COLUMBIA — The S.C. State Ports Authority's board members met behind closed doors for about 90 minutes Sept. 3, emerging without taking any action or any questions.

The vaguely worded agenda said the purpose of the special meeting in downtown Columbia was to discuss "proposed contractual arrangements regarding agency personnel." No details were disclosed

Bill Stern, the SPA's chairman, declined to take questions from The Post and Courier afterward.

It was the board's first meeting since Barbara Melvin unexpectedly stepped down as president and CEO of the maritime agency on Aug. 21 "to pursue other opportunities."

She resigned from her $580,000-a-year high-profile post two days after the board called an unscheduled closed-door discussion with her at the close of an otherwise routi

See Full Page