CIVIC FORUM: Public Service Commission candidate John Atkins shakes hands with Winnfield Kiwanis Club President Ethel Howell, thanking her for the privilege of speaking to members during the club’s weekly meeting. (Photo courtesy of Kiwanis Club of Winnfield, Troy Rogers Public Relations)
WINNFIELD, La. — Continuing its long-standing tradition of offering an open, nonpartisan platform for public office candidates, the Kiwanis Club of Winnfield welcomed John Atkins of Shreveport, candidate for the Public Service Commission (PSC), as guest speaker at its weekly meeting. The appearance follows a presentation by Atkins’ opponent two weeks prior, providing Kiwanians and guests the opportunity to hear directly from both candidates seeking the District 5 seat.
Longtime Kiwanian Dr. Bill Gaddis introduced Atkins, sharing a lighthearted nod to campaign mailers and referencing Winn Parish’s storied political heritage as the home of Huey and Earl Long before turning the floor over to the candidate.
Atkins opened with an educational overview of the Public Service Commission’s regulatory scope. He clarified that the PSC oversees investor-owned and cooperative utilities—encompassing electricity, natural gas, water, and sewer services—while municipally owned operations, such as the City of Winnfield’s power system, remain outside state PSC jurisdiction. District 5 covers 24 parishes across North Louisiana, representing approximately 900,000 residents.
Atkins also detailed lesser-known consumer protection areas under PSC purview, including the regulation of non-consensual towing and household moving services to prevent contractual inequities and ensure ethical standards between service providers and consumers.
Atkins outlined his platform around three core pillars:
Constituent Access: Pledging hands-on responsiveness rooted in his eleven years of service as an elected Caddo Parish Commissioner, where direct communication with residents was central to his tenure.
Independent Representation: Maintaining an arm’s-length relationship with the industries the PSC oversees by declining campaign contributions from regulated utility companies or their executives.
Industry & Financial Competence: Highlighting his background as an oil and gas geophysicist, his business education, and seven years in utility management consulting during market restructuring to ensure informed decision-making on complex technical dockets.
Addressing ongoing infrastructure developments across North Louisiana, including prospective hyperscale data center projects, Atkins stressed the need to match power purchase agreements to facility depreciation timelines so industrial giants bear their full capital costs rather than shifting expenses onto everyday residential ratepayers.
Following his remarks, Atkins fielded questions from Kiwanis members, addressing jurisdictional gaps between municipal power lines and investor-owned utilities, annexation hurdles, and federal authority over communications.
As a dedicated civic service organization, the Kiwanis Club of Winnfield does not endorse, support, or oppose any political candidate or party. Guest speaker forums are conducted strictly to inform members and the community on public issues.
This article was prepared with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools.