A former senior official with the Public Service Board has been barred from appearing before that panel on behalf of her new employer, a power transmission company. In its decision the board cited an ethics policy designed to prevent conflicts of interest.
Deena Frankel left her former job as executive director of the Public Service Board last fall to work for the Vermont Electric Power Corporation, or VELCO. Frankel had hoped to participate in an ongoing board proceeding on a possible restructuring of the statewide energy conservation program Efficiency Vermont.
In rejecting her participation, the board cited its 1989 ethics policy, which is closely modeled on the general ethics policy for state employees.
The board found Frankel participated in planning for an ongoing series of workshops on the efficiency utility while still at the board, and therefore can’t represent VELCO on the same matter now.