Senate Transportation calls up appointments to Transportation Board and Travel Information Council

The Senate Transportation committee reviewed four appointments to the Transportation Board and several nominees to the Travel Information Council, and discussed the boards’ roles and outreach responsibilities before sending the nominees to the clerk’s office for formal calendar placement.

David Leonard, legislative counsel, read the first appointment as “David Atherton” to the Transportation Board with a term “from and including September 26, 2024.” Committee members discussed the Transportation Board’s functions — appeals related to transportation decisions, roadside-damage claims, contractor disputes and railroad issues — and noted the staff person who supports the Transportation Board also handles the lemon-law portfolio.

Committee members also named additional appointments and nominees by reading the roster aloud. Those named in the transcript include Richard Cleveland (identified as a public member of the Travel Information Council), Elizabeth Kennedy (nominee from Rochester), Mira Miller (Transportation Board, term noted in transcript as running through February 28, 2026), Tim Pudzbach (Transportation Board, listed with a term span in the transcript) and M.D. Schackney (Travel Information Council). Committee staff said they would contact nominees by phone to confirm availability and then place the confirmed appointments on the calendar.

The committee did not record formal roll-call votes in the transcript. Members said the usual practice is for commissioners representing a nominee’s district to contact that person first; if a nominee confirms, staff will forward the name to the clerk’s office for a batch calendar placement and an eventual formal approval.

Committee staff (Megan) said she was assembling phone numbers and emails for outreach, and members agreed to report back after contacting nominees.