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MDOT director says department has rebuilt workforce and seeks continued support after 'generational' ice storm
Summary
Director Brad White told a Senate committee the department has made workforce and funding gains but warned Mississippi must change how it responds to rare, severe ice storms; he defended crews' response and asked lawmakers to preserve salary flexibility and funding.
Director Brad White told the Mississippi Senate committee that the Department of Transportation has made measurable progress since his confirmation but still faces long-term staffing and operational challenges. “We've stopped the bleeding of our employees thanks to SCC squared and cooperation with the personnel board,” White said, adding the legislature has provided “nearly $1,000,000,000 in supplemental funds” and other resources that allowed MDOT to restart the capacity construction program and invest in system rehabilitation.
White defended MDOT's response to a recent ice storm that he called “something that the state has not seen in a generation,” saying crews and partner agencies worked under difficult conditions, including power outages that limited refueling and equipment movement. He said MDOT logged “over 26,000 man hours” during the response and warned that limited pay flexibility under the state personnel board has eroded engineering and maintenance ranks: “Being able to move our salaries is critical,” White said, urging continued legislative support to rebuild and retain frontline workers. He offered to work with the committee on changes to improve future emergency responses.
