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KCC Chairman Resigns

The chairman of the Kansas Corporation Commission has announced he will resign. Mark Sievers has chaired the regulatory board since 2011.

The KCC regulates utilities including electricity, natural gas and telecommunications.

The organization has recently been involved in some controversies. A month ago, a Shawnee County judge fined the agency for violating the state's open meetings act by using a system in which some proposals were approved behind closed doors.

Sievers also butted heads recently with the group that advocates on behalf of ratepayers. He said the current system of making decisions about rate increases can lead to unproductive litigation.

Sievers will stay in the job until a replacement is named early next year.

Stephen Koranda is the managing editor of the Kansas News Service, based at KCUR. He has nearly 20 years of experience in public media as a reporter and editor.