The election for the DOT Board seat left vacant by Mike Evans he who fell in looooove wasn't nearly as contentious as the one earlier this year. Those races left a couple of state representatives who didn't side with Speaker Glenn Richardson's pick finding themselves relocated to less prestigious offices and losing committee appointments.
But that's the past, man. Everybody behaved themselves this go-round. And now that Evans and DOT Commissioner are planning their nuptials, we, the gridlock-enslaved scribes of the city, present to you...Steve Farrow! (He's a former state senator and attorney who oddly enough, seems to have never been photographed in his life. No, I don't think this guy holding the lobster is him.)
After the jump, the requisite press release giving you the background on Farrow.
ATLANTA Attorney Steve Farrow was elected Thursday to the State Transportation Board of Georgia by a caucus of state representatives and senators from the 9th Congressional District. Farrow replaces former Board member Mike Evans of Cumming, who resigned in April.Farrow, a Dalton native, served two terms in the State Senate as a Democrat. He served as Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, Vice Chairman of the Senate Finance and Public Utilities Committee and Vice Chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee. He also served as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Public Safety Committee.This opportunity is an honor, Farrow told the 24-member caucus. He pledged to be a change agent at the Georgia Department of Transportation. There are problems there, and this needs to be a time of change. We need to move away from the old guard to make systemic changes. He said he has visited in many communities within the district and will continue to meet with you to learn your transportation needs. As a former legislator, I know what you go through.
The new board member was nominated by Rep. David Ralston, who praised him for his honesty and work ethic, saying Farrow embraces change and partnership.
Dr. Gena Abraham, Commissioner of the Department of Transportation, welcomed Farrows election to the board, saying she is eager to work with him to make the changes necessary to move the department forward.
We need agents of change Abraham noted. Things are changing at Georgia DOT, and I welcome his being an advocate for that change.
Farrow said one of his first acts will be to meet with the Commissioner to determine whats hanging out there that needs to be tended to.
Farrow will finish Evans full five-year term on the Board. He takes his seat immediately; the term ends in April, 2013.
The Georgia Department of Transportation is governed by the State Transportation Board. Its 13 members, representing each of the states Congressional Districts, exercise general control and supervision of the Department. Each member serves a five-year term and the terms are staggered. Board members are elected by the State Representatives and Senators whose state districts fall within the Congressional District, whether it's all of their district or just a portion.
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