The term of one of the commissioners for the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), the state's utility regulation organization, ends in April.
Five people have applied to fill the opening, including Lawrence Friedeman, the man who's held the seat since 2017.
There's something new about the process this year. PUCO spokesman Matt Schilling said this time the agency required applicants to fill out Ohio Ethics Commission forms in order to apply, instead of later in the process.
"This year, the nominating council has been working with the Ohio Ethics Commission, so each of these applicants for the first time have actually (done so) before applying for the job. They submitted the filings of financial disclosure forms," Schilling said.
There have been calls for reform at the commission since the PUCO was rocked by the 2020 House Bill 6 nuclear bailout scandal, which led to the conviction and imprisonment of former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder. The former chairman of the commission, Sam Randazzo, faced state and federal corruption charges. He died by suicide last year.
Randazzo had close ties to FirstEnergy, the utility company at the center of the $60 million bribery scandal, and hid payments from FirstEnergy in ethics disclosures.
Since that scandal, consumer advocates have asked for reforms, like requiring consumer advocates to serve on the board and disqualifiers for applicants with close industry ties. Those efforts haven't moved forward. Most of the reforms were suggested by Democratic lawmakers in Ohio's Republican-controlled General Assembly in the wake of the scandal that sent several people to prison.
Commissioners are paid between $73,000 and $220,000 a year.
Freideman's PUCO salary is $125,000 a year.
The other applicants being considered are recycling expert Bob Gedert, PUCO transportation compliance officer Michael Hines, former Greater Cleveland Partnership CEO Joseph Roman and Ohio Department of Transportation manager Dana Sillman.
Click here to view the candidates' resumes and their submitted ethics forms.
Schilling said the nominating council is expected to meet Jan. 30 to choose the applicants who will be recommended to Gov. Mike DeWine.
"It's a special body of 12 members that come from all over state — government, business and consumer advocates that screen the candidates. They interview them in person, and then they make a recommendation," Schilling said.
DeWine will select a commissioner to serve the five-year term.
