it's all attached to that.
Q. Mr. Moseley, you indicate on your Personal Data Questionnaire that from 1979 to the present, you serve as the president and CEO of the Irmo Insurance Agency; is that correct?
A. Yes, sir, that's correct.
Q. And before that time, you had worked in banking in various capacities including Southern Bank, the Hampton County Bank and before that with the South Carolina Board of Financial Institutions as a bank examiner; is that correct?
A. Yes.
Q. And before that you were with South Carolina National Bank as a customer service representative?
A. That's correct.
Q. So you've been involved in banking or insurance since 1960?
A. That's correct.
Q. What areas of expertise aside from your business expertise would you bring to the committee today that would suit you well for service on the

Printed Page 2521 . . . . . Thursday, February 24, 1994

Public Service Commission? You obviously have extensive business experience --
A. Yes, sir. Well --
Q. -- in addition to --
A. -- being able to communicate with people in the public I deal with every day and my background in church and civic groups and everything. My contact with the public, people.
Q. The Irmo Insurance Agency that you serve as president and CEO are there any other partners in that?
A. I own 100 percent of the stock. My son is 25 years old. He's a licensed insurance agency -- agent and I have, you know, ample staff in there, too.
Q. Do you plan to continue to work in that agency should you become elected?
A. No, sir, I would plan to devote my full service to the Public Service commissioner.
Q. Would you maintain ownership of 100 percent of the stock?
A. I would sell it to him or give it to him. He's my only son.
Q. Do you insure any utility companies at this time?
A. No, sir.
Q. Have you been actively involved within the last three or four years with any political campaigns, Mr. Moseley?
A. I'm a friend of Rick Quinn.
Q. Okay. Any other campaigns?
A. No, sir. I was trying to get a fellow elected to the town council for Irmo, but we didn't do too good.
Q. Are you related to any person -- a member of the General Assembly or any employee of the General Assembly?
A. No, sir. I'm the only child.
Q. Mr. Moseley, are you familiar with the concept of wheeling for wholesale sale of electrical power, wheeling w-h-e-e-l-i-n-g?
A. Repeat that question.
Q. Are you familiar with the name or the concept of wheeling, w-h-e-e-l-i-n-g, of wholesale electrical power?
A. No, sir, I am not.
Q. Are you familiar with the term lata, l-a-t-a?
A. No, sir.
Q. As it relates to telephones?
A. No, sir.
Q. If persons who are on the Public Service Commission wear various hats and one of those hats being perhaps traffic cop, one being

Printed Page 2522 . . . . . Thursday, February 24, 1994

administrator over the personnel of the agency and the other one being public relations and the final one being judge, which one would you see yourself wearing most often in day to day affairs of the commission?
A. Oh, that would be a tough question.
Q. Well, that's why we ask it.
A. It would be -- I would think it would be part judge, part public relations and try to weigh the facts on every day decisions.
Q. In terms of being a judge, what particular responsibilities do you have to the public and to the utility industry? How do you weigh those difficult decisions?
A. I think that you have got to be fair to the public in representing them and also you've got to be fair on the other side to the utility companies that come before you. It kind of puts you in the middle there, but you have to be fair to both sides. Fair.
Q. On environmental matters, what would be your approach on that and how important is the environment to the extent that it may effect the rates of the cost of service offered to consumers?
A. You have got to look at the environment and how it effects us in our every day lives. But you have -- try to correct it and see that we all live in a clean environment and everything. And on the other side, you've got to monitor the other side that they're including --
Q. Mr. Moseley, have you had an opportunity to review your Personal Data Questionnaire Summary?
A. Yes, sir. Well, I got it today at 3:00 o'clock. I didn't get it this morning because you told me I didn't have to.
Q. Right. Have you had an opportunity to review it?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Are there any corrections you would like made on it for the permanent record?
A. Well, when I presented my Personal Data to you, down at the bottom, Number 14, that's supposed to be Unisun Insurance Company.
Q. That's U-n-i-s-u-n?
A. Yeah, Insurance Company. And then, see, you've got a South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs, it should be Consumer Credit which is an advisory status.
Q. Do you have any recommendations for this committee so as to improve the current system of screening for candidates for the Public Service Commission?
THE CHAIRMAN: That's hitting below the belt.
A. Yes, sir. This is the first time I've ever been before any type of screening committee like this, so I just -- you know, I don't know how

Printed Page 2523 . . . . . Thursday, February 24, 1994

they operate. I mean this is the first time I have been in this, so I would -- I appreciate you telling me not to be here until 3:00 o'clock.
Q. You're the only one that asked.
A. Well, it's a long, long drive from Irmo.
Q. Thank you, Mr. Moseley. I appreciate it.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any questions from any members of the committee? Mr. Wilkes. Representative Wilkes.
EXAMINATION BY REPRESENTATIVE WILKES:
Q. Mr. Moseley, in your capacity of -- or when you wear your judge's hat, obviously temperament comes into play in this and it is a very important personal quality to have. When issues of advocacy and adversely come out, do you consider yourself an emotional person or a logically driven person?
A. I think logically driven. If you're in the insurance business and you have claims like I have, you're on both sides of the fence and you have to keep people happy and you can't get upset. You've got to service them and satisfy them.
Q. Have you given any thought to issues in the state that would -- that might set the urban and the rural areas against one another? And if so, have you ever given any thought as to what your position might be? If you had to make a decision that was either going to benefit one or the other, do you feel that you could be objective? Have you ever lived in --
A. Yes, I've lived in --
Q. -- a rural area?
A. Varnville, South Carolina which had about 1100 people and I grew up in Columbia, so I've been in a small area and a large area.
Q. And you feel like then you could be objective about in --
A. Yes, small town --
Q. -- looking at small town situations?
A. -- and large city, yes, sir. I have no problem with it.
Q. Thank you.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any other questions by any members of the Committee? Thank you, Mr. Moseley. You may be excused.
A. I appreciate it.
THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Sorry we kept you -- it took so long?
A. No problem. I just didn't want to -- I didn't know how ya'll would be.

Printed Page 2524 . . . . . Thursday, February 24, 1994

PERSONAL DATA QUESTIONNAIRE SUMMARY

1. Mr. Charles Robert Moseley

Home Address: Business Address:

137 Jefferson Place P.O. Box 147

Columbia, SC 29212 Irmo, SC 29063

2. He was born in Augusta, GA on October 30, 1940.

Social Security Number: ***-**-****.

3. S.C. Driver's License Number: *********;

S.C. Voter's Registration Number: 6144882.

4. On October 24, 1992, he married Lisa Van Austin. He has one child:Robert Scott Moseley, age 25, insurance agent.

5. Military service: S.C. Air National Guard, Rank Airman 2nd Class, Honorably Discharged in 1967.

6. He graduated from Eau Claire High School in 1959, and attended Columbia College from 1960 to 1962. He graduated from South Carolina Bankers School in 1971, and graduated from the Louisiana State University School of Banking in 1973.

7. He served as Business Manager for the Town of Irmo in 1979, and on the Council of Advisors of the SC Department of Consumer Affairs from 1990 to present.

9. He worked in customer service at SCNB from 1960 to 1964. He was a bank examiner from 1964 to 1969. He was a loan officer from 1969 to 1972. He served as Vice President and City Executive for Southern Bank and Trust from 1972 to 1979. From 1979 to present, he has acted as president and CEO of the Irmo Insurance Agency, Inc.

10. He is currently president and CEO of the Irmo Insurance Agency, Inc., the sole shareholder of Lexington Insurance Agency, Inc., a 50% partner in New Gibbes Partnership, the owner of the land and building for Irmo Insurance Agency.

Printed Page 2525 . . . . . Thursday, February 24, 1994

14. A small claim ($588) for automobile damages was incorrectly placed against the Irmo Insurance Agency. The correct defendant is the Unison Ins. Co. (An attorney's letter is attached to questionnaire).

22. He has spent $175 on stationary, $58 on postage, and $25 on telephone calls.

26. Professional organizations: Independent Insurance Agents of South Carolina; Independent Insurance Agents of Greater Columbia (board member 1993); Home Builders Assoc. of Greater Columbia.

27. Civic, charitable, etc. organizations:McGregor Presbyterian Church of Irmo (elder); Council of Advisors, Department of Consumer Affairs; First Citizens Bank - Irmo Advisory Board; Irmo Ruritan Club (program chairman); Lake Murray/Irmo Rotary Club; Woodmen of the World Lodge #2; Ballentine Fire Commission (founding chairman); Irmo Planning Commission (former member); Central Midlands Regional Planning Council (former member); Columbia Area Mental Health Center (former board member); Ballentine Civic Assoc.

29. Five letters of reference:

(a) Dan S. Judd

P.O. Box 68

Irmo, SC 29063

781-2103

(b) Raymond S. Caughman

P.O. Box 8

Lexington, SC 29071

359-5111

P.O. Box 343

Irmo, SC 29063

781-2223

(d) Charlene Meetze

P.O. Box 1577

Irmo, SC 29063

781-7894

Printed Page 2526 . . . . . Thursday, February 24, 1994

(e) Dan Randall

P.O. Box 2207

Irmo, SC 29063

781-1540

30. Second District.

THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. All right, ladies and gentlemen, see you back in the morning about 10:00 o'clock.

(The proceedings adjourned at 6:05 p.m.)

Friday, January 21, 1994
10:OO a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
THE CHAIRMAN: Mr. Couick.
MR. COUICK: Mr. Chairman, we'd like to have the committee call Ms. Margaret Reese to the stand as well. Mr. Chairman, while she -- Ms. Reese is coming forward, if you could repeat some of the ground rules the committee had laid out yesterday.

Ms. Reese, please take the chair on the far end of the witness box here. It'll probably be more comfortable. And if you would take out your driver's license and/or your voter registration if you have it with you. Ms. Hammond will take those from you.
MS. REESE: Do you want them?
MR. COUICK: Yes, ma'am. Ms. Hammond will get them. Anyone who is present that is affiliated with a candidate, they will need to recuse or sequester themselves this morning as well as other candidates. If we could have -- Ms. Reese, if you would raise your right hand.
MARGARET B. REESE, having been duly sworn, testified as follows:
MS. REESE - EXAMINATION BY MR. COUICK:
Q. Good morning.
A. Good morning.
Q. Ms. Reese, I'm reviewing your driver's license now and it indicates that you live at 430 Yachting Road in Lexington. That's 29072. Your voter registration lists the same address; is that correct?
A. That is correct.
Q. And that is in Lexington County?
A. Yes.
Q. And you've applied for the Second Public Service Commission District seat?
A. Correct.

Printed Page 2527 . . . . . Thursday, February 24, 1994

Q. Ms. Reese, would you -- you've had an opportunity to review your Personal Data Questionnaire Summary this morning. Was it correct? Were there --
A. Yes.
Q. -- any things you'd like to correct on it?
A. No. It is correct.
Q. Would you have any objection to that being entered as a part of the permanent record of these proceedings?
A. No, I would not.
Q. Thank you. Please tell the committee what has brought you to the point of applying to be elected to the Public Service Commission? What's propelled you to --
A. There are several things I would like to accomplish as a commissioner. I want to make sure that utility companies do prosper financially and have the resources available to attend to future needs. This cold weather --- and I read that some utilities are having to cut back. I'd like to make sure that we are assured of continued warmth.

I also would like to prevent the crises that we experienced in the seventies, that situation. I am representing the middle class. The majority of my bills that come in each month are regulated by the Public Service Commission and I would like to represent the middle class.
Q. Ms. Reese, you have had a very broad education. I believe you attended Converse College. You completed your baccalaureate studies, I believe, at USC and also received a master's in education I believe at USC; is that correct?
A. Right.
Q. And you have spent most of your employment as a public school teacher, I believe?
A. Correct.
Q. For approximately 21 years?
A. Correct.
Q. Are you now retired from education?
A. No, I'm not.
Q. Are your currently teaching now?
A. Yes.
Q. What subjects do you teach and at what school do you teach?
A. I teach at Irmo High School. I teach English. I have taught other subjects.
Q. You at one point owned and managed a children's clothing store. Do you have any other business interests at this point? Do you have any ownership interest or investment interest in other businesses?

Printed Page 2528 . . . . . Thursday, February 24, 1994

A. No, I do not.
Q. Do you own any utility stock?
A. No.
Q. You're married, I believe, to a Mr. Michael Seigler; is that correct?
A. Correct.
Q. Does Mr. Seigler own any utility stock?
A. He does not.
Q. What is Mr. Seigler's employment?
A. Cameron and Barkley hired as a salesman, outside salesman.
Q. Cameron and Barkley is what type of business?
A. Industrial electrical supplies.
Q. Do they from time to time sell anything to a regulated utility?
A. He's in the industrial division. I think the electrical side would sell to South Carolina Electric and Gas, for example. He is not involved in the electrical side.
Q. I'm going to say that one more time, he is not involved in electrical sales?
A. Correct.
Q. Would any part of his salary be dependent upon commissions that would be derived from a sale of electrical products to SCE&G or some other regulated utility?
A. No. He is on commission, but he does not deal with the electrical division.
Q. Please tell me once again, what does he sell at Cameron and Barkley?
A. Industrial supplies. Drills and saws and --
Q. I understand now. What would you say would be the one or two major issues confronting the Public Service Commission at this time?
A. I think the telecommunications battle that's brewing is going to be troublesome. We've gone through so many facets and antiquated laws that date back 20 or 30 years that do not cover what we're now seeing. The Information Highway that's available, I see that as a problem.
Q. Yes, ma'am. Is there a second issue that you would see as a major issue?
A. I'd like to concentrate on that one.
Q. What -- how -- what type of legislative authority does the Public Service Commission have today that they're either utilizing or not utilizing to properly regulate telecommunication utilities? I believe you said there were antiquated laws.
A. None have been passed, I know that. And I just know that changes have been made and we have so much more available to us today. The optic fiber --

Printed Page 2529 . . . . . Thursday, February 24, 1994

Q. Right.
A. As far as the regulations is the only thing that comes to mind now because I'm nervous.
Q. I see. Would you like a glass of water or coffee or anything?
A. No. It would be the antitrust laws. I cannot answer.
Q. Yes, ma'am, I understand. And please understand that part of the interview's purpose is to kind of plumb your experience and that's not to say that you don't have certainly enough experience because we're looking for a broad experience not necessarily a specific experience.
A. Thank you.
Q. What role should the PSC staff play in not only rate regulation, but other matters that come before the commission?
A. Just to see that the services are carried out, the bookkeeping, the facilities, issuance of securities. Did I answer your question?
Q. Yes, ma'am. You wear lots of hats in the classroom. I know, my wife is a teacher. My mother was a teacher for 38 years. And you're sometimes traffic cops, sometimes you're instructor, lots of times you're a friend and I would imagine that Public Service Commissioners wear lots of different hats. Some that come to mind are traffic cops again, some are public relations hats that they wear from time to time, others are that they may serve in the position of being an agency director or executive managing the agency and the other would be as a judge. Which hat do you think you would be most often called upon to wear in your services as a Public Service Commissioner?
A. I think my communication and negotiating skills, research skills.
Q. So you would see yourself in terms of time commitment most often doing public relations work on the --
A. I see that as the ombudsman's position of taking inquiries and complaints. Also investigating compliance.
Q. You mentioned a few moments ago that you kind of saw yourself as sort of a quintessential consumer. I'm not trying to put words in your mouth, but that was kind of the gist, I believe, of what you said. You came from that background. You bought electricity now and you would go on the commission with the strong feeling of being consumer driven. Is that fair summary of --
A. You might want to call me a Tweener.
Q. All right.
A. I'm some -- I also want the utilities to prosper in order that we prepare for the future needs.
Q. Mr. Wilkes has asked an interesting question from time to time and I'm going to steal it from him for the purpose of your interview. In hard

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