Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has nominated a longtime state transportation official to be the city's next public works director.

Timothy Sexton currently serves as an assistant commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Transportation, where he's worked since 2014. Before that, he worked for the Washington State Department of Transportation since 2006, according to his LinkedIn profile.

If confirmed by the City Council, Sexton would replace former MnDOT Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher, who was ratified as city operations officer in December. Brette Hjelle is serving as interim public works director.

Sexton currently serves as the assistant commissioner for sustainability, planning and program management for MnDOT, overseeing a staff of 350. The city's public works department spends some $440 million annually and has more than 1,100 employees whose duties include street repair, plowing, garbage and recycling collection, water and emergency sewer repairs.

"His strong background in transportation coupled with his climate action work is exactly the direction we're headed as a community and as a nation," Frey said of Sexton in a statement.

The City Council is expected to schedule a public hearing before voting on Sexton's nomination.