News

Committed to Doing the Right Thing

Leonard Bentz will tell you that he has always wanted to be involved in public service. He said, “It’s about helping people and just having the courage to do the right thing. There have been times when the right thing may not have been the most popular thing, but you have to stand up for what you believe.”

This conviction led Leonard through Harrison County where he served as a Deputy Sheriff until 1999. Upon leaving the Sheriff’s Department, Leonard went to work for the Mississippi Public Service Commission as a utility investigator where he worked until 2003. In 2004 Commissioner Bentz ran for and was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives representing District 116. He served in the House of Representatives until April 2006.

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Southern District Commissioner’s office was vacated, leaving an unexpired term to fill. Governor Barbour appointed Leonard to fill the unexpired term.

In 2007, Commissioner Bentz ran for and was elected to the office of Southern District Public Service Commissioner. He said, “It has been an honor to serve the people of Mississippi and especially the Southern District.”

He continued, “Serving on the Commission has been challenging at times. Some of the issues are mind-boggling. Dealing with issues that impact ratepayers like the cost of generating electricity, the cost of doing business in Mississippi, or dealing with the sometimes unrealistic regulations out of Washington can be very complex.”
So how do you handle these admittedly complex and difficult issues? He laughed and replied, “With lots of prayer. That’s a great start to any day. And I’ve got to say that I’ve been blessed with a tremendous staff. Without their commitment and hard work, we’d all be lost.”

He continued, “The issues may be more complex than I thought they would be, but I see in them a great opportunity to serve the public. A rule that I believe in is to regulate by common sense principles. It is easy to be against something. It’s tough to make a decision that you know impacts both sides and can impact utilities and ratepayers for the next 20 or 30 years. We’ve got to be forward thinkers, proactive in our approach in making sure that Mississippi is stronger when we leave than when we got here.”

Making decisions that ensure the viability of utility companies and at the same time protect the ratepayers can be a real balancing act at times. Commissioner Bentz said, “You can’t take sides on these kinds of issues. For me, the solution is this one thing only: ‘Do the right thing.’ A decision has to be made. We have to act on the information we have at the time. If your intent is honorable, and you are off track somehow, there will be time to change later.”

Commissioner Bentz was asked, “What are your thoughts on the Mississippi Damage Prevention Council’s (MDPC) proposal to create a stronger and more effective damage prevention program?”

He said, “As a resident of Mississippi, I applaud their efforts. Our underground infrastructure is vital to our entire state and we need to work together to protect it, first of all for the safety of our citizens, but also to help keep Mississippi competitive in the business markets. Getting the stakeholders involved is critical. I would encourage the MDPC to continue to identify other stakeholders and bring them to the table, even those who may not see things the way you do. Stakeholder participation and perspective is crucial to creating lasting change.”

He said, “I believe the will of the Commission is to do what is in the best interests of the ratepayers and utilities. Damages are not in the best interests of either group. Utilities that are disrupted can shut down industry or disrupt our economy. The cost of repairing damaged utilities certainly impacts the budgets of utility companies, and that can impact rates. And that’s true from the smallest rural water system to the largest utility in the state.”

What do you think about the PSC getting involved in the effective enforcement process? He said, “As you know, we have an outstanding Pipeline Safety Division. Their mission is to protect the public and environment, so it seems that it could be a fit. I am pleased to hear that the proposal includes a review board made up of stakeholders to ensure that throughout the entire process, their perspectives can be heard.”

He continued, “Some level of enforcement will be required in the end, but I’m convinced the solution to damages to our infrastructure is education, education and more education. Enforcement should be reserved for those who disregard the safety of others. I mean a case could be made that this is part of our responsibility to protect the public.”

What about the concern that this would give the PSC an opportunity to get involved in regulating rates for companies currently not regulated by the Commission? He paused for a moment then continued, “I’m a member of Mississippi Rural Water Association and I believe they do a good job of regulating themselves. Really, why in the world would anybody want to get in the way of these systems that are doing a good job? I don’t want the authority to meddle in their business, and I’m sure the law says we don’t have that authority.”

Commissioner Bentz concluded, “This Commission works diligently to promote the best interests of our state, our utilities and our ratepayers. I think that even though we may see things differently at times, we have worked together for a stronger and better Mississippi.”
“I personally appreciate the privilege given to me by the voters of the Southern District, and if given the opportunity to serve another four years I will continue working to do the right thing.”

Read the rest of the story at ms1call.aligningchange.com ...