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Commissioner Insko asked for clarification concerning the <br />differences in proposed telephone charges. She was assured that <br />this issue would be clarified during this public hearing. <br />Ms. Arianna Hoffman, a student at New Hope Elementary School, <br />spoke in favor of EAS. She stated that she is required to call her <br />parents collect if she is ill at school or needs to talk to them. <br />Also she and her classmates are often not allowed to call each <br />other because they live in different calling areas. Being able to <br />call friends and talk for extended periods of time is important to <br />children her age. She asked that the Utilities Commission take her <br />comments into account. <br />Ms. Miriam Murdock stated that her phone is on the Mebane <br />exchange although her address is Chapel Hill. This phone system <br />divides the members of her church, volunteer groups and friends <br />into toll calls and non -toll calls. The League of Women Voters and <br />the Extension Home Makers Club, to which she belongs, also have <br />members in each calling area. She can not call her Congressman <br />without making a toll call. Lastly, she feels that the homebound <br />aged are the most severely affected by this phone system. They <br />simply cannot afford to call for business or pleasure. <br />Mr. Ava Ferrell indicated that government employees should <br />consider the amount of time they spend on the telephone and the <br />expense created by a divided telephone system. <br />Mr. C. E. Squires, a Mebane <br />indicated that he has no interest <br />calling area and is not willing <br />others to have this privilege. <br />resident, spoke against EAS. He <br />in calling anyone outside of his <br />to pay an increase in order for <br />Mr. Alois Callemyn spoke in favor of EAS. He indicated that <br />he owns a local business with customers in Hillsborough and Chapel <br />Hill. He indicated that this fragmented system is a great <br />hinderance to his business. <br />Hillsborough Mayor Horace Johnson spoke in favor of this <br />proposal. He stated that it is important to the citizens that the <br />phone system step out of the dark ages. It is important to be able <br />to call from the northern to the southern part of the county. A <br />phone call to a homebound person often means more to them than the <br />prescription that their doctor writes. These antiquated phone <br />systems divide the citizens of Orange County. <br />Mr. Ralph Warren, Chairman of the Orange County School Board, <br />spoke in favor of this proposal. The effect of having many phone <br />systems in Orange county is that students, teachers, and school <br />volunteers have difficulty in reaching each other. Many phone <br />calls are simply not made and the ones that are made are often cut <br />short because of the expense. <br />Ms. Rebecca Clark spoke in favor of this proposal. She <br />