(a) Be the administrative head of the Department of Transportation;

(b) Have power, within applicable budgetary limitations, and in accordance with ORS chapter 240, to hire, assign, reassign and coordinate personnel of the department and prescribe their duties and fix their compensation, subject to the State Personnel Relations Law;

(c) Administer the laws of the state concerning transportation;

(d) Intervene, as authorized by the commission, pursuant to the rules of practice and procedure, in the proceedings of state and federal agencies which may substantially affect the interest of the consumers and providers of transportation within Oregon; and

(e) Construct, coordinate and promote an integrated transportation system in cooperation with any city, county, district, port or private entity, as defined in ORS 367.802.

(2) In addition to duties otherwise required by law, the director shall prescribe regulations for the government of the department, the conduct of its employees, the assignment and performance of its business and the custody, use and preservation of its records, papers and property in a manner consistent with applicable law.

(3) The director may delegate to any of the employees of the department the exercise or discharge in the director’s name of any power, duty or function of whatever character, vested in or imposed by law upon the director, including powers, duties or functions delegated to the director by the commission pursuant to ORS 184.635. The official act of any such person so acting in the director’s name and by the authority of the director shall be considered to be an official act of the director.

(4) The director shall have authority to require a fidelity bond of any officer or employee of the department who has charge of, handles or has access to any state money or property, and who is not otherwise required by law to give a bond. The amounts of the bond shall be fixed by the director, except as otherwise provided by law, and the sureties shall be approved by the director. The department shall pay the premiums on the bonds.

(5)(a) Subject to local government requirements and the provisions of ORS 197.830 to 197.845, the director may participate in and seek review of a land use decision or limited land use decision as defined in ORS 197.015, or an expedited land division as defined in ORS 197.360. The director shall report to the commission on each case in which the department participates and on the positions taken by the director in each case.

(b) If a meeting of the commission is scheduled prior to the close of the period for seeking review of a land use decision, expedited land division or limited land use decision, the director shall obtain formal approval from the commission prior to seeking review of the decision. However, if the land use decision, expedited land division or limited land use decision becomes final less than 15 days before a meeting of the commission, the director shall proceed as provided in paragraph (c) of this subsection. If the director requests approval from the commission, the applicant and the affected local government shall be notified in writing that the director is seeking commission approval. The director, the applicant and the affected local government shall be given reasonable time to address the commission regarding the director’s request for approval to seek review. No other testimony shall be taken by the commission.

(c) If a meeting of the commission is not scheduled prior to the close of the period for seeking review of a land use decision, expedited land division or limited land use decision, at the next commission meeting the director shall report to the commission on each case for which the department has sought review. The director shall request formal approval to proceed with each appeal. The applicant and the affected local government shall be notified of the commission meeting in writing by the director. The director, the applicant and the affected local government shall be given reasonable time to address the commission regarding the director’s request for approval to proceed with the appeal. No other testimony shall be taken by the commission. If the commission does not formally approve an appeal, the director shall file a motion with the appropriate tribunal to dismiss the appeal.

(d) A decision by the commission under this subsection is not subject to appeal.

(e) For purposes of this subsection, "applicant" means a person seeking approval of a permit, as defined in ORS 215.402 or 227.160, expedited land division or limited land use decision.

(6) The director may intervene in an appeal of a land use decision brought by another person in the manner provided for an appeal by the director under subsection (5) of this section. [1973 c.249 §18; 1993 c.741 §8; 1999 c.292 §2; 2005 c.612 §1; 2017 c.750 §25]