Senate President Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) makes his first two appointments to the restructured Department of Transportation board. | Stock Photo
Senate President Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) makes his first two appointments to the restructured Department of Transportation board. | Stock Photo
Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) made two of his three appointments to the newly-restructured Board of Transportation, which was expanded in both members and powers in response to problems with spending oversight.
In May, Auditor Beth Wood reported a series of problems in the state Department of Transportation that led to $750 million in overspending and the need to furlough approximately 10,000 employees, Berger said in a July 30 news release on his Medium press website. The changes to the Board of Transportation are intended to prevent future problems.
Berger selected Jerry Tillman of Randolph County and Andy Wells of Catawba County, both prior legislators, as his first two appointments, the Republican said in the release. The state House speaker and Senate president are each are permitted three appointments to the 20-member board under the new policy.
Wells is both a former state senator and representative with “extensive private-sector financial experience,” Berger said in the news release. Tillman served in the state Senate from 2003 to 2020 and chaired the Finance Committee and the Appropriations Committee on Education.
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