2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth › Chapter 6c - Massachusetts Department of Transportation › Section 39 - Administrative Units Within the Division of Highways; Description of Organization; Appointments

Section 39. (a) The administrator may from time to time, subject to the approval of the secretary, establish within the division such administrative units, district or other offices as may be necessary for the efficient and economical administration of the division, and when necessary for such purpose, may abolish any such administrative unit, or may merge any 2 or more units, as the administrator deems advisable; provided, however, that the administrator shall establish the following units: highway engineering, highway construction and highway maintenance. Each such unit shall be under the direction, control and supervision of the administrator. The administrator shall assign to all officials, agents and employees of the units their respective duties. The administrator shall prepare and keep current a statement of the organization of the division, of the assignment of its functions to its various administrative units, offices and employees and of the places at which and the methods whereby the public may receive information or make requests. Such statement shall be known as the division's description of organization. A current copy of the description of organization shall be kept on file in the office of the secretary of state and in the office of the secretary of administration.
(b) The administrator may appoint and remove without regard to chapter 31, but with the approval of the secretary: a chief engineer; 5 deputy chief engineers; an assistant chief engineer; a highway and structures engineer; a bridge engineer; highway engineers; district highway engineers; a general counsel to serve in the office of the administrator; a director to serve in the division of administrative services; 4 executive assistants to the administrator; a personnel director; a director of the right of way bureau; and a director of public information. The total number of appointments to be made by the administrator under this subsection shall not exceed 35. No person holding an appointment under this subsection shall be subject to section 9A of chapter 30 or chapter 31. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to exempt the positions named herein from sections 45 to 50, inclusive, of said chapter 30. So far as practicable in the judgment of the administrator, appointments to said positions not classified under said chapter 31 shall be made by promoting employees of the commonwealth serving in positions so classified. Any person appointed to the position of chief engineer, deputy chief engineer, assistant chief engineer, highway and structures engineer, bridge engineer, highway engineer or district highway engineer shall be a person of experience and skill as an engineer and shall be: (i) an employee of the division holding an office or position classified under said chapter 31 with permanent status of senior civil engineer or higher; (ii) a registered professional engineer; or (iii) a person who has received the degree of bachelor of science in an appropriate engineering discipline from an accredited college or university. If an employee of the commonwealth having permanent status in a position classified under or having tenure by reason of section 9A of said chapter 30 is so promoted to such unclassified position, upon termination of service in such unclassified position, the employee shall: be restored to the position from which he was promoted or to a position equivalent thereto in the salary grade in the same state agency; or if he had been promoted in accordance with said chapter 31 in the unclassified position, to the position to which he was so promoted or to a position equivalent thereto in salary grade in the same state agency. In cases of restoration under said section 9A of said chapter 30 or said chapter 31, such restoration shall be without impairment of civil service status or tenure under said section 9A of said chapter 30, and without loss of the seniority, retirement and other rights to which uninterrupted service in the position would have entitled the employee; provided, however, that if his service in such unclassified position has been terminated for cause, the employee's right to be restored shall be determined by section 43 of said chapter 31. During the period of such appointment the person so appointed shall be eligible to take any competitive promotional examination for which he would otherwise have been eligible.
(c) The administrator shall establish within the division an internal project controls unit to oversee all statewide program projects in line with the department's performance and asset management system. The administrator shall establish and implement project controls to ensure that projects carried out pursuant to this chapter shall be completed in the most efficient possible manner. The internal project controls unit shall be subject to section 29A of chapter 29.