‘15 applied as CUC chief; only 2 meet requirements’

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. has received a total of 15 applications for the position of executive director, but only two of the applicants met the requirements, according to CUC board chair Janice A. Tenorio yesterday.

In an interview during a break in the CUC board meeting, Tenorio said the applicants who met the requirements are both from the U.S. mainland and that CUC is going to be sending their applications to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the vetting process, after which they will then proceed with interviewing the applicants. Tenorio said the EPA is usually fast in doing the vetting process.

EPA is involved in the hiring process for a new CUC executive director as part of a court-mandated order that requires CUC to hire a fully-qualified candidate who has been vetted by the EPA.

The CUC board discussed the update on the recruitment for the executive director’s position during an executive session.

CUC administration chief Betty G. Terlaje has been serving as acting executive director since April 28.

Meanwhile, newly confirmed board directors Rebecca Agnes C. White and Valerie Atalig joined the board meeting yesterday. Board director Rufo T. Mafnas was elected board treasurer.

Tenorio thanked Gov. Arnold I. Palacios for completing the appointment of directors and stated that they are now ready to work with the Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission.

Aside from Tenorio, Mafnas, White, and Atalig, the other board directors are Donald R. Browne, Allen Michael Perez, Simon A. Sanchez, and Commonwealth Economic Development Authority board chair Frank Borja. All were present at yesterday’s board meeting. Perez appeared virtually by video.