Third PUC regulator fired in shakeup

Tuesday, July 27, 1999 | 10:59 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Another executive has been fired in the continuing shakeup at the state Public Utilities Commission, the third to be dismissed since Don Soderberg was elevated to chairman last week.

Larry Blank, manager of the regulatory policy/market analysis division, was given notice Monday that he is out of his $74,000-a-year job. He has five days to clean out his desk. He could not be reached for comment.

Soderberg said the decision to replace Blank was made by Richard McIntire, the newly hired director of regulatory operations. He said there "are no other personnel actions contemplated at this time."

Soderberg was named chairman by Gov. Kenny Guinn, who demoted Judy Sheldrew back to a commissioner at the agency that regulates electric, natural gas, water, telephones and other utilities.

Two days after assuming the top job, Soderberg fired Jeanne Reynolds, the commission's secretary who was with the agency for more than 25 years. She served as secretary for slightly more than two years.

He said Monday that Crystal Reynolds (no relation) will take over the $70,000 a year job on Aug. 9. Reynolds has been working for the state Department of Information Technology. Soderberg noted that when Jeanne Reynolds left the commission before in her job as assistant secretary, she was replaced by Crystal Reynolds.

Crystal Reynolds formerly worked for Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., in his Reno office and was an executive in his office when he was governor.

Sharon Thomas, director of regulatory operations for two of the seven years she worked for the commission, was also given her walking papers last week from her $79,000 a year job. She also did not get any reason why she was being replaced.

Jeanne Reynolds and Thomas were both perceived as allies of Sheldrew, who has two more years to run on the commission. Sheldrew said she intends to serve them.

McIntire was hired to succeed Thomas. He went to work in 1992 as an economist for the state Public Service Commission, which was renamed the utilities commission in 1997. In 1995, he was promoted to deputy commissioner.

When the Public Service Commission was restructured in 1997, McIntire went to work at the Bureau of Consumer Protection in the attorney general's office.