Miller appoints regulators

      Gov. Bob Miller appointed two members Friday to the new Public Utility Commission and three members to the new Transportation Services Authority.
      All but one of the appointees come from the Public Service Commission, which is being replaced with the two new boards.
      Judy Sheldrew, the Public Service member who helped draft electric deregulation legislation signed into law by Miller, was named chairwoman of the Public Utility Commission.
      John Mendoza, chairman of the PSC since 1992, was appointed chairman of the Transportation Services Authority.
      Mendoza has no regrets about leaving utility regulation. The transportation board "is a very interesting new challenge," he said.
      Joining Mendoza will be PSC Commissioner Don Soderberg and former Clark County Commissioner Paul Christensen.
      Tim Hay, former general counsel to the PSC, has been serving on the PSC since 1996 where he has frequently voted with Sheldrew. The third PUC commissioner hasn't been named.
      Galen Denio, one of the five Public Service Commissioners, has resigned and said his goodbyes at a brief meeting Friday.
      Sheldrew won the prize job although she and Mendoza both make the same pay, $83,5377 a year. The other commissioners on the PUC and TSA will make $78,367.
      She will play the pivotal role as Nevada ushers in competition to the electric utility industry by 2001.
      "I think it's going to be a very exciting time," Sheldrew said.
      The Legislature was expected to establish an interim committee to monitor the PUC's transition to a mostly deregulated environment, but the measure died.