Byrd White confirmed as state transportation secretary
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CHARLESTON -- After soothing concerns over his qualifications and his residency Monday, Byrd White sailed through the confirmations process to become the permanent secretary of the West Virginia Department of Transportation and Commissioner of Highways.
The state Senate confirmed White and other appointees by Gov. Jim Justice 29-0 with five senators absent after the Senate Confirmations Committee unanimously confirmed the appointments, which also included new Public Service Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Lane.
Some, including a Republican candidate for governor, have raised concerns over whether White -- a long-time friend of Justice's and a former executive in Justice's companies -- was qualified for commissioner of highways. State code states that the commissioner shall be a person who is experienced in highway planning, finance, construction, maintenance, management and supervision qualifying him for the duties of his office."
Justice previously appointed career DOT engineer Jimmy Wriston as commissioner of highways, but that title was changed to deputy commissioner of highways in order to prevent Wriston from taking a pay cut, from $131,480 to $92,500 set in code for the position. The last two secretaries of transportation -- both experienced highway engineers -- also held the title of highways commissioner.
Speaking before the Senate Confirmations Committee, White told senators that he spent several years in Florida working Ranger Construction, a major road construction and asphalt producer in the south.
"I was responsible for five asphalt plants spread from Orlando to Key West," White said. "I had secondary responsibilities for an asphalt plant in the Bahamas and a joint venture in Peru. We did work for subdivisions to I-95 to paving the Key West Naval Air Station. We did underground work, water, sewer, and that sort of thing along with the road construction."
White said his experience with Ranger, plus his many years working his way up through the James C. Justice Companies' corporate ladder gives him the qualifications required in state code.
"I've been a (certified public accountant) for a long, long time. I've managed groups of five people and I've managed companies of hundreds," White said. "I'm not aware of any other requirements other than experience in construction, which I have; the management experience, which I've managed a number of companies; and the financial background. I just feel comfortable I meet all those requirements."
State code also requires the commissioner of highways to reside in the seat of government in Charleston. White said he only found out about that requirement more than a week ago. The native of Beaver in Raleigh County now has a Charleston apartment, but he hopes the legislature broadens that requirement.
"We did a little research. In the last 50 years, since 1969, there'd been seven highway commissioners. One has lived in Charleston. One. The commissioner of highways is the only commissioner in the state that's required to live in Charleston. I think it's a silly law, but it's the law."
State Sen. Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, praised White for his answer to the residency question and said while he agreed the law needed changed, he was pleased to see White complying with state code.
"I've already been talking about this behind the scenes. I want that law changed as well," Blair said. "I'm glad that you got a place and it makes it easy for me to be able to vote yes. Because your behavior and your actions that you've taken at this point in time make it relatively easy for me to vote yes."
(Adams can be contacted at sadams@newsandsentinel.com)