Mapp Selects Lloyd Bough Jr. As New Commissioner Of Property And Procurement

ST. CROIX — Lloyd Bough Jr. has been formally nominated to serve as the territory’s commissioner of the Department of Property & Procurement, Governor Kenneth Mapp announced during a press conference held at Government House here on Wednesday.

Mr. Mapp submitted Mr. Bough’s name to the 32nd Legislature Wednesday morning following the press conference. Mr. Bough will serve as the acting commissioner of P&P until being vetted by the 32nd Legislature. Previously, he served as chief of procurement and contracts at P&P since 2007, according to Government House.

Mr. Mapp said he was extraordinarily pleased to bring someone who had experience actually executing much of the work he will now supervise.

“I am proud to have been able to reach into the middle management of the Department,” the governor said. “I am asking all the good folks at Property & Procurement to fully cooperate with your new commissioner.”

The territory’s leader said Mr. Bough’s role is particularly critical now given enhanced efforts to increase revenue, reduce expenditures and get various infrastructure projects off the ground – most of which require contracts that must be approved by Property & Procurement. He also cited pressing needs to finalize the acquisition of new ambulances and buses for senior citizens, according to Government House. However, in October, the last P&P commissioner, Randolph Bennett, said he’d purchased 7 new ambulances, four to be used in this district and three for the St. Thomas-St. John district, at a cost of just over $200,000 each. But because the new ambulances were being custom-built for use in the territory, it would be six months before they were shipped to the islands, which means the new ambulances won’t be in the territory until April.

During the press conference, the governor indicated a need for the department to revisit the preferred bidder program to help local vendors become competitive and curtail purchases from off-island vendors made by federally monitored government programs.

Mr. Bough said he looks forward to the challenge before him and thanked Mr. Mapp for the faith he had placed with him.

“With the support of my staff, I do believe we can take P&P to another level,” Mr. Bough said.