- Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation
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Oklahoma
Secretary of Transportation
Great Seal of Oklahoma Agency overview Formed June 6, 1986 Headquarters 200 NE 21st Street
Oklahoma City, OklahomaEmployees 3057 (FY2011) Annual budget $1.23 billion (FY2011) Minister responsible Gary Ridley, Secretary of Transportation Child agencies Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
Oklahoma Aeronautics CommissionWebsite Office of the Secretary of Transportation The Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Secretary serves as the chief advisor to the Governor on land, water, air and space traffic transportation needs and infastructure.
The current Secretary of Transportation is Gary Ridley, who was appointed by Governor Brad Henry in 2009.
Contents
History
The position of Secretary of Transportation was established in 1986 to provide greater oversight and coordination to the agricultural activities of the State government. The position was established, along with the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet, by the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986. The Act directed the Secretary of Transportation to advise the Governor on transportation needs and infastructure policy and advise the state transportation agencies on new policy as directed by the Governor.
Dual Position
Oklahoma state law always for Cabinet Secretaries to serve concurrently as the head of a State agency in addition to their duties as a Cabinet Secretary. Historically, the Secretary of Transportation has also served as either the Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation or as the Director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. As of 2010, five of the six Transportation Secretaries have served in one of those dual positions, with three serving in all three.
Name Other Position Held (if any) Neal McCaleb Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation Delmas Ford Neal McCaleb Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Director, Oklahoma Turnpike AuthorityHerschel Crow Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Director, Oklahoma Turnpike AuthorityPhil Tomlinson Director, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Gary Ridley Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Director, Oklahoma Turnpike AuthorityResponsibilities
The Secretary of Transportation is responsible for the construction, maintenance, and regulation of state's transportation system. This infrastructure includes rail lines, state highways, state turnpikes, state seaports, state airports and state spaceports.
As of fiscal year 2011, the Secretary of Transportation oversees 3478 full time employees and is responsible for an annual budget of over $1.9 billion.
Agencies overseen
The Secretary of Transportation oversees the following state entities:
- Aeronautics Commission
- Department of Transportation
- Space Industry Development Authority
- Turnpike Authority
Salary
The Secretary of Transportation is one of the few Cabiner Secretaries whose annual salary is not set by law.[1] As such, it is left to the Governor to determine the positions salary through the annual budget. Despite this, if the Secretary serves as the head of State agency, the Secretary receives the higher of the two salaries. What makes incumbent Secretary Gary Ridley's example unique is that he serves as both the head of the Transportation Department (ODOT) and the Director of the Turnpike Authority (OTA). As such, he receives the salaries allowed to both positions. As of 2010, the annual salary for the ODOT Director is set at $118,000 and the salary of the OTA Director is set at $133,000. This gives Ridley a combinded annual compensation package of $250,000.
List of Secretaries
# Name Took Office Left Office Governor served under 1 Neal McCaleb 1987 1991 Henry Bellmon 2 Delmas Ford 1991 1995 David Walters 3 Neal McCaleb 1995 2001 Frank Keating 4 Herschal Crow 2001 2003 5 Phil Tomlinson 2003 2009 Brad Henry 6 Gary Ridley 2009 2011 2011 Present Mary Fallin References
External links
Agriculture • Commerce and Tourism • Education • Energy • Evnironment • Finance and Revenue • Health and Human Services • Human Resources and Administration • Military • Safety and Security • Science and Technology • State • Transportation • Veterans Affairs
Past Cabinet members: Administration • Commerce • Health • Human Resources • Human Services • Tourism and Recreation
State transportation agencies of OklahomaGovernor of Oklahoma
Secretary of Transportation
Aeronautics Commission • Department of Transportation • Space Industry Development Authority • Turnpike AuthorityCategories:- State cabinet secretaries of Oklahoma
- Heads of Oklahoma state agencies
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