Guinn associate aces PUC worker out of job

Tuesday, April 25, 2000 | 11:08 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- In a move with political overtones, a longtime state employee has been bounced out of his job with the state Public Utilities Commission, allowing appointment of a longtime Republican party member with close ties to the office of Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Mike Presti of Elko, an eight-year PUC employee, has been consumer outreach representative for the past three years, informing customers in rural Nevada about restructuring of the electric industry and the coming of open competition. Before that, he was manager of consumer affairs for the commission in Elko.

Presti said Monday he was told last week his $49,759-a-year position was being switched back to handling consumer complaints. He said he was asked for a resignation and that he was never told there would be a similar job opening in the Elko area, with the title of consumer affairs officer. He said he was given to understand the position was being switched to Carson City.

"They didn't give me an option to get a job. They asked for my resignation," Presti said.

State Public Utilities Commission Chairman Don Soderberg named Nancy Ernaut as the consumer affairs officer in Elko. She was active in Republican Party affairs and at one time was acting chairwoman of the party. Her son, Peter Ernaut, was chief of staff for Guinn prior to his resignation to return to private business.

Utilities Commission Secretary Crystal Jackson said the job was not advertised to the public. Asked how they chose Ernaut, Jackson said her application was on file. She said Presti was never told the job was being moved to Carson City.

Jackson said Soderberg wanted to change the focus of the office to start taking complaints from consumers about service from the utilities. She said there was "not much going on now" in deregulation, which appears to be stalled for the time being.

"Complaints should take priority," Jackson said.

Presti said he had been doubling in Elko in handling complaints and had been involved in that before being assigned to the deregulation detail. He said he never received a complaint about his performance and hasn't received a job evaluation since 1996.

Asked if this switch wasn't political, Jackson said Ernaut is "very qualified and we're very fortunate to have her." She noted Ernaut is a longtime Elko resident and has been involved in business in that community. She also helped in Guinn's election campaign.

Jackson said Presti, when he formerly handled consumer complaints, didn't work out.

Presti has more than 20 years in state government, working for the legislative police, then for the state Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety and for the last eight years for the utilities commission. He said his job was changed from a classified position, which carries civil service protections, to an unclassified post about a year ago.

These unclassified positions serve at the pleasure of the director of the agency and there is no tenure. Presti, when contacted Monday, did not know that Ernaut takes over May 2, the day after Presti's resignation.