Tim Gatz is an American civil servant who served as the Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, and executive director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, until an attorney general opinion by Attorney General of Oklahoma Gentner Drummond found holding the offices simultaneously violated a dual office prohibition in the Oklahoma Constitution.

Tim Gatz
Executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Assumed office
2019
GovernorKevin Stitt
Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation
In office
2019 – February 28, 2024
GovernorKevin Stitt
Preceded byMike Patterson
Executive director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
In office
2016 – February 28, 2024
GovernorMary Fallin
Kevin Stitt
Succeeded byJoe Echelle

Biography

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Tim Gatz started working for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in 1990.[1] In 2016, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin appointed Gatz as the executive director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.[2] In 2019, Governor Kevin Stitt appointed him Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation and he was promoted to the executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.[3]

Gatz resigned as the executive director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation on February 28, 2024, after an attorney general opinion by Attorney General of Oklahoma Gentner Drummond found holding the offices simultaneously violated a dual office prohibition in the Oklahoma Constitution.[4] The opinion was requested by State Senator Mary Boren. He was reappointed the executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation after his resignation.[3] Governor Kevin Stitt called the attorney general's opinion "political games."[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Tim Gatz". Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  2. ^ Staff, Journal Record (2019-02-12). "Gatz appointed ODOT executive director | The Journal Record". Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  3. ^ a b McNutt, Michael (29 February 2024). "AG opinion prompts ODOT director Tim Gatz to resign as Cabinet secretary, OTA director". NonDoc. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  4. ^ Humphery, Spencer (March 7, 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: New OTA director talks Gatz resignation, plans to carry agency forward". KFOR.
  5. ^ Metzer, Steve (March 1, 2024). "Stitt disappointed 'political games' push public servant out of Cabinet". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  1. ^ As Chief Transportation Advisor