January 14, 2011

State of the State
Governor emphasizes austerity in 2012 budget
(Presented in five parts)
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Honorable Justices, my fellow constitutional officers, distinguished legislators and members of my Cabinet, honored guests, friends, my family and our First Lady ... my fellow Idahoans. Of course I especially include in that number the thousands of our fellow Idaho citizens now serving once again in Iraq. Our prayers and our thoughts are with them and we anxiously await their return to us.

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Transportation board
Board to consider rental agreements
The Idaho Transportation Board will consider an annual report on state-owned dwellings when it meets next week in Boise. The monthly business meeting will begin informally at noon with a working lunch at the Division of Aeronautics office. Following the meeting with members of the Aeronautics Advisory Board, the transportation board will tour the Aeronautics facility.

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Aeronautics
System study identifies benefits, needs for state's airports
An integral part of Idaho’s transportation system, airports face needs similar to highways for infrastructure improvements, planning and funding. The Division of Aeronautics now has
a tool that will help define the future of those airports. It comes in the form of an Idaho Airport System Plan, completed in 2010 after about two years of research.
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Incident response
Motorist grateful for ITD Incident Response
Jim Cherry was driving east on Interstate 84
near the Ten Mile Interchange reconstruction area on the morning of Dec. 29 when he noticed a small white Ford Ranger pickup truck. Its driver, David A. Walker, appeared to be in distress in the right-hand lane of the highway.
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Planning
ITD solicits comments on north-central Idaho corridor plans
ITD is seeking public comment on draft corridor plans for 16 highways in north-central Idaho. The plans include potential construction and maintenance projects for each highway during the next 10 years. The department will accept comments on the draft plans until Jan. 28.

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511 Traveler Services
Idaho motorists take advantage of condition reports
The snow is expected to fly again this weekend, particularly in the higher elevations, and drivers likely will be checking Idaho's 511 Traveler Services reports in record numbers for roadway conditions. Between phone calls (dial 5-1-1 or 1-888-IDA-ROAD) and visits to the website (511.idaho.gov), the system has served 2.28 million people this winter, ITD announced.

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Highways
U.S. 30 motorists can find rest again at Hagerman
The Hagerman Rest Area, located on U.S. 30 south of Hagerman, reopened to the public this week following a six-month reconstruction of the restroom facility. Enhancements to the facility include an expanded restroom building that has eight restroom stalls and accommodations for family use, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant sidewalks, curbs and picnic facilities.

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Highway safety
ITD, ISP combine for holiday safety patrols
ITD partnered with the Idaho State Police and other law enforcement agencies across the state to make highways safer by funding hig
h-visibility impaired driving enforcement patrols Dec. 17 to Jan. 3. During this campaign, Region 4 (south-central) ISP troopers focused on enforcement of impaired driving and seatbelt violations.
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Preparedness
Lend a hand during emergencies
With January 1st come the infamous New Year’s resolutions. Some will be unresolved repeats from previous years and others will be new. January 11th will mark the 25th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday and would be a good time to consider a resolution based on this quote from Dr. King, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” The MLK Day of Service is part of the President’s national United We Serve initiative.
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Encore
Published January 7, 2011

Retrospect
Director Ness reflects on department's progress in 2010
The dawn of a new decade also brought the dawn of a new era at the transportation department in January 2010. Brian Ness began his tenure at ITD the same day the 2010 Legislative session opened, and it has been a non-stop journey since day one, he explains. Establishing credibility was the focus throughout the year, beginning with presentations to the Legislature, meetings with ITD employees throughout the state, the unveiling of a new department goal and vision elements, and first steps toward organizational realignment.

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Human Resources
Chief Human Resource Officer Mary Harker begins new regular column
Welcome to News from the CHRO’s first newsletter! I am excited about the possibility to make this column useful and informative. It is my hope that the messages also will create a better understanding and a closer link between you and me. My goal in this first
column is to set the foundation for all articles that will follow by explaining how the HR function is shifting its role and emphasis within ITD.
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Technology
Overheating caused computer system failure Monday
It was cold in Boise Sunday night – temperatures plummeted to 16 degrees outside. But it was a balmy 145-plus in a computer server room at ITD Headquarters. A failed valve kept water from circulating in the computer room, triggering automatic shutdowns and leaving employees without network connections for all but fleeting moments on Monday.

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Phone installations scheduled next month at Headquarters
Installation of new phones at Headquarters will begin Feb. 18, starting at 6 p.m. and will continue through Feb. 22. The installation will conclude an effort that began in May 2009. Since the process began, all phones at district offices and the Division of Aeronautics in Boise have been replaced.
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Employees
ITD policy prohibits internal sales by employees, family members
Concerns recently surfaced about the sale of food and other items at ITD offices by employees or their children, prompting a reminder about department policy. In essence, employees and relatives may not sell items to co-workers, whether for personal profit or as a fund-raising activity.

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Training & Development offers spring courses
Human Resource Training and Development will offer a number of opportunities for employees in the Treasure Valley to improve their professional skills this spring. Topics include training for supervisors, communications, problem solving/decision making, meeting management and hiring. Sessions range from a half-day to two days.
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Retrospect: Transporter headlines from 2010