The chairman of the Kansas Corporation Commission has announced he will resign. Mark Sievers has chaired the regulatory board since 2011. As KPR’s Stephen Koranda reports, the organization has recently been involved in some controversies.
(SCRIPT)
The KCC regulates utilities including electricity, natural gas and telecommunications. A month ago, a Shawnee County judge fined the agency for violating the state’s open meetings act by using a system in which some proposals were approved behind closed doors. Chairman Mark Sievers also butted heads recently with the group that advocates on behalf of ratepayers. He said the current system of making decisions about rate increases can lead to unproductive litigation. Sievers will stay in the job until a replacement is named early next year.
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(VERSION TWO)
The chairman of the Kansas Corporation Commission has announced he will resign. Mark Sievers has chaired the regulatory board since 2011. As KPR’s Stephen Koranda reports, the organization has recently been involved in some controversies.
(SCRIPT)
The KCC regulates utilities like electricity and gas, as well as motor carries and oil wells. Last month, a Shawnee County judge fined the organization for violating the state’s open meetings act. The KCC had been using a system where some proposals were approved behind closed doors. Chairman Sievers has also been in disagreements with the agency that advocates on behalf of utility customers. Sievers said the current system for deciding rate increases can lead to unproductive litigation. He also argued for doing away with cost studies for rate increase under 10 percent. Sievers says he’s leaving to spend more time with his family and will stay on the job until a replacement is named early next year.