Political veteran named new highway commissioner
by January 17, 2013 2:56 pm 109 views
Former Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives Robert Moore Jr. was appointed by Gov. Mike Beebe to serve on the prestigious Arkansas Highway Commission.
The 10-year term will expire Jan. 14, 2023.
Moore, 68, fills the slot on the five-person commission previously held by Madison Murphy, who was appointed in 2003 to the commission by Gov. Mike Huckabee.
“As Speaker of the House of Representatives, Robert was an outspoken and successful advocate for improving Arkansas highways and our State as a whole," Beebe said in a statement released Thursday (Jan. 17). "He will continue that work on the Commission while providing a strong voice to represent South Arkansas."
Moore grew up in Southeast Arkansas and graduated from Ouachita Baptist University. After joining the U.S. Army and serving in Vietnam, Moore returned home to earn his law degree and worked for Attorney General Jim Guy Tucker. In 1977, Gov. David Pryor appointed him as chairman of the Arkansas Transportation Commission. He would also serve on the staff of Gov. Bill Clinton and served two decades as director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control. Moore was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 2006.
Amendment 42 of the Arkansas Constitution created the Arkansas Highway Commission. The Amendment was sponsored by Arkansas Sens. Y.M. Mack and Lawrence Blackwell as part of an effort to remove political favors and other problems from the awarding of highway infrastructure funding. Arkansas voters approved the amendment in November 1952.
The five commission members are responsible to administer the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) and “fully and effectively carrying out relative regulations and laws,” according to the AHTD website. The members serve staggered, 10-year terms.
The other four commissioners are:
• John Ed Regenold, of Armorel
Regenold was appointed by Gov. Huckabee, and his term expires January 2015.
• John Burkhalter, of North Little Rock
Burkhalter was appointed by Gov. Beebe to complete the unexpired term of Cliff Hoofman. His term expires January 2017.
• Dick Trammel, of Rogers
Trammel was appointed by Gov. Beebe, and his term expires January 2019.
• Tom Schueck, of Little Rock
Schueck was appointed by Gov. Beebe, and his term expires January 2021.
Link here for more information on the commissioners.