19971008.docx

MINUTES OF DECISION MEETING
October 8, 1997 - 1:15 p.m.
In attendance were Commissioners Dennis Hansen, Ralph Nelson and Marsha H. Smith and staff members Don Howell, Brad Purdy, Ron Law, David Scott, Rick Sterling, Carolee Hall, Bill Eastlake, Randy Lobb, Terri Carlock, Birdelle Brown, Wayne Hart, Bob Smith and Myrna Walters.
Commission President Dennis Hansen called the meeting to order.
Items from the Published October 8, 1997 Agenda were discussed and acted upon as follows.
1. Minutes of August 26, 1997, September 8, 1997 and September 18, 1997 Decision Meetings.
Commissioner Nelson made a motion to approve the minutes, as reviewed and corrected. Motion carried unanimously.
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
2. Weldon Stutzman’s October 3, 1997 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. GNR-T-97-13; Application of Quintelco, Inc. for a Certificate of Public Convenience and necessity to Provide Local Exchange Services, Modified Procedure.
3. Brad Purdy’s October 6, 1997 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. EXC-T-97-1; Request of Excel Telecommunications to withdraw its Application.
4. Terri Carlock’s October 6, 1997 Decision Memorandum re: Pacificorp Request to Issue and Sell not more than 14,500,000 Shares of Common Stock Pursuant to its Stock Incentive Plan, Case No. PAC-E-97-4.
5. Regulated Carrier Division Agenda dated October 8, 1997.
Commissioner Smith made a motion to approve all items on the Consent Agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
6. Wayne Hart’s September 26, 1997 Decision Memorandum re: Valley Crisis Center Request for Waiver to Restrict a Payphone From Receiving Incoming Calls.
Wayne Hart reviewed his decision memo. Crisis Center wants to restrict their payphone from receiving incoming calls.
Commissioner Hansen inquired about why this wasn’t handled under  the new procedure that had been approved,  for  payphone exemption matters?
Wayne explained that this request came in before the new procedure was approved and put in place.
Commissioner Smith made a motion to approve the request; motion carried unanimously.
7. Wayne Hart’s October 4, 1997 Decision Memorandum re: Citizens Telecom of Idaho (Citizens) Tariff Advice 97-08 addressing FCC Docket 96-128 and 96-388 (Deregulation of Payphone Equipment) Requests an Effective Date of October 7, 1997.
Wayne explained that this filing was to make further clean-ups to the payphone portion of their tariff that had previously been approved by the Commission. Was essentially a housekeeping filing.
Commissioner Nelson made a motion to approve the tariff advice. Motion carried unanimously.
8. Birdelle Brown’s October 3, 1997 “Corrected Memo” re: GVNW Letter Received September 29, 1997 to Revise Access Rates in the IREC Tariff for Albion Telephone Company and Rural Telephone Company in Compliance with Order No. 27126, to be effective October 1, 1997.
Birdelle explained that this was a compliance filing on behalf of Albion and Rural.
Commissioner Smith asked if there was a corresponding increase in their USF draw?
Birdelle replied there is.
Commissioner Hansen made a motion to approve the filing; motion carried unanimously.
9. Birdelle Brown’s October 3, 1997 Decision Memorandum re: GVNW Letter Received September 29, 1997 to Revise Cambridge Telephone Company’s Residential Rates to Comply with Order No. 26263 issued in November 1995.
Birdelle reviewed the details of her decision memo - said this was the third step to bring Cambridge into compliance with Order No. 26263.  
Commissioner Hansen called for questions.
Commissioner Nelson made a motion to approve the filing; it carried unanimously.
14. Brad Purdy’s October 6, 1997 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. USW-S-97-18 Staff Motion to Consolidate this Proceeding with U S West Tariff Advice Filing of October 3, 1997.
Brad reviewed the decision memo. Is asking to consolidate the proceeding with the tariff advice.
Commissioner Smith noted that she did not believe the first proceeding was needed, but would vote to approve this. Motion passed unanimously.
10. Scott Woodbury’s September 25, 1997 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. EAG-W-97-1 Request for Amendment of Certificate--Chase Property.
Commissioner Nelson made a motion to deny the application; it passed unanimously - Application denied.
11. Scott Woodbury’s October 3, 1997 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. MNV-W-97-1 Morning View Water Company - Rate Case - Staff Motion to Dismiss.
Scott reviewed the matter - after staff’s motion was filed, company requested an additional 30 days to complete their filing.
Commissioner Smith said she would give the company the 30 days.
Motion was made by Commissioner Smith to deny staff motion; grant 30 day extension to the company. Motion passed unanimously.
12. Scott Woodbury’s October 3, 1997 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. GNR-W-96-1 Valley View Subdivision Inc. Staff Motion to Vacate 10/15 Hearing; Valley View Response.
Scott reviewed the memo. Spoke to staff’s motion to vacate. Company now requests a third hearing date. Staff is now proposing to go ahead with the hearing. (In October)
Commissioner Nelson asked if Mr. Radakovich knows what the current position of staff is?
Scott replied that he sent him a copy of the decision memo. Said he also called his office last week and explained staff’s position.
Commissioner Nelson said he was not in favor of going to Kamiah in December, January or February, and probably not in November.
Scott added that the parties are no further in closing this out that they were months ago.
Commissioner Smith said she would do whatever the Chairman of the Case thinks the Commission should do.
Commissioner Nelson made a motion to deny staff’s motion to vacate the October 15 hearing and to go forward with the hearing next week. Motion passed unanimously.
13. Scott Woodbury’s October 6, 1997 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. WWP-E-97-7 Proposed Changes to Energy Efficiency Tariffs.
Scott reviewed the four requested changes proposed by the Company.   Company disagrees with staff regarding the establishing of a maximum five year term for the leases and capping the maximum amount of the leases to $50,000 for each participating customer, in the Electric Efficiency Leasing Program.
Commissioner Nelson commented it appeared from reading this that in the Home Automation Program the Company is talking about installing different equipment.
Scott said they changed from a small number of high-end homes to allow more to be allocated to lower end houses.
Rick Sterling responded to Commissioner Nelson’s concerns and staff’s recommendation regarding monitoring and evaluation of the program. Said some people may be more cautious of turning lights off and on rather than relying on equipment. Monitoring may be difficult.
Commissioner Nelson commented there wasn’t a very good description of what the equipment was.
Rick replied - outside light turn-off and on, timing devices for water heating, occupancy sensors, etc. It would be similar to a rebate.
Commissioner Hansen asked - on leasing, the staff and the company are in disagreement, if we put in the language to have a general limit of $50,000 but allow the company to review anything over that amount, that they could make an exception if it had merit. Wonder if staff would be comfortable if you had something like that in the language - have the limit but also give them an exception mechanism if they needed it.
Rick said staff could support that. He proposed it to the company. They said they could go along with that. They would like a little more time to put together language on that. Think staff and company could agree to language on this limitation.
Commissioner Smith said she would recommend the changes and the monitoring and what was proposed by staff. That was put in the form of a motion. Commissioners Hansen and Smith approved the motion; Commissioner Nelson dissented to the home automation program.
Meeting was adjourned.
Dated at Boise, ID, this 16th day of October, 1997.
Myrna J. Walters, Commission Secretary