The Highway Commission chair defends paying a director’s salary to a liaison for the federal highway bill, even when that liaison was on vacation. Late last year, Henry Hungerbeeler turned in his resignation as Transportation Department Director to the State Highway Commission, effective June 1st of this year. On March 1st, Interim Director Dave Snider took over at MoDOT. Commission Chair Bill McKenna says MoDOT kept Hungerbeeler on as an advisor to help with the federal highway bill at his regular $10,000 a month salary. But when the US House passed its version of the highway bill, Hungerbeeler was on vacation that week. McKenna says everyone deserves to take their vacation, and besides, most preparatory work was already done. Bottom line, McKenna says the state is getting its money’s worth. Repeated attempts by the Missourinet to talk to Hungerbeeler directly on this issue were denied.