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1 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No cl <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: November 25, 1991 <br />SUBJECT: Extended Area Telephone Service <br />------------------------------- <br />DEPARTMENT County Manager PUBLIC HEARING YES X NO <br />ATTACHMENTS) INFORMATION CONTACT <br />None County Manager, ext 2300 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBER <br />Hillsborough 732 -8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968 -4501 <br />Mebane 227 -2031 <br />Durham 688 -7331 <br />PURPOSE: 'To receive citizen comments on Extended Area Telephone - - <br />Service (EAS) and the September 27, 1991 order of the North Carolina <br />Public Utilities Commission denying EAS in most parts of Orange County. <br />BACKGROUND: On September 27, 1991, the North Carolina Utilities <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 Utilities Commission cited three factors in its decision. First, <br />the 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 />Acting on behalf of the Board of Commissioners, the County Attorney has <br />gained approval from the Utilities Commission for Orange County to <br />intervene in the EAS case and has submitted a request to the Commission <br />to reconsider its September 27 order. He has also been directed by the <br />Board of Commissioners to preserve the County's right to appeal to the <br />North Carolina Court of Appeals by filing a notice of intent to appeal. <br />The Board of Commissioners wants to conduct the November 25 public <br />hearing to gauge the level of support for EAS among the citizens of <br />Orange County as the Board considers available options in the wake of <br />the Utilities Commission decision. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board conduct the <br />Public hearing to receive citizen comment. <br />D1 <br />