Ailing MDOT director voted out by Commission

JACKSON — The Mississippi Transportation Commission has asked agency director Larry “Butch” Brown for his resignation by Wednesday or he will be fired.

The commission voted 2-1 today to remove Brown as executive director of the Department of Transportation. He was replaced by Melinda McGrath, MDOT’s chief engineer.

Newly elected Northern District Commissioner Mike Taggert, who was sworn in before the meeting, voted with Central District Commissioner Dick Hall to replace Brown.

Southern District Commissioner Wayne Brown, no relation to Butch Brown, voted against the action.

Brown announced in January that he would retire in June, citing a recurrence of prostate cancer. He had surgery in late January and his been recuperating.