Committee members ask whether Whitaker has ongoing utility ties, consider delaying vote

Members in a Finance meeting questioned whether an appointee identified in the discussion as “Mister Whitaker” has current or future financial ties to utility companies and discussed delaying a planned vote while the committee seeks clarification.

The concern, raised during a roughly five-minute exchange, focused on whether Whitaker would receive any compensation, deferred pay, or other payments from utilities or utility-related firms after leaving prior employment. "Is he receiving and will he, in the future, receive any compensation of any form, from any utility, or other similar institution for which he has worked?" Speaker 2 said, adding that the question "is a pretty crucial question."

The line of questioning followed comments recalling industry turmoil in the 1990s, when high electric rates and cost-plus utility regulation prompted criticism and movement between industry and government posts. Speaker 1 described that period and noted the fluid movement of personnel between utilities and government, saying, "During the nineties, mid nineties, there was a big upheaval in the electric... We had very high electric rates." The exchange also referenced specific industry names, including Millennium Power Company and Vermont Yankee, as part of the historical context mentioned by Speaker 1.

Committee participants confirmed they had Whitaker's resume and salary history on file. "Do we did he submit his CV or resume? Yes. I have his resume. On the website," Speaker 1 said. Speaker 1 also noted, "Mister Whitaker gave us his salary history. Yeah. He is leaving a very lucrative job."

Committee members discussed next steps for confirming potential conflicts. One member suggested crafting an email to obtain a direct answer, and another supported delaying the vote until the information is received: "Can you craft an email and we can get it to it? Yeah. Sure. Delay the vote? Yeah," Speaker 1 said.

No formal motion or recorded vote to delay or postpone was provided in the transcript. The exchange ended with members agreeing to wait for an individual named Tom and to avoid substantive discussion off the record while waiting.

The committee’s discussion was limited to questions about Whitaker’s compensation, the existence of his resume and salary history on the record, and whether to postpone a vote until clarifying information about potential ongoing ties to utilities is obtained. The transcript does not record any final action or official determination about Whitaker’s status or the timing of any vote.