Senate committee confirms appointees to underground damage prevention and workers' compensation boards

The Colorado Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee on an administrative hearing confirmed seven nominees to the Underground Damage Prevention Safety Commission and approved three nominees for the workers' compensation premium cost containment board.

The confirmations for the safety commission covered seven nominees who represent excavation, utility, pipeline and transportation interests. The committee heard brief introductions from the nominating division and from the nominees themselves before taking a single motion to recommend confirmation. Appointees introduced in person included Julie McCaleb (representing farmers and ranchers; environmental systems manager, Smithfield hog production), Kristen Miller (engineer; senior project manager, T2 Utility Engineers), Richard Russell (telecom/broadband; project/area manager, MasTec North America), and Scott Wendland (excavators; president, Network Infrastructure Construction Company). Remote appointees included Rob Martindale (transportation; utilities program manager, Colorado Department of Transportation), Kathleen Anderson (contractors; compliance director, T. Lowell Construction), and Kelsey Davis (pipeline companies; public safety coordinator, Xcel Energy).

Kristen Miller summarized her background and relevant standards: "My responsibility is overseeing, seeing investigations and ensuring compliance with the S.C.E. 38 standard and compliance with the Colorado advice statute title 9 article 1.5." Julie McCaleb said she represents farmers and ranchers who generally are exempt from many 811 rules but still require locates for large agricultural operations. Rob Martindale said, "I've been involved in damage prevention for quite some time, ... trying to prevent damages and [be] frugal with our budgets and appreciate the opportunity and look forward to another 3 years." The committee moved the seven appointments with a favorable recommendation; the committee chair announced the motion passed unanimously.

The committee also considered three appointees to the workers' compensation premium cost containment board. Jeff Roffel of the Division of Workers' Compensation introduced appointees Megan Strong (health and risk manager, Brand and Sand & Gravel) and Lisonbee Miles (senior loss control consultant, CRS Insurance Brokerage); Robert Switzer was noted as ill and absent but described by Roffel as a long-serving safety consultant with extensive experience helping employers certify in the cost containment program. Roffel told the committee the cost containment board oversees a voluntary program that assists employers with safety programs and that "over 5,000 Colorado companies" participate. Megan Strong said she is "a health and risk manager" who wants to help Coloradans return home safely to their families. Lisonbee Miles said she hopes to "continue the work" the board has done to promote employer safety.

A motion to confirm the workers' compensation board nominees carried on a roll call and was recorded as passing by the committee with the result reported in committee as 4–0, and the appointments were moved to the consent calendar.

The committee did not hold extended questions for either set of nominees; members offered thanks and congratulations before advancing the items. The committee placed both sets of appointments on the floor consent calendar for further consideration by the full Senate.

Ending: The confirmations advance routine agency and advisory-board staffing needed for ongoing safety and employer-support programs. Additional detail, including final Senate-floor action and commissioning dates, was not specified during the committee hearing.