48O
<br />
<br />RESOLUTION RE: TELEPHONE
<br />RATE CASE
<br />
<br />ORDINANCE RE: TERMS -
<br />CH'VILLE-ALB. REGIONAL
<br />JAIL BOARD
<br />
<br />ORDINANCE RE: COMPOSITION
<br />BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
<br />
<br />AUTHORIZING WORKING
<br />DRAWINGS FOR THE CENTRAL
<br />PLACE
<br />
<br />ON MOTION BY MR. GILLIAM, SECONDED BY MR. VAN YAHRES THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION
<br />
<br />WAS UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, THE CHESAPEAKE AND POTOMAC TELEPHONE COMPANY OF VIRGINIA
<br />HAS FILED AN APPLICATION WITH THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION SEEKING AUTHORITY
<br />TO INCREASE THE COST OF PAY STATION CALLS TO 20¢, AND TO ESTABLISH A SCHEDLLE
<br />OF CHARGES FOR CALLS TO DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE SERVICE; AND
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, THE COMMISSION BY ITS ORDER OF FEBRUARY 11, 1975, HAS
<br />EXPANDED THE PROCEEDINGS CONSIDERING THE APPLICATION, CASE NO. 19452, TO
<br />INCLUDE ALL TELEPHONE COMPANIES IN THE STATE, INCLUDING CENTRAL TELEPHONE
<br />COMPANY. OF VIRGINIA SERVING CHARLOTTESVILLE; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
<br />
<br /> RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, THAT THE
<br />COUNCIL SET FORTH ITS POSITION ON THE PUBLIC INTEREST INVOLVED IN SUCH
<br />CASE, AS FOLLOWS:
<br />
<br /> THE COUNCIL BELIEVED IT HIGHLY PROBABLY THAT THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT
<br />IN NEW EQUIPMENT REQUIRED TO INCREASE PAY-STATION CALLS TO 20¢, AND THE
<br />GREATLY INCREASED ADMINISTRATIVE COST WHICH WOULD BE INCURRED BY THE
<br />INSTITUTION OF SEPARATE CHARGES FOR DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE CALLS MAY MAKE SUCH
<br />INCREASED OR ADDITIONAL CHARGES ECONOMICALLY UNWISE. IT IS THEREFORE
<br />STRONGLY URGED THAT'THE COMMISSION CAREFULLY CONSIDER WHETHER THE REVENUE
<br />TO BE RECEIVED BY THE TELEPHONE COMPANIES FROM SUCH ADDITIONAL' CHARGES IS
<br />SUFFICIENT TO JUSTIFY THE INCREASED CAPITAL AND OPERATING EXPENSES WHICH WOULD
<br />RESULT THEREFROM.
<br />
<br /> IN THE VIEW OF THIS COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC INTEREST WOULD BETTER BE
<br />SERVED BY CONTINUING TO INCLUDE THE COSTS OF PAY-STATION AND DIRECTORY
<br />ASSISTANCE SERVICES IN THE TELEPHONE COMPANIES' OVERALL RATE BASES,
<br />PERMITTING THEM TO BE RECOVERED CNA SYSTEM-WIDE BASIS, RATHER THAN AS
<br />DIRECT USER CHARGES. THESE SERVICES HAVE A GENERAL BENEFIT IN TERMS OF THE
<br />PUBLIC CONVENIENCEs SAFETY AND WELFARE AND THE FOSTERING OF TRADE AND
<br />COMMERCE, WHICH EXCEEDS THE IMMEDIATE DIRECT BENEFIT TO THE USER. THEREFORE,
<br />IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT THE COST INVOLVED IN PROVIDING SUCH SERVICE BE
<br />SPREAD OVER AS BROAD A SEGMENT OF SOCIETY AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS BEST
<br />ACCOMPLISHED BY INCLUDING THEM IN THE TELEPHONE COMPANIES' TOTAL COST OF
<br />SERVICE.
<br />
<br /> IN THE EVENT THAT THE COMMISSION DOES FIND IT ADVISABLE TO PERMIT
<br />DIRECT USER CHARGES FOR DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE CALLS, FAIRNESS WOULD DICTATE
<br />THAT SUCH CHARGES NOT BE IMPOSED IN ANY INSTANCE WHERE THE NtJVIBER SOUGHT
<br />IS NOT IN THE CURREN]I_Y AVAILABLE EDITION OF THE LOCAL TELEPHONE DIRECTORY.
<br />
<br /> IT SHOULD BE RECOCC4IZED THAT A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE
<br />HAVE A LARGE TRANSIENT SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION, AND THAT THE RESULTING
<br />CHANGES IN TELEPHONE LISTINGS OFTEN DO NOT COINGIDE WITH THE ISSUANCES OF
<br />A NEW TELEPHONE DIRECTORY. IN A UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY LIKE CHARLO]-FESVILLE, FOR
<br />EXAMPLE, A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF TELEPHONE SUBSCRIBERS CHANGE RESIDENCES,
<br />ARRIVE, OR LEAVE WITH THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE UNIVERSITY'S ACADEMIC
<br />YEAR. THE NEW TELEPHONE DIRECTORY IS NOT PUBLISHED, HOWEVER, UNTIL NOVEMBER
<br />OF EACH YEAR. THUS FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS CORRECT TELEPHONE LISTINGS FOR A
<br />CONSIDERABLE SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY ARE UNAVAILABLE EXCEPT THROUGH DIRECTORY
<br />ASSISTANCE. TO PENALIZE TELEPHONE CUSTOMERS WHO MUST AVAIL THEMSELVES OF
<br />DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE SERVICES DURING SUCH TIME IS WHOLLY INEQUITABLE.
<br />
<br /> FOR THE FOREGOING REASONS THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE
<br />RESPECTFULLY URGES THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION TO DENY THE REQUESTED
<br />PERMISSION TO INCREASE PAY'STATION CHARGES AND INSTITUTE CHARGES FOR DIRECTORY
<br />ASSISTANCE CALLS. IN LIEU OF SUCH CHARGES, THE TELEPHONE COMPANINES SHOULD
<br />BE PERMITTED TO INCLUDE THEIR ACTUAL COSTS INCURRED IN PROVIDING SUCH SERVICES
<br />IN THEIR RESPECTIVE GENERAL RATE BASES, THEREBY ALLOCATING SUCH COSTS ON
<br />A SYSTEM-WIDE BASIS. IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SHOULD THE COMMISSION INSTITUTE A
<br />SCHEDULE OF CHARGES FOR DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE THE COUNCIL URGES THAT THE LIST
<br />OF EXEMPT CATEGORIES BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ANY CALL FOR DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE
<br />WHEREIN THE LISTING SOUGHT IS UNAVAILABLE IN THE CURRENT PUBLISHED DIRECTORY.
<br />
<br />AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED '' AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
<br />
<br />CHARLOTTESVILLE, 1965, BY ADDING IN CHAPTER 24 AN ARTICLE NUMBERED 24-16
<br />
<br />AND 24-17 RELATING TO ESTABLISHMENT OF TERMS FOR THE CHARLO-FFESVILLE-ALBEMARLE
<br />
<br />REGIONAL JAIL BOARD," WHICH WAS OFFERED AT THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL ON
<br />
<br />MARCH 17, 1975, WAS ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDED VOTE. AYES: MR. BARBOUR,
<br />
<br />MR.FIFE, MR. GILLIAM, MRS. RINEHART AND MR. VAN YAHRES. NOES: NONE.
<br />
<br />AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED '' AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT SECTION 2-172.1
<br />
<br />OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, 1965, RELATING TO THE COMPOSITION
<br />
<br />OF THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION," WHICH WAS OFFERED AT THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL
<br />
<br />ON APRIL 3, 1975, WAS ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDED VOTE. AYES: MR. BARBOUR,
<br />
<br />MR. FIFE, MR. GILLAIM, MRS. RINEHART AND MR. VAN YAHRES. NOES: NONE,
<br />
<br />THE MAYOR VACATED THE CHAIR AND MRS. RINEHART PRESIDED. THE CITY MANAGER
<br />
<br />PRESENTED THE ARCHITECT'S RENDERING OF THE PROPOSED CENTRAL PLACE. ON MOTION
<br />
<br />BY MR. VAN YAHRES, SECONDED BY MR. BARBOUR THE CONCEPT OF THE CENTRAL PLACE WAS
<br />
<br />ENDORSED AND THE CITY MANAGER WAS AUTHORIZED TO HAVE WORKING DRAWINGS PREPARED,
<br />
<br />BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE. AYES: MR. BARBOUR AND MR. VAN YAHRES. NOES: NONE.
<br />
<br />
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