Brown misses commission’s deadline to resign
It appears controversial Mississippi Department of Transportation Executive Director Larry L. “Butch” Brown was fired moments ago after he didn’t act on an ultimatum that he resign by a 5 p.m. deadline or lose his job.
The Mississippi Transportation Commission voted 2-1 behind closed doors Tuesday to demand Brown submit his resignation by the close of business Wednesday or be fired from his $144,000-a-year job. Newly elected Northern District Commissioner Mike Tagert was sworn in an hour before the meeting and sided with Central District Commissioner Dick Hall, a longtime foe of the executive director, on Hall’s motion to force Brown to resign. Southern District Commissioner Wayne Brown, a longtime supporter of Butch Brown, was the lone vote against the motion.
Butch Brown, who didn’t attend the meeting Tuesday in Jackson, said he has been at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston since Jan. 18 receiving treatments, which included several surgeries, for a recurrence of prostate cancer. As of after 5 p.m. Wednesday, Hall said the three-member elected Commission, which is responsible for hiring and firing MDOT’s executive director, had not received any response from Butch Brown and he was fired.
Sun Herald
2/9/11
Magnolia Tribune
