Hassan to Make PUC, SEC Nominations

Gov. Maggie Hassan announced today that she will nominate Martin P. Honigberg of Concord to serve as chair of the Public Utilities Commission at Wednesday’s Governor and Council meeting. The Executive Council must confirm the nomination.

Honigberg was appointed last year to serve as a Public Utilities Commissioner. He would succeed Amy Ignatitus, who was recently sworn in as a Superior Court Judge. Honigberg had previously served as an Assistant Attorney General from 1994 to 2000, where his practice areas included New Hampshire’s electric utility industry restructuring. He also served as special counsel to Governor Jeanne Shaheen from 2001 to 2003 and as the leader of the Government Relations Practice Group at Sulloway & Hollis P.L.L.C., where he worked from 2003 to 2013.

“The work of the Public Utilities Commission is essential for protecting consumers and ensuring that our people, families and businesses are able to receive safe, adequate and reliable service at reasonable and fair rates,” Hassan said. “Martin Honigberg has proven himself to be a thoughtful and dedicated Public Utilities Commissioner, and I am confident that as chair he will continue to work diligently to ensure that all parties receive a fair hearing.”

Hassan also announced that she would withdraw the nominations of Bob Odell and Amanda Merrill to the Site Evaluation Commission (SEC).

“I believe Bob Odell and Amanda Merrill would have both served the people of New Hampshire fairly and well on the Site Evaluation Commision, but we must make sure that this body can move forward with its important work. I thank them and hope they will be willing to continue to serve in the future,” Governor Hassan said.

Hassan will nominate Patricia Weathersby of Rye to the SEC’s slot for a member of the New Hampshire bar. Weathersby, who also owns family property in Hart’s Location, has her own law firm in Rye, where she works with commercial clients in a variety of areas including zoning, planning, contracts, business formation and real estate. She previously was an associate at Hoefle, Phoenix, Gormley & Roberts, P.A. in Portsmouth and at Sanders & McDermott in Hampton.

Weathersby has served as a member of the Rye Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Rye Planning Board.

Hassan will also nominate Roger Hawk of Concord to the public member position on the SEC.

Hawk currently owns his own planning company, Hawk Planning Resources, LLC, where he works with communities on projects centered around planning, land use, zoning, inclusionary housing, economic development, transportation planning, grant writing and administration, code writing and enforcement, capital budgeting and public input facilitation.

He has more than 30 years of experience in planning and community development, including serving as director of community development for the city of Concord, director of economic development for the city of Nashua, director of community development for the city of Nashua.

“Both Patricia Weathersby and Roger Hawk bring an understanding of the complex planning, community and economic development issues that are crucial to thoughtful energy siting. I thank them for their willingness to undertake this important task,” Hassan said.

Submitted text. Courtesy photo.