Public utilities provide electric, gas, water or telephone service to customers in a specified area. Utilities have a duty to provide safe and adequate service on reasonable terms to anyone who lives within the service area on without discriminating between customers. Because most utilities operate in near monopolistic conditions, they can be heavily regulated by local, state, and federal authorities. Generally, the local and state agencies are called Public Service Commissions (PSC) or Public Utility Commissions (PUC). Municipal Utilities and Rural Electric Cooperatives may be unregulated though.
Bovina is a city in Parmer County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,874 at the 2000 census. City Website One of the best-known Bovina residents was John Elmo Sherrill, Jr. (1925–2007), who held four different public offices in Bovina and Parmer County, including Bovina alderman, mayor (1956–1960), school board member, and city judge (1997–2007). Sherrill, a son of J.E. Sherrill, Sr. , and the former Myrtle Porterfield, was a native of Lynn County and was married to the former Patsy Clem (1931–2003). In 1953, the couple moved to Bovina, where Sherrill operated his former Sherrill Lumber Company for many years. In 1976, Bovina adopted the city manager form of government, with Larry D. Gilley first filling the position. Gilley later became the manager in Abilene and San Marcos, Texas. The last city manager was Ernest Terry, who served from 2001-2007. Terry later became the manager in Fritch, Texas. Currently, filling the position as part time city manager is Jana Pitcock.