OC Power Authority Approves Revised Conflict of Interest Code Following Transparency Criticism

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The Orange County Power Authority passed a new conflict of interest code on Tuesday, spelling out more stringent disclosure requirements that leave a few loopholes unresolved.

Although the agency has yet to start providing electricity to anyone, its first few months have been marked by controversies over funding, transparency issues and questions about what residents can expect.

[Read: Orange County Power Authority Criticized For Lack Of Transparency]

According to Ryan Baron, the agency’s legal adviser, the changes were made after speaking to staff at the county supervisors, who mainly focused on questions about what the consultants would have to reveal in their dispute forms. interests at the agency board meeting.

Although Baron did not name the supervisor who asked the questions, supervisor Katrina Foley twice delayed discussion of the topic and asked that many of these questions be addressed publicly.

Under the original plan, the agency’s CEO Brian Probolsky was reportedly given the power to choose what consultants were required to disclose without board oversight, raising concerns that the power was being abused. since almost all the staff of the authorities of power currently work as consultants.

[Read: OC Power Authority To Rewrite Conflict of Interest Without Fixing Transparency Concerns]

Under the new plan, some consultants will have explicit disclosure requirements, but part-time consultants will still be treated at the CEO’s discretion.

Staff also said that even though the CEO is not listed as an explicit position in conflict of interest forms, they will have to file conflict forms under state requirements.

Baron said that while he had never seen requests to change conflict of interest codes before, the agency’s new requirements went beyond that, in the interests of transparency and that they would always be. revised.

They’re a snapshot in time of the current position you have. These are not forward planning documents, Baron said at the meeting. There were no other positions identified at that time.

The Electricity Authority is a utility that allows people to purchase electricity from an option other than Edison. Depending on how the utility chooses to purchase its electricity, it can deliver more renewable energy to customers and potentially lower their electricity bill.

Residents of cities who have signed up will automatically be enrolled in the program when it launches next year, unless they choose to opt out.

Currently, the towns of Irvine, Buena Park, Fullerton and Huntington Beach have registered with the agency, while other towns in the county are studying the issue and deciding whether or not to register.

The agency initially approved its conflict of interest code in February this year, but never received approval from the county supervisory board, which is required by law to approve the final draft.

The new code also added half a dozen new senior executive positions, but Baron said those may or may not be filled as the agency continues to grow.

The article received special attention from the public, many of whom waited more than two hours during the closed council meeting to voice concerns about the code.

There is every reason for OCPA to ensure the maximum transparency possible here, said Ayn Craciun, a policy advocate for the Climate Action Campaign who called on the board to adopt broader disclosure measures. This is one way to do it.

Some commentators left early, citing professional or personal reasons in the live chat preventing them from attending noon on a Tuesday.

It’s ridiculous, commentator Jeremy Ficarola said. I can not stay. Work obligations. Congratulations to the panelists. You froze me.

Once the open session began, staff at the ruling authority froze the thread of comments as criticism from the council continued to pour in.

During its closed-door session, the board reviewed Probolskys’ work performance, with Antonia Castro-Graham, the agency’s chief operating officer, according to their agenda.

But Probolsky has borne the brunt of public concerns with the agency, as advocates wonder how he landed a managerial position with a salary of $ 239,000 – despite no previous experience in the electricity industry or a University diploma.

In the end, the board took no action on the two agents’ contracts after the closed session.

Irvine City Councilor and Chairman of the Board Mike Carroll apologized for the delay at the end of the meeting, stressing that the board was legally required to conduct performance reviews at huis closed to protect employee privacy.

We were doing our job in there, and we apologize for taking so long. It probably didn’t have to last that long, Carroll said, before asking to adjourn the meeting.

Noah Biesiada is a member of Voice of OC Reporting. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter @NBiesiada.

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