(a) Executive director.
  (1) The commission will elect an executive director
for the department who shall be skilled in transportation planning
and development and in organizational management. The executive director,
as the chief executive officer of the department, is authorized to
administer the day-to-day operations of the department. The executive
director may hold that position until removed by the commission.
  (2) To assist in discharging the duties and responsibilities
of the executive director, the executive director may organize, appoint,
and retain such administrative staff as he or she deems appropriate,
including the chief financial officer of the department.
  (3) The executive director shall:
    (A) serve the commission in an advisory capacity, without
vote;
    (B) submit quarterly, annually, and biennially to the
commission detailed reports of the progress of public road construction,
public and mass transportation development, and detailed statement
of expenditures;
    (C) hire, promote, assign, re-assign, transfer, and,
consistent with applicable law and policy, terminate staff necessary
to accomplish the roles and missions of the department;
    (D) notify the chair of grounds for removal of a commissioner
if the executive director knows that a potential ground for removal
exists, or, if the potential ground for removal relates to the chair,
notify another commissioner;
    (E) under the direction and with the approval of the
commission, prepare a comprehensive plan providing a system of state
highways; and
    (F) perform other responsibilities as required by law
or assigned by the commission.
  (4) The executive director may, consistent with applicable
law, delegate one or more of the functions listed under paragraph
(3)(B) - (F) of this subsection to the staff of the department.