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Donald Polmann
Donald Polmann was a member of the Florida Public Service Commission. He was selected by Gov. Rick Scott (R) to serve beginning on January 2, 2017, to replace Lisa Polak Edgar, who retired in 2017 after three terms in office.[1] He left office in January 2021, when Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) appointed Mike La Rosa to his seat.[2]
Polmann was previously one of three finalists considered by Gov. Scott for a seat on the Public Service Commission in 2012 and 2013.[1]
Biography
After earning his Ph.D. in civil engineering, with a focus on hydrology, Polmann began working as a senior water resources engineer and project manager with Law Environmental Services. In 1994, Polmann turned to the public sector, serving as the director of science and engineering for Tampa Bay Water. In this position, he worked as a liaison between the agency and policymakers on a variety of issues, including water resource management, regulatory agency relations, and environmental concerns. He remained in this position until 2012.[1][3]
Prior to being selected by Gov. Scott to serve on the Public Service Commission, Polmann worked as a private consultant, focusing on science and engineering issues.[1][3]
Education
- B.S. in environmental engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1979)
- M.Eng. in environmental engineering services, University of Florida (1983)
- Ph.D. in civil engineering (hydrology), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1989)[3]
Political career
Florida Public Service Commission (2016 - 2021)
On September 15, 2016, Gov. Scott announced that Polmann would serve on the Florida Public Service Commission after Commissioner Lisa Edgar's third term expired in January 2017. Polmann was one of three names submitted to the Governor by the Public Service Nominating Council, a body made up primarily of state legislators, which is responsible for helping to select members of the Public Service Commission. Polmann was selected over Gainesville City Commissioner Todd Chase and Professor Cynthia Wilson Orndoff.[1]
Florida State Senator Jack Latvala (R) wrote a letter of recommendation on Polmann's behalf during the nomination process. In it, Sen. Latvala praised Polmann, saying that he "was a major player in the transformation of Tampa Bay Water from the previous agency, the West Coast Regional Water Authority."[1]
After being selected by Gov. Scott, Polmann did an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, in which he explained his approach to utility regulation:
| “ | Utilities provide this important service to the public -- be that residence, business or industries who use water, electric power, natural gas and so forth. It's a vital service that they absolutely rely upon....To me, the challenge is: how do you find balance to make sure there is reliable quality service that supports a healthy economy and at the same time protects our natural resources?[4][5] | ” |
Polmann left office in January 2021, when Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) appointed Mike La Rosa to his seat.[2]
About the office
The Florida Public Service Commission is a quasi-executive, quasi-legislative agency in the Florida state government. The commission regulates the state's telecommunications, electrical, gas, water and transport companies. It is composed of five commissioners appointed by the governor to four-year terms.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Donald Polmann Florida Public. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Florida | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Florida Public Service Commission
- Interview with the Tampa Bay Times
- Linkedin page
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Tampa Bay Times, Mary Ellen Klas, "Scott names former Tampa water executive to Public Service Commission," accessed Sept. 22, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 EIN Presswire, "Mike La Rosa Sworn in as Florida PSC Commissioner," January 4, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 LinkedIn, "Donald J. Polmann, PhD, PE," accessed Sept. 22, 2016
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Interview with Donald Polmann, new PSC commissioner," accessed Sept. 22, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Lisa Polak Edgar |
Florida Public Service Commission 2017 - 2021 |
Succeeded by Mike La Rosa |
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