TALLAHASSEE -- Meeting for less than half an hour, the Public Service Nominating Council Tuesday sent Gov. Charlie Crist the names of four previous nominees to fill an unexpired term on the state utility board.

The list includes the two people Crist chose Oct. 1 to fill two open seats on the Public Service Commission: David Klement, former editorial page editor at the Bradenton Herald, and Benjamin ``Steve'' Stevens.

The governor is expected to choose one of them to start the PSC job early, filling the temporary vacancy created when Commissioner Katrina McMurrian resigned earlier this month. McMurrian stepped down before the end of her term after Crist -- announcing it was time to ``clean house'' -- did not reappoint her or PSC Chairman Matthew Carter.

The governor will name a replacement after he receives the list of names. He is expected to make the choice by Oct. 27, when the commission is set to rule on the governor's request to delay a final vote on requests by Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy to increase their electric rates.

PSC staff members on Monday recommended the commission reject an indefinite delay on the rate cases but left open the possibility that the commission could extend the cases while still completing them by a March 18 deadline.

The other names on list sent to Crist are Felcia Banks West, a Maryland-based attorney and former staff attorney at the PSC, and John Grayson, a Tallahassee accountant and former inspector general of the PSC.

Mary Ellen Klas can be reached at meklas@MiamiHerald.com

Join the discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.repliedToText@

@Nyx.replyAnswerText@

Reply to this Comment @Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@