971006.docx

DECISION MEMORANDUM
TO:COMMISSIONER HANSEN
COMMISSIONER NELSON
COMMISSIONER SMITH
MYRNA WALTERS
TONYA CLARK
DON HOWELL
STEPHANIE MILLER
DAVE SCHUNKE
JOE CUSICK
DAVID SCOTT
WORKING FILE
FROM:BRAD PURDY
DATE:OCTOBER 6, 1997
RE:CASE NO. USW-T-97-18
MOTION OF COMMISSION STAFF TO CONSOLIDATE THIS PROCEEDING WITH U S WEST TARIFF ADVICE FILING OF OCTOBER 3, 1997
On October 6, 1997, the Commission Staff filed a Motion to Consolidate this proceeding with the tariff advice filing made by U S WEST on October 3, 1997.  In the October 3 filing, U S WEST seeks to modify its Termination Liability Assessment for Centrex 21 services in southern Idaho.  The current proceeding involves the same issues for U S WEST’s northern division.  According to its Motion, Staff believes that it would promote consistency and efficiency and would be in the best interest of the Commission, the Company and its ratepayers to consolidate these proceedings and incorporate the October 3, 1997 tariff filing into Case No. USW-T-97-18.
Rule 256(03) provides that any motion requesting procedural relief shall not be acted upon on fewer than 14 days notice unless it states:  (1) the facts supporting its request to act on shorter notice and (2) that at least one representative of all parties has received actual notice of the motion by telephone or personal delivery of the motion or stating that efforts were made to reach representatives of those parties not contacted and what efforts will be made to continue contacting them.
The Commission Staff believes that no party will be prejudiced by the consolidation of U S WEST’s October 3, 1997 tariff filing into the present proceeding on fewer than 14 days notice.  Staff believes that in fairness to the Company, the Commission should consolidate these two matters immediately and issue a new Notice of Modified Procedure giving all interested persons 21 days to comment in response to the Company’s proposal for its southern Idaho division as well as its northern Idaho division.  Moreover, Staff contacted a U S WEST representative who stated that it was the Company’s desire to consolidate these matters.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to grant the Staff’s Motion to Consolidate these matters?

Brad M. Purdy
Deputy Attorney General
bls/M-uswt9718.bp