Gibbons promotes energy director to new position

By David McGrath Schwartz (contact), Cy Ryan (contact)

Monday, Oct. 12, 2009 | 5:10 p.m.

Hatice Gecol

Gov. Jim Gibbons has promoted his director of the Office of Energy to a newly created job overseeing the state's renewable energy efforts, according to sources in the governor's office.

Hatice Gecol will fill the energy commissioner position, which oversees the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Authority.

It fills a vacancy that legislators and energy industry advocates had been clamoring for since May, when the legislation creating the new office passed. One of the position's key duties is to approve property and sales tax exemptions for projects that produce solar, geothermal and wind energy.

There had been no point person on the renewable energy positions.

Gecol's new position pays $117,030 a year, up from the $99,397 she currently gets.

Gecol's tenure has not been without controversy. Legislators, both Democrats and Republicans, complained of the pace that Gecol's office applied for federal stimulus funds. Nevada was one of the last states to get its program approved by the federal government.

Many of the duties now assigned to the director of energy will go to the new energy commissioner.

The new law calls for the creation of state and local government panels on renewable and efficient energy to advise the commissioner on the progress of energy efficiency and renewable energy retrofit projects at public buildings and school.

The law also requires the commission to develop a program for the safe disposal and recycling of electronic waste, electrical equipment and other waste, including the safe disposal and recycling of compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Gecol was unavailable to comment on Monday.

James Groth, an energy specialist in the Nevada National Guard, will replace Gecol as the director of the Office of Energy.

Discussion: 5 comments so far…

By 2zero

10/12/09 at 6:03 p.m.

Suggest removal

WTF!

The "peter principle" at work....or at least in play.

Nevada will remain the Afghanistan of America, land locked, corrupt and stupid!

One chance, just one; to diversify and move Nevada's economy forward and....drum roll...one no English speaking Professor from Reno!

Way to go Luv Guv.
By Audit

10/12/09 at 8:41 p.m.

Suggest removal

Groth and Gecol are competent individuals. Good appointments.
By afveteran

10/12/09 at 10:04 p.m.

Suggest removal

Hatice is listed as a patent owner, with a PhD in chemical engineering from O.U. Maybe Gibbons lucked out by appointing a woman to the department, and won't draw any flak from the liberalites in Reno.
By 2zero

10/13/09 at 8:42 a.m.

Suggest removal

Yes, afvet, she is all the above. But like you stated in a previous post; "it is a fine line that separates..."!

In this case "crosses" the line!
By afveteran

10/13/09 at 10:24 a.m.

Suggest removal

I disagree.