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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF-COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: October 22, 1991 <br />SUBJECT: Extended Area Telephone Service <br />DEPARTMENT County Manager <br />ATTACHMENTS) <br />None <br />Fi <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No(j= <br />PUBLIC HEARING YES NO X <br />INFORMATION CONTACT <br />County Manager, <br />TELEPHONE NUMBER <br />Hillsborough <br />Chapel Hill <br />Mebane <br />Durham <br />ext 2300 <br />732 -8181 <br />968 -4501 <br />227 -2031 <br />688 -7331 <br />PURPOSE: To receive a report on the options available to Orange County <br />in the wake of the North Carolina Utility Commission's denial of the <br />County's petition for Extended Area Telephone Service (EAS) in most <br />parts of Orange County. <br />BACKGROUND: On September 27, 1991, the North Carolina Utility <br />Commission issued an order denying the Orange County EAS proposal that <br />would have provided flat rate EAS between Southern Bell (Chapel Hill - <br />Carrboro), CENTEL (Hillsborough), and Mebane Home Telephone (Orange <br />County portion of Mebane) exchanges. It rejected the proposal that <br />the Public Staff conduct a poll of CENTEL and Mebane Home customers <br />to determine their level of support for EAS. Polling of Southern Bell <br />customers had not been proposed, as rate increases associated with EAS <br />were negligible for the Chapel Hill- Carrboro exchanges. <br />The Utility Commission cited three factors in its decision. First, the <br />EAS proposal "would have a significant financial impact upon Mebane <br />Home ". Second,.there would be "substantial disadvantages to splitting <br />the Mebane exchange ". Third, and according to the Commission order, <br />"most important, Orange County EAS would severely compromise the <br />effectiveness of the experimental plan process ", referring to the <br />already approved plan for 50% reduction in toll calling Triangle -wide. <br />Orange County now has basically three options should it elect to pursue <br />EAS further at this time. These options are not mutually exclusive. <br />The County can request the Utility Commission to reconsider and alter <br />its decision, appeal the Commission decision to the North Carolina <br />Court of Appeals, and /or seek legislative changes. <br />The County has 30 days from the date of the Utility Commission order <br />within which to request Commission reconsideration, and the same period <br />within which to appeal to the Court of Appeals. The reconsideration <br />would likely include the following major points: <br />