Fina Says There Was No Conflict

From NewsRadio 1000 KTOK ~ Piedmont Mayor Mike Fina says he was not representing his town when he attended a Corporation Commission law judge's hearing last week on OG&E's transmission line project. And he says there is no conflict of interest by Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth.

"No, not at all. In fact, the attorney that was there representing Piedmont, we've not retained him as council," said Fina, who is also Roth's administrative aide. "One of our council members was there representing Piedmont for informational purposes."

Fina says he attended the hearing as part of his job.

"As an aide to the commissioner, I attend most every pre-hearing and hearings so I can brief him if he can't be there. And it just so happened that day, he could be there."

Fina pointed out that he has no vote on the matter and in fact supports the entire OG&E transmission line project. He just happens to oppose its location near Piedmont.

"Anybody that knows Commissioner Roth knows that he has the highest of integrity of any elected official and would never let that influence, or let my employment by him influence how he would decide on a case."

Roth was in the courtroom for part of the hearing held by an Administrative Law judge. The commission cannot decide on the location of the proposed transmission line and will vote only on OG&E's request to raise rates to finance the project. The lines would bring wind-generated electricity from wind farms near Woodward, to central Oklahoma.

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