ROBERT NICHOLS

Whereas, Robert Lee Nichols of Jacksonville, resigned June 30, 2005 as a member of the Texas Transportation Commission;

Whereas, appointed by Governor George W. Bush in 1997, and reappointed by Governor Rick Perry in 2003, he served more than eight years on the Commission, bested in tenure only by Herb Petry (18 years) and Dewitt C. Greer (12 years);

Whereas, Commissioner Nichols quickly became known as a serious “workhorse,” traveling to all 25 highway districts and visiting with TxDOT employees in 156 field offices;

Whereas, he worked diligently with the Texas Legislature to improve the efficiency of motor fuel tax collection procedures, resulting in significant increases for the highway fund;

Whereas, he traversed the Lone Star State, frequently in the company of Texas Good Roads members, to promote constitutional amendments for toll equity and the mobility fund, and to promote increases in federal highway funding;

Whereas, Mr. Nichols, a retired manufacturer and former Mayor, was a full-time Commissioner and was much beloved by the Department's 14,000 employees-who referred to him as “the employee's commissioner”;

Therefore, be it resolved, that the 73rd Annual Meeting of the Texas Good Roads/Transportation Association in Austin, Texas on Thursday, July 7, 2005 hereby adopt this resolution and forward copies to Mr. Nichols.