Appointments to the new energy standards study committee are already stirring complaints.

Senate President Keith Faber�s appointments to a new committee designed to study what energy mandates are costing Ohioans already has the Senate minority leader unhappy.

Leader Joe Schiavoni, D-Boardman, said he was asked by Faber�s office to provide his two recommendations to the committee, and he did – Sens. Capri Cafaro, D-Hubbard, and Michael Skindell, D-Lakewood.

Both had experience with the bill, Schiavoni said, and were interested in digging into the issue long-term. While Smith also has experience with the issue, her appointment makes no sense because she is term-limited at the end of the year, he said.

�That�s why I didn�t consider it because I don�t think this committee is going to get a lot of work done in 2014,� Schiavoni said. The committee is supposed to come up with policy recommendations by September 2015.

Instead, Faber appointed Cafaro and Sen. Shirley Smith, D-Cleveland, the lone Senate Democrat to vote in favor of Senate Bill 310, the legislation that froze state energy standards for two years and created the Energy Mandates Study Committee.

Jason Mauk, Faber�s chief of staff, said Smith came to the president and made it known that she wanted to be on the committee. Given her support for the bill, Mauk said, Faber decided to honor her request.

�There is hope it will get underway prior to the end of the year,� Mauk said. �When she moves on, there will have to be a re-appointment and I�m sure the president will seek input of the minority caucus at that time.�

Mauk said the president is usually deferential to the minority leader, but this was a unique situation involving a member who made a request to be on the panel.

That�s little comfort to Schiavoni. �Sometimes he acts like the king over here.�

�The president sometimes will ask me something and I will answer, and then he�ll do something else,� he said. �Why are you even asking me? If you are going to do what you want to do then just do it. It�s a little frustrating, because I don�t get any rationale. I don�t know what his rationale was for the appointment.�

Senate Republican appointments to the committee are Sens. Troy Balderson of Zanesville, Cliff Hite of Findlay, Bob Peterson of Sabina, and Bill Seitz of Cincinnati.

Schiavoni said he just hopes all sides get a full opportunity to explain their positions.

�I hope the outcome is not predetermined, if you know what I mean,� he said.