The Florida Public Service Commission may be without an official executive director until the fall, but the search to find a replacement for Tim Devlin is taking shape. An advertisement for the job has yielded more than 80 applicants.
PSC staffers posted ads in five metro papers in Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando and Miami, as well as in the Washington Post and the print and online editions of the Wall Street Journal. Ads were also placed in online job sites Careerbuilder.com and Monster.com, and began June 6. Thefinal ad will run until June 20, thedeadline to submit an application.
The ad states the PSC executive director position pays between $115,000 and $125,000 per year.
So far, the commission has received 86 applications, coming from a wide range of candidates in 15 states. The vast majority of applications come from Florida-based candidates. PSC Personnel Officer Bobby Maddox estimates that at least 60 applications come from inside the state.
It looks like were going to have a pretty broad field, Maddox said.
PSC commissioners will convene next month to finalize the process for selecting an executive director, but they may not make a final pick until fall.
It certainly is important to get(the position)filled in a timely manner, said Maddox. I dont think, with five commissioners, its going to be a rush just to get a body in there."
Meanwhile, no official interim director has been named. PSC chairman Art Graham, who reportedly helped push out Devlin, floated the idea of naming general counsel Curt Kiser as executive director on an interim basis in the aftermath of Devlins resignation. But that idea was rejected over concerns Kiser would be spread too thin. Deputy Executive Director Charles Hill is taking on the technical duties of the top post while a replacement is found.
Devlin, a 35-year veteran of the PSC, resigned last month, 17 months after he was appointed as executive director. He oversaw a tumultuous period for the commission, with six new commissioners appointed to the five-member PSC board during his tenure.
As commissioners grapple with installing a key staff member, an effort to take stock of the 2011 legislative session was postponed because Gov. Rick Scott is yet to sign a bill affecting the PSC.
HB 993 imposes new rulemaking requirements on the PSC, including the submission of a biennial review of its existing rules to the Legislature. Scott swiped $615 million worth of line-item vetoes before signing the budget, but hasnt vetoed any of the substantive bills passed by the Legislature, where Republicans enjoy a veto-proof majority in both houses.
Still, one PSC staffer said she heard rumors that Scott may veto the bill.
We are hearing rumors -- rumors -- that there is some pushback, said PSC Senior Analyst Katherine Pennington.
A spokesperson for Scott's office was not immediately available for comment.
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
