Re-opened applications produce new candidates

The field for seats on a state regulatory board, the Public Service Commission, widened with an extended application period that ended on Friday. A joint session of the South Carolina Legislature will fill PSC seats representing Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7. First, however, will come public hearings on the qualifications of the candidates. District Three includes the counties of Oconee, Anderson and Pickens. So far, two men have been found qualified by a review committee: Mike Caston of Clemson and Randy Randall of Clinton. The extended application period that expired Friday added four men and women to the mix of District 3 hopefuls. They are Terry Boling of Iva, Lonnie Hyatt of Piedmont, Willie Morgan of Clarks Hill, and Maria “Jonelle” Pacheo Ratliff of Pickens. Those who get to sit on the PSC earn $129 thousand a year and have jurisdiction over water and electric utilities, telephone utilities, intrastate railroads, among other responsibilities. A schedule for public hearings on the merits of the candidates will be available soon. Anyone wishing to testify must furnish a written, notarized statement of his or her proposed testimony no later than noon Friday, March 13. That statement should be mailed or delivered to Heather Anderson, Committee Counsel, State Regulation of Public Utilities Review Committee, 102 Gressette Building, PO Box 142, Columbia, SC 29202.