Building Projects Lack Legislative Oversight

The bond will fund $2.5 billion in construction projects across the UNC system, and $600 million in projects for the state's 59 community colleges.

Danny Lineberry, spokesman for House Speaker Jim Black, said a search for committee members is already under way.

"Several people decided not to take the appointment," Lineberry said.

Lineberry added that filling the committee was just a matter of time. He would not reveal the names of candidates.

The House and Senate will each appoint three candidates.

The UNC-system Board of Governors and the state Board of Community Colleges have each appointed two members to the committee.

Jeff Davies, UNC-system vice president for finance, said he expects the committee to begin meeting soon.

"As soon as membership is appointed, I'd assume that the commission would go to work immediately," he said.

Davies said his office already is working diligently on the construction matter and will be ready to meet with the committee when it is formed.

He said each campus has been working on construction despite the absence of the legislative oversight committee.

"In the meantime, we've been proceeding on all of our campuses to carry out the construction program expeditiously," he said.

BOG member Bradley Wilson said he is not concerned that an oversight committee has not formed

Wilson said all construction is moving smoothly.

"We're still in the beginning of this process," he said. "What construction has started is still in the early stages."

At the April BOG meeting, Wilson reported to the full board that 10 percent of bond projects already were under contract, with many bids coming under the expected cost.

Wilson described the oversight of construction as having three layers -- the individual campuses, leadership headed by UNC-system President Molly Broad and Davies and the legislative oversight committee.

"The accountability process is all in place," he said. "I don't think that (the absence of an oversight committee) detracts from that commitment."

Koen de Vries contributed to this report.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.