Minter is next transportation chief

Minter was a four-term legislator from Waterbury before she became an executive in the state government. As assistant secretary of the Agency of Transportation, she took on the responsibility of leading the state’s recovery from the devastating Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, overseeing the rebuilding of more than 500 miles of roadway in less than four months.

Minter will replace Secretary Brian Searles, who is retiring. The state Senate is expected to confirm her appointment early next year.

Among Vermont’s transportation challenges, Minter pointed to repairing crumbling roads and bridges and improving public transportation — goals that are not mutually exclusive, she said.

“Buses need roads and bridges to run,” she said.

Minter praised the Vermont Legislature for recognizing the importance of adequately funding transportation by approving $685.7 million for this fiscal year. The package supports improvements and maintenance of roads and bridges, while furthering the agency’s vision of a “safe, efficient, multimodal transportation system that promotes Vermont’s quality of life and economic well-being.”

Two years ago, the Vermont Legislative Council — a group providing support similar to Washington’s Congressional Budget Office — identified an annual imbalance of $240 million between Vermont’s transportation budget and the cost of what’s really needed. Just six years ago, Vermont ranked 48th among U.S. states for its crumbling infrastructure, with 36 percent of bridges deemed structurally deficient by engineers. By last year, Vermont had risen to 28th place with 21 percent of bridges requiring repair.

Minter says improved funding and wiser spending have lowered the number of structurally deficient bridges to just 8 percent. In addition, the state has lowered the percentage of paved roads in poor condition from 36 percent in 2008 to just 21 percent last year, with more improvements on the way.

Minter gained national notice last year for leading a team to help Colorado recovery from extreme flooding. Now, she supports President Barack Obama’s Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, and co-chairs the White House Task Force Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery and Resilience.

In the Legislature, Minter served two years on the House Appropriations Committee and four years on the House Transportation Committee. For her work in Montpelier, she was chosen to be an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership from 2009 to 2011, and was designated as an “Emerging Public Leader” by the State Legislative Leadership Foundation.

Shumlin praised Searles while welcoming Minter to his cabinet.

“While we’re sad to lose Brian, we could not be more fortunate than to have Sue Minter as the new secretary,” Shumlin said. “Sue is driven, dedicated and has a proven record of leadership both at the (transportation agency) and during Tropical Storm Irene, when she served as my Irene recovery officer.”

Minter’s replacement as assistant secretary will be Chris Cole, who has been the agency’s director of policy, planning and intermodal development since 2011. Before that, he spent a decade as general manager of the Chittenden County Transportation Authority, which serves the transportation needs of half of Vermont’s population.

Shumlin called the transportation agency “one of the most effective agencies in state government,” given its talented leadership.

Minter has long made her home in Waterbury Center, along with her husband, David Goodman.