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Director begins new era with commitment
to communication, efficiency, service

I want to thank all of you for your help and patience during the department’s leadership transition the past few weeks. The process could not have been as smooth or trouble-free without your contributions.

As many of you are aware, the ITD leadership team has been diligently preparing for two very important presentations before the Idaho Legislature – the Senate and House transportation committees on Tuesday (Jan. 30) and the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Feb. 8. I look forward to representing the department before both groups where we will re-introduce legislators to the department and explain our resource needs for FY08.

Preparing for those meetings has required considerable input and assistance from staff throughout the department. Your efforts have been extraordinary, and I want thank each of you who participated.

While this is an extremely busy time, I wanted to remind each of you how much I value your professional expertise and your spirit of cooperation. We have much to do in the coming year. We will undertake the challenges together and share the accomplishments as a group, united by a commitment to the citizens of Idaho.

I hope that my role, as director of the department, will be identified by three distinct priorities:

Communication: I recognize that for all of us to move forward together, we must make a commitment to open communication. By its nature, the process requires two-way dialogue. I will do everything possible to keep you informed of important administrative developments and sincerely ask you to keep me and members of the Executive Team informed of your needs and concerns.

Efficiency: The governor, in his State of the State address, challenged us to operate efficiently and to look for ways to forge new partnerships with other government agencies and with the private sector. We will continue to make that an important emphasis.

Customer service: We are in the business of customer service. All that we do – from highway improvements and maintenance to licensing and titling, project planning, public transportation and safety initiatives – begins and ends with a commitment to customer service. In many respects, we are the face of state government.

I hope each of you will join me in making these priorities personal goals.

After the Legislature adjourns this spring, I plan to visit each district and Headquarters section to get to know you better.

Until then, I want you to know that I am proud to be part of your team and look forward to working with you as we serve the citizens of Idaho.