The final appointments to a new transportation task force are now in and the panel is complete.
This week, Economic Lifelines named three appointments to the task force, which will start work on a new multi-year transportation plan within weeks.
The task force must finish its work by next January.
Here are the latest appointments:
Economic Lifelines:
- Jerry Younger, managing director of the Kansas Ready Mix Concrete Association. Younger had worked as deputy secretary and state transportation engineer for the Kansas Department of Transportation.
- Mary Birch, government relations coordinator for the Lathrop Gage law firm and former head of the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce.
- Matt Allen, city manager for Garden City.
League of Kansas Municipalities:
- Jon Daveline, Hutchinson city councilman. He previously served as the chief executive officer of the Hutchinson-Reno County Chamber of Commerce He represents cities with a population of more than 40,000.
- Donald Roberts, mayor of Edgerton, home of the BNSF intermodal hub. He represents cities with a population of less than 40,000.
House Minority Leader Jim Ward
- Andy Sanchez, AFL-CIO executive secretary-treasurer.
- Bridgette Williams, executive director of the Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City.
- Democratic state Rep. Henry Helgerson.
And just in case you forgot, here’s a reminder of the other appointments:
House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. He gets to name one House member and four Kansas residents.
- Johnson County Commissioner Mike Brown.
- Cameron McGowan, associate vice president from HNTB.
- Former Kansas highway department Secretary Mike King.
- Kip Spray, owner of Venture Corp. in Great Bend.
- Republican state Rep. Shannon Francis of Liberal.
Senate President Susan Wagle. She gets to name one Senate member and four Kansas residents.
- Lindsey Douglas, public Affairs director, Union Pacific.
- Kenzil Lynn, senior manager, Schwab Eaton.
- Republican Sen. Rick Billinger of Goodland.
- Steve Sloan, president and chief executive officer of Midwest Minerals Inc.
- Chad Girard, president APAC Kansas.
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley. He gets to name one member of the Senate and two Kansas residents.
- Democratic Sen. Tom Hawk of Manhattan.
- Alise Martiny, secretary-business manager, Greater Kansas City Building and Construction Trades Council.
- Ty Dragoo, Kansas legislative director, International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.
Kansas Associations of Counties:
- Johnson County Commissioner Jim Allen, who sits on the board of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. He represents counties with a population exceeding 40,000.
- Phillips County Commissioner Max Dibble will represent counties with a population less than 40,000.
There are 31 members on the task force, including eight legislators whose membership is set by statute by virtue of their leadership position.
Those lawmakers include: Republican state Rep. Richard Proehl, chair of the House Transportation Comittee, Republican state Reps. Troy Waymaster, Appropriations Committee chairman; J.R. Claeys, chair of the Transportation and Public safety Budget Committee; and Democratic state Rep. Adam Lusker, ranking member on the House Transportation Committee.
Other designated lawmakers include Republican state Sen. Carolyn McGinn, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee; Sen. Mike Peterson, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee; Democratic state Sen. Pat Pettey, ranking member of the Senate transportation Committee and Republican state Sen. John Skubal, chair of the Ways and Means subcommittee on Transportation.
In addition, the secretaries of transportation, revenue, agriculture and the chief executive officer of the Kansas Turnpike Authority will serve as ex-officio members.
The panel, co-chaired by Proehl and McGinn, will meet throughout the rest of the year and make a recommendation to the Legislature next January.
