One Brown Down

One of the Brown Boys has decided to throw in the towel.

Southern District Transportation Commissioner Wayne Brown said Friday he isn’t running for re-election. He said Friday his announcement was only confirming the obvious. “It’s the worst-kept secret,” Brown said with a laugh.

Mississippi’s three-member transportation commission is likely to look much different soon. In addition to Brown’s replacement, the northern district will also be represented by a first-termer. An election will be held Jan. 11 to replace Northern District Transportation Commissioner Bill Minor, who died in office Nov. 1.

Minor and Brown, both Democrats, often found themselves opposing Central District Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall, a Republican, on major issues including the job performance of MDOT Executive Director Larry Lynn “Butch” Brown.

The new commission may decide the fate of the other Brown.

The 2011 primaries are in August and the general election in November.

Brown's planned departure is a poorly kept political secret. Rumors have swirled for some time that he likely would not seek re-election.

Others already have been lining up for the post, most notably, Senate Highways and Transportation Committee Chairman Tom King, R-Petal. King said Friday that he is taking a hard look at the job and will make a formal announcement in early January.

In the Northern District, the qualifying deadline for candidates is 5 p.m. Friday. Holly Springs resident Ray Minor - Bill Minor's younger brother and business partner - already has turned in his signatures for qualification. Also having met the qualifying deadline are Tippah County District 4 Supervisor Dennis Grisham; Grenada business owner Larry Lee; MDOT employee Larry Lee; and DeSoto County schools transportation director John Caldwell. House Transportation Committee Chairman Warner McBride, D-Courtland, also has announced. Others are eyeing the post.

We hear those in the transportation community view both elections as a referendum on Butch Brown. And that it is not so much a partisan race. For example, it is expected that Ray Minor and Warner McBride, both Democrats, would support Butch Brown. But in the Southern District, the word is that the Republican Tom King would also support Butch Brown.

Wayne Brown has stood behind embattled MDOT Executive Director Butch Brown, who is of no relation.

Central District Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall made a motion to dismiss Butch Brown following the MDOT chief's run-in with the law this summer at the Beau Rivage casino, a vote Hall lost by a 2-1 split.

He actually didn't lose the vote, his motion died for failure to get a second. Bill Minor and Wayne Brown would not even allow the motion to come to a vote.

Butch Brown was arrested in July on a public intoxication charge, which was eventually dropped in return for his agreeing to take anger management classes. Butch Brown was in hot water again in November after he railed on federal U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood during a meeting of national highway leaders.

Hall said he is planning to seek re-election next year. If he wins, he will be the senior member, but Hall said he's not concerned about training newcomers.

"I'm sure whoever wins will come in and we'll bring them up to speed right quick," he said. "We have a pretty senior staff. Added Hall: "It's no secret I plan to make a change at the top if I get the vote to do that."

We hope voters send Hall some backup so we can see a real change at MDOT.