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Public Utilities Regulatory Authority approves consent items; Commissioner Smith abstains on part A
Summary
At its Jan. 14 remote meeting, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority approved a single consent item (part A) and a nine-item consent calendar (part B) appointing presiding/hearing officers; Commissioner Everett Smith disqualified himself and abstained on part A, saying he had insufficient time to review the record.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority met by remote teleconference at 9:00 a.m. on Jan. 14, 2026, and approved a consent item and a nine-item consent calendar that designated presiding or hearing officers in nine proceedings.
Interim chairman Tom wheel opened the meeting and identified the commissioners present, including Vice Chairman David Arconti and interim commissioners Jan Beecher, Holly Cheeseman and Everett Smith. The authority moved first to part A of the consent agenda, which contained a single item.
An unidentified member moved to adopt item 1 on part A and another member seconded. Commissioner Everett Smith said he had "not had sufficient time to familiarize" himself with the record and the facts of the case and chose to disqualify himself and abstain from the vote on part A. Miss Lupoli conducted a roll call in which the chair (listed in the roll call as Chairman Veil), Vice Chairman David Arconti, Commissioner Jan Beecher and Commissioner Holly Cheeseman recorded yes votes. With Smith abstaining, the chair announced the decision had been adopted.
The authority then moved to part B, a consent calendar to appoint presiding officers or hearing officers for nine separate proceedings. A motion to adopt items 1 through 9 was moved and seconded. Miss Lupoli took the roll call; the chair, Vice Chairman Arconti, Commissioner Beecher, Commissioner Cheeseman and Commissioner Smith each recorded yes votes. The chair stated that the panels assigned to items 1–9 have designated a presiding officer or hearing officer, as applicable.
The meeting was adjourned, and the authority announced it will reconvene at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, by remote teleconference.
Votes at a glance
• Part A (single consent item): adopted. Vote recorded in roll call: Chair (listed as Chairman Veil) — yes; Vice Chairman David Arconti — yes; Commissioner Jan Beecher — yes; Commissioner Holly Cheeseman — yes; Commissioner Everett Smith — abstain.
• Part B (items 1–9; appointments of presiding/hearing officers): adopted. Roll-call votes recorded as: Chair (listed as Chairman Veil) — yes; Vice Chairman David Arconti — yes; Commissioner Jan Beecher — yes; Commissioner Holly Cheeseman — yes; Commissioner Everett Smith — yes.
Next steps
The authority will meet next on Jan. 21, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. by remote teleconference. The adopted consent items and the appointed presiding/hearing officers will proceed according to each panel's schedule and any applicable procedural rules.
