2 workers’ comp board nominees win support

AUGUSTA – A legislative panel Thursday endorsed Gov. Angus King’s nominations of two new candidates for the Maine Workers’ Compensation Board but tabled action on the reappointment of a third candidate.

After a lengthy period of questioning, the committee put off a vote on incumbent management representative David Gauvin of Brewer.

King aide Greg Nadeau said the committee’s action could leave Gauvin’s nomination in limbo indefinitely, but would not affect his continued service on the board anytime soon.

Gauvin was supported by a representative of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce but opposed by a representative of the Maine AFL-CIO.

Gubernatorial nominees to the board were selected from lists submitted to the governor by interested parties.

In voting to table the Gauvin nomination, some members of the Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee raised questions about conflict of interest standards for board members.

Gauvin is risk manager for the Cianbro Corp. and previously worked as a workers’ compensation manager at Webber Oil Co.

Lawmakers also raised questions about a pending court case involving the board and a decision on whether to extend the duration of benefits for disabled workers.

Nadeau said he believed AFL-CIO displeasure with a labor-management split on the eight-member board over the issue of extending benefits had heightened interest in the Gauvin nomination.

The committee decision to put off a vote came without dissent.

Earlier, the committee registered unanimous approval of two other candidates for the board after brief rounds of questioning.

Rodney Hiltz of Monmouth, a union leader who works for Sappi Paper, was put forth to serve a four-year appointment as a labor representative on the board.

James Mingo of Holden, controller for the James A. Sewall Co. in Old Town, was offered as a candidate to fill an unexpired term as a management representative. That term would expire next February.