The Governor will have to select from among three finalists to fill an opening on the public service commission. The winner will take over for outgoing commissioner Lisa Edgar.
A nominating council has whittled eight candidates down to three—sending applicants Todd Chase, Cynthia Wilson Orndoff and Donald Polmann to the governor. Whoever the governor chooses will assume office early next year. Wilson Orndoff holds a PhD in Civil engineering as well as a law degree.
“My legal training prepares me for the necessary quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative functions required of a commissioner,” Orndoff explained to the panel, “In addition to engineering and law my academic training in research has involved public affairs, economics as well as energy issues.”
Fellow finalist Donald Polmann worked for nearly two decades with Tampa Bay Water and has been a finalist for a seat on the commission twice before. The third nominee, Todd Chase, is a Gainesville city commissioner.
“It’s the fifth largest community in the state,” he told the nominating council. “We have water, wastewater, electric, natural gas, and telecommunications, and for five years I’ve been involved in the same duties and functions as the public service commission as far as setting rates looking at competitiveness and an overall overseeing management.”
The Public Service Commission regulates Florida utilities, and commissioners serve four year terms.
