Gov. Rick Scott continued his tour of state agencies Monday — stopping at the Florida Department of Transportation and seeming to give a couple hundred tense employees some reason to believe they’ll keep their jobs a while longer.

Scott praised the performance and efficiency of DOT employees. And he said that during his campaign last fall, no voters complained about the agency, unlike — he named names — ridiculing the Department of Community Affairs.

“You’re helping to make sure that this state is going to be the jobs creator over the next 20 to 30 years,” Scott told the crowd gathered inside the agency’s auditorium.

The new boss acknowledged that if anyone was “a high-speed rail enthusiast, I’m not your best friend.” And he gave advocates of Central Florida’s SunRail commuter train little reason to gain confidence.

“That’s one project I’m looking at,” Scott said.

He only had to field two questions from DOT employees. But one came from Florida Democratic Party activist Jon Ausman, also a DOT staffer, who quizzed the Republican governor about how cutting benefits and reducing state agency payrolls helps Florida’s economy.

“We have to make sure we treat taxpayers and government workers fairly. Both,” Scott said.

U.S. Rep. John Mica has come up with a plan to thwart Gov. Rick Scott’s refusal of $2.4 billion for a high-speed rail project connecting Tampa and Orlando.

Mica, GOP chairman of the House Transportation Committee, is proposing that a “partial project rescue plan” that would substitute Orange and Osceola counties and Orlando for the state and allow the local governments to move forward with the initial 21-mile stretch.

“The first 21-mile section of the proposed corridor from the Orlando Airport to the Convention Center and Disney World holds the potential for not only being a viable project, but one that could turn a profit with a qualified private operator,” Mica said in a statement.

Mica’s plan would work like this:

· The initial operating segment would consist of 21 miles.

· The sub-grantees would consist of Orange, Osceola and the City of Orlando.

· The inter-local agreement would be crafted with these three initial participants, with the potential for additional future partners.

· The federal government would provide financial support for construction of the first segment, up to an agreed upon funding amount.

· The inter-local parties would solicit private sector proposals to finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain the project.

· All parties would agree to proceed only if the project is financially viable and they had unanimous consent regarding the terms of ownership, development and operation of the project.

Earlier this week, tea party-backed Scott stunned fellow Republicans as well as Democrats by refusing highly sought-after federal government’s $2.4 billion in stimulus funds – 90 percent of the project’s total cost. Scott said he did not believe the rail ridership would support the project, potentially putting the state on the hook for future expenses.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood gave Florida’s Congressional delegation until Thursday to come up with an alternate plan that would alleviate the state’s responsibility for the remaining $280 million and any potential cost overruns.

According to the press release, Mica is awaiting a response from local officials.

“The ridership numbers for this 21-mile corridor would be some of the best in the United States and the world, and I believe could also return revenue to each of the participating partners,” Mica said.

It remains unclear whether Scott ultimately would have to sign off on the plan.

A bipartisan coalition of Florida state senators asked U.S. Transportation Department Secretary Ray LaHood to give them more time to come up with a way to take advantage of the $2.4 billion in federal funds Gov. Rick Scott rejected yesterday.

Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, convinced 25 of her Republican and Democratic colleagues, including Sens. Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Wellington, and Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, sign her letter to LaHood.

They say the Florida Rail Enterprise or the Florida Statewide Passenger Rail Commission, both created by the legislature in 2009, are possible entities to draw down the money to go around Scott, who heads the state’s transportation agency that originally sought the funds under Gov. Charlie Crist. The commission is comprised of nine members – three each appointed by the governor, the House Speaker and the Senate President.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and other members of Florida’s Congressional delegation are meeting with LaHood in a last-ditch effort to keep the money set to be distributed to the states tomorrow.

Gov. Rick Scott appointed Francis Gibbs as the Department of Transportation’s chief of staff – but has yet to name who Gibbs will answer to. Scott has yet to appoint a replacement for former secretary Stephanie Kopelousos, who went to work for U.S. Rep. John Mica in Washington.

Scott also appointed Jerry Curington as DOT’s general counsel and named his own general counsel, Charles Trippe.

Trippe most recently was a partner at the Moseley, Pritchard, Parrish, Knight and Jones law firm in Jacksonville. Before that, he was a top lawyer for CSX, Inc., the Jacksonville-based transportation behemoth.

Gibbs worked for U.S. Reps. Ander Crenshaw and Connie Mack on transportation policy matters and most recently served as Mack’s chief of staff.

Curington was until now general counsel at the Department of Children and Families.

A transportation department reorg may be in the works. It was one of the agencies Scott’s transition team recommended be merged with the Departments of Environmental Protection and Community Affairs. Scott virtually eliminated DCA in his budget proposal.

The Senate kicked off the special session this morning setting into motion a financial fix for Tri-Rail, a thumbs-up on a Central Florida commuter line and the possibility of bringing in billions of federal dollars for high-speed rail projects.

This is the third time around for the controversial Central Florida commuter project known as “SunRail.” The Senate killed the deal – already signed off on by the Department of Transportation – twice, most recently in May.

Critics in the Senate, led by Paula Dockery, objected to the deal in which the state will pay transportation giant CSX Inc. more than $500 million for 61 miles of track for the commuter line. CSX will still be operate its freight on the line in exchange for a payment to the state of $1 per year.

The SunRail deal died in the Senate during the regular legislative session by a 23-16 vote. Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, now apparently has 21 of the 40 senators on his side – just the amount he needs to get the bill passed.

Atwater said the legislation will bring thousands of jobs to the state and boost its flagging economy.

“This is indeed time for visionaries,” Atwater said during a brief opening session this morning. “A time when the people of florida are demanding action and are desperate for relief.”

The Senate is expected to vote on the bill on Tuesday.