Staff Writer

While debating a reform to the selection process for Kissimmee Utility Authority board members, Commissioner Art Otero called for his fellow Kissimmee commissioners to change the status quo.

“I do not want to see puppets,” he said. “We keep doing the same thing. I want to see something different. I want people individually making decisions based on their opinions, based on their idea.”

During the last City Commission meeting, Otero suggested the commission make new appointments to the KUA board without a recommendation from the remaining KUA board members, as is done currently. The change would require a charter amendment and a majority vote from Kissimmee residents in August.

Otero said Tuesday that he was proposing the change because he wanted to be responsible to residents who come to him complaining about high electricity prices or poor service from KUA, because he had selected the KUA board members. He said he felt the commission should be more involved in the process.

Commissioner Cheryl Grieb pointed out that the city commissioners were allowed to attend the interview process the KUA board conducted ahead of accepting the board’s recommendation.

“It’s a very nonpolitical process because it keeps us out of that loop, and I think that’s important,” Grieb said.

The City Commission has the power to reject the recommendation the board makes, but has only done so once in the utility's history. In 1999, the KUA board recommended that Ken Gutherie be reappointed for another 5-year term. The commission rejected the nominee and later accepted newcomer Don Shearer as the new board member.

Mayor Jim Swan said he spoke with former commissioners as he considered several possibilities for changing the selection process.

“What I was hearing from each of them: ‘What are you doing that for? It ain’t broke; why are you trying to fix it?’ ” Swan said. “Their message to me was: ‘We set this up, way back when, to stay away from politics.’ And for the most part, I think, over the years, there hasn’t been a lot of politics in it.”

Otero, becoming visibly frustrated, protested the mayor’s reasoning.

“It’s the same people’s opinion about how we have to run the city of Kissimmee,” he said. “Not always is the past going to be the solution to what is today.”

He added that he didn’t consider the mayor an old-timer, as Swan had referred to himself.

“I hope you don’t consider me a puppet either,” Swan retorted.

Otero assured him that he didn’t consider any commissioner present a puppet, his voice growing louder as he continued.

“It’s also disappointing that every time that I come up with something that is logical, that is intelligent, that is important, that is the right thing to do, it’s like I’m the last person here,” he said.

As Otero concluded his arguments, Commissioner Jerry Gemskie had one question: “Art, is your mic on?”

Amidst laughter, commissioners assured Otero that he was heard.

“It was on; you screamed into it,” Swan said.

Gemskie said that occasionally the four KUA board members still in power will disagree about who to recommend for their fifth member, creating a 2-2 vote that isn’t easily resolved. Grieb proposed that the charter be amended so that if a split vote occurs, both candidates be recommended to the City Commission as possibilities.

She and Swan were the only ones to vote in support of that idea. The other three commissioners voted in favor of Otero’s proposal, requiring city commissioners to select and appoint KUA board members without a recommendation from the remaining KUA board. Swan and Grieb voted against that idea.

The prevailing vote allows the ordinance change to be ad-vertised for two public hearings. In order to add the proposed charter amendment to the city ballot, four commissioners need to vote in favor of the change at the end those hearings.

For a complete list of proposed charter changes, including other changes made Tuesday, click here.