Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007 | 7:17 a.m.
The state's energy secretary appoints someone with no energy experience to be her second in command.
How can the governor's critics resist not weighing in?
"I just think it's a travesty in an area as important as energy to hire someone with no experience, or no early interest," said state Sen. Dina Titus, the Democratic minority leader in Nevada's upper house.
"It looks like we have another appointee who is not qualified for the position being appointed," said Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, a Democrat.
Joe Enge, a conservative critic of the public education establishment and a Carson City School Board member, started his job as the Office of Energy's deputy director on Nov. 12. News of his position trickled out on Monday. But given Enge's colorful past and his acknowledgement he doesn't have any experience in energy policy, the criticism has swiftly churned.
"There's really just very little time for a learning curve," said Dan Geary, a member of the Nevada Task Force on Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation.
Enge took over the job from Raj Mehta, who has a doctorate and master's degree in metallurgy, published numerous academic papers on energy and holds patents.
Hatice Gecol, Gov. Jim Gibbons' energy secretary, hired them both. She said Mehta had said he wanted to quit; he says she asked him to quit so she could hire someone who would be available round-the-clock.
Enge said he met Gecol while the Legislature was meeting this year. He said Gegol asked him in August "to help her out" by applying for the job. There were interviews in September and he was offered the job in October - even though Mehta said he wasn't asked to quit until Nov. 8.
Enge, who taught at the Carson City High School for 4 1/2 years, has encountered authorities for various reasons. Most recently, he drove his vehicle through a neighbor's fence, fled and was tracked down by deputies who found his license plate at the scene. He was charged with hit-and-run, but the matter was resolved after he paid the homeowner $1,200.
He was arrested in August 2005 in Lyon County on a drunken driving charge, according to the Nevada Appeal. A breath test indicated his blood-alcohol content was three times the legal limit, but he was cleared of the charge because he had been wearing dentures, which can affect the accuracy of the tests.
Ten years ago he had DUI convictions in Pahrump and Las Vegas.
Gibbons' spokeswoman said he didn't know about Enge's hire until after it occurred, nor did Gibbons know much of Enge's background.
Enge, 44, has taught in Round and Pahrump, both in Nye County, in Estonia as a Fulbright teacher, and in Schurz.
Gecol said Enge was the best of three candidates she interviewed for deputy director and acknowledged he did not have much background in energy. But she said the office, which has five employees, needed a manager.
"He has quite a bit of information about energy, even though he was not directly involved with energy, but he is relatively informed about energy. He's a quick learner," Gecol said.
Gecol said Enge informed her of his DUI arrests and work history.
In November 2006, he was elected to the Carson City School Board. He's often a lone voice on the board. "I raise issues that have never been raised before," he said.
archive
