19980311_1.docx

MINUTES OF DECISION MEETING
March 11, 1998 - 1:30 p.m.
In attendance were Commissioners Dennis Hansen, Ralph Nelson and Marsha H. Smith. Also in attendance were staff members Birdelle Brown, Bev Barker, Ron Law, Wayne Hart, Stephanie Miller, Joe Cusick, David Scott, Carolee Hall and Myrna Walters. Also in attendance were Neil Colwell of WWP and Mike McGrath of Intermountain Gas Company.
Items from the Published March 11, 1998 Decision Meeting Agenda were discussed and actions recorded as follows.
1. Minutes of February 26, 1998 Decision Meeting. (Minutes have previously been reviewed by the Commissioners and corrections made.)
Commissioner Hansen made a motion to approve the minutes; other Commissioners concurred.
CONSENT AGENDA
Items 2 thru 11 on the Consent Agenda portion of the Decision Meeting Agenda were considered as a group.
Commissioner Hansen asked if there were comments or questions regarding any of these matters?
Commissioner Nelson made a motion to approve all the items on the Consent Agenda; motion carried unanimously.
Commissioner President Hansen announced that Item 12 - Scott Woodbury and Keith Hessing’s March 9, 1998 Decision Memorandum re: Intermountain Gas Company Complaint/Investigation of Alleged Anticompetitive, Preferential and Discriminatory Practices would be held until the next decision meeting.
13. Birdelle Brown’s March 9, 1998 Decision Memorandum re: Telecommunications Relay Service 1997 Annual Report.
Birdelle explained the memo - said emergency adjustment to the TRS funding levels was approved by Order No. 27276, effective January 8, 1998. When Bob Dunbar, Fund Administrator submitted his report on February 6, 1998, he recommended that the levels remain the same at this time. Staff has submitted two possibilities. 1. Keep it at current levels or 2. Assessing local exchange lines at $.0435 per line and MTS/WATS calls at $.00065 per minute.
Commissioner Hansen asked if there were questions or comments  regarding this matter?
Commissioner Nelson said he didn’t see any discussion of staff recommendation on the per minute assessment, how does that compare to the present?
Birdelle reviewed what staff had submitted at the December decision meeting. Also said in the paragraph just before COMMISSION DECISION, it said - staff observes that because TRS assessments are not surcharges that are passed on to end users, it should not be necessary to keep per line rates rounded to the nearest cent. The new funding requirement could be maintained with the same proportions as previous rates by assessing .0435 per line and .00065 per minute.
Commissioner Nelson asked - does it reflect an even percentage increase? Even cents for local exchange rates and .07 of a mill?
Birdelle replied it is an even percentage increase now. Isn’t causing an inequity.
Commissioner Smith asked - if we left rates as they are today, would the percentage of revenues from each category be anywhere close to what is shown on Page 2 - revenues receives from prior year?
Birdelle replied that the revenue from MTS providers would be significantly higher.
Commissioner Smith said she would vote to keep them as is, because the administrative cost wouldn’t make any sense at all for this slight change especially since we are going to look at it in a year. Would not make any change.
Commissioner Nelson said in the report on USF rates it was shown that MTS rates had gone way down.  
Birdelle said that was reflected in the December calculation for TRS.
Commissioner Smith said she would just ask Birdelle that if it is outside the bounds of 60/40, then bring the matter to the Commissioners but if not, keep it the same. Keep it at the current level unless the percentage indicates a change, then Birdelle would come back to the Commissioners.
Commissioners Hansen and Nelson agreed to that proposal.
Meeting was adjourned.
Dated at Boise, Idaho, this 13th day of March, 1998.
Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary