Austin Energy staff changes solidify

Austin Energy General Manager Larry Weis noted at an Electric Utility Commission meeting on Monday that the utility’s Chief Operating Officer Cheryl Mele will step down on Dec. 21 and will be temporarily replaced by Elaina Ball, current vice president of power production. “There’s a good group of people to keep a steady hand on the ship, and my advice to the commission is to listen to them but challenge them,” he said. Mele announced on Nov. 23 that she would be leaving the utility to join the Electric Reliability Council of Texas as chief operating officer and senior vice president. The Austin Monitor reported on Nov. 19 that Weis would be leaving his post, and City Manager Marc Ott announced on Thursday that utility senior vice president and chief financial officer Mark Dombroski would take over as interim general manager while the city searches for a new general manager. Weis explained that the shift would occur on Jan. 1.