Vincent's hours on PSC questioned
HELENA — Public Service Commissioner John Vincent, who lives in Gallatin Gateway, is rarely in the commission’s Helena office — but says that’s not preventing him from doing the job.
“I would be the first to admit that it’s not ideal,” he says. “But that’s just the way it has to be.”
Vincent, elected to the five-member commission in 2008 and up for re-election next year, is the caregiver for his wife, Peggy, who has multiple sclerosis. She can’t be left alone, he says, so Vincent often attends PSC meetings and hearings by telephone.
The commission, which regulates utilities in Montana, meets weekly at its Helena office to discuss and vote on cases. This year, Vincent has attended only 40 percent of those meetings in person. Other commissioners have been there about 80 percent of the time.
Whether Montana’s public service commissioners are — or need to be — in the office to do the job is an open question.
Commissioners, who represent districts, are required to maintain a residence in their home district, but also are expected to be in Helena, working at the PSC office. Their current salary is $94,500 a year, and the chairman gets $95,600.
At times, past commissioners have been upbraided by fellow commissioners or the media for poor attendance.
Its other current members — commissioners Gail Gutsche of Missoula, Brad Molnar of Laurel, Bill Gallagher of Helena and Travis Kavulla of Great Falls — say they’re usually in the office at least four days a week, sometimes more, sometimes less.
Vincent says he tries to come to Helena on Monday evening as often as he can, stays for the Tuesday weekly meeting and then returns home, a drive of about 100 miles.
When he can’t make it, he dials in to the meeting via telephone conferencing.
Vincent says for the rest of the week, he spends at least six to six-and-a-half hours a day on his computer, working on PSC business.
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