DOT chair: commissioner will address leadership gaps

The state Department of Transportation’s board on Friday aired its concerns over gaps in the DOT’s top leadership in a closed meeting with DOT Commissioner Vance Smith.

Following the meeting, Board Chairman Rudy Bowen said that he was confident the issues would be addressed, and that Smith would hire people to fill top posts that were vacant or soon to be vacant, including the deputy commissioner position. The board used to have approval over the commissioner’s top deputies, but following a new law in 2009 it no longer does. It still has the power to hire and fire the commissioner.