Agenda - 01-20-1987 - Laserfiche WebLink

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To: Orange County Commissioners From: Dick Helwig, on behalf of Telecommunications needs. Date: January 20, 1987 Re: RDU-Chapel Hill, Durham EAS I have recently become aware that Mr. John Brantley of the Raleigh Durham Airport Authority has been talking with Southern Bell and General Telephone about establishing Extended Area Service between the Airport and Durham and Chapel Hill. The Airport and Southern Bell jointly approached the Utilities Commission on January 12, 1987 formally seeking approval for such service. While several proposals to establish the costs of such service were put forth, it seems likely that the Utilities Commission will authorize a calling zone much like that in the Triangle, with the businesses there (in the airport's exchange) paying both sides of an agreed upon surcharge for two-way EAS. After some discussions with the Public Staff of the Utilities Commission, I feel that Orange County should approach Mr. Brantley proposing that he amend his original request to include all of Orange County, not just Chapel Hill. We should call to his attention that 1) the SMSA consists of Orange County and Durham County and Wake County; 2) that the vast majority of the county's industrially developable land is not in Chapel Hill; 3) that the major intersection of two interstates is in Centel and Mebane Home Phone service areas - and that this represents the potential for major air-freight (and passenger) business that might just go to Greensboro's airport; 4) that there is currently an EAS proposal for Hillsborough, Chapel Hill and Durham; 5) Treyburn is quite likely to spill directly over into Orange County areas above Chapel Hill and 6) that such an amendment will not jeopardize the Airport's EAS proposal. I recommend that you authorize Commissioner Chair, Shirley Marshall to take a small delegation (perhaps Myself, Todd Zapolski or George Horton, Sylvia Price and John McKee) to John Brantley of the Airport Authority with this proposal. There is only about a two-week window for obtaining positive reception of this proposal, so time is of the essence. After that time, or with no interest from the Airport, we'd have to go it alone as an add-on directly with the Utilities Commission. With the Airport 's offer to pay the surcharge, it 's best if we convince them to request the inclusion of all of Orange. Clearly, I suggest, we must must run with this opportunity as we prepare Orange County (not just Chapel Hill) to fully participate in the blossoming Triangle metropolitan community. (See attached correspondence)