THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 8, 1994 TAG: 9410080268
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
Supporters of an effort to eliminate long-distance telephone charges between Hatteras Island and the rest of Dare County say they hope Carolina Telephone will implement Extended Area Service as quickly as possible.
Voters in Manteo, Waves and Buxton voted overwhelmingly for the proposal in polling taken by the utility between Sept. 7 and Sept. 30.
Opponents of the measure say the vote will result in higher costs to working people, with no real benefit.
Vote totals released Friday by the North Carolina Utilities Commission showed telephone customers approved expanded area service by a solid majority. Ballots on the EAS proposal were included in September phone bills.
In final figures released by the utility commission, 78.6 percent of the respondents in Waves approved the measure, while 66.4 percent of Buxton respondents and 58.6 percent of Manteo respondents supported the proposal.
``I hope that Carolina Telephone will put this issue on the fast track,'' Dare County Commissioner Doug Langford said.
Langford, who initiated the proposal with the utilities commission last summer, said the extended service is a victory for all of Dare County, and that the benefit will far outweigh the added cost to customers.
Residential cost increases will range from 12 cents per month in Kill Devil Hills to $3.00 per customer in Buxton. Monthly business cost increases will range from 30 cents per month in Kill Devil Hills to $7.22 per month in Buxton.
``This is a wonderful opportunity for us to remove one of the barriers that separates us,'' Langford said. ``This is an investment in our future. Future generations are going to realize an even greater benefit than we will in the short term. This is going to enrich the quality of life.''
Critics of the plan say it will penalize people on low and fixed incomes. At least one Kitty Hawk resident said the cost is not the issue.
``It's not the 12 cents,'' said Larry Rendine. ``It's the principle of the thing. We're being asked to pay more, and yet we weren't allowed to vote for it. Only the people in Manteo, Waves and Buxton were allowed to vote.''
Rendine said people in Kitty Hawk will not reap any benefit from the new service.
``I know people who call down there once every three or four years. They're not going to see any advantage from this. The people who are going to benefit will be business people, not the average homeowner.''
Rendine said he had received a letter from the North Carolina Utilities Commission saying the issue had been thoroughly debated, beginning in 1993.
``That's a bunch of baloney,'' he said. ``I didn't hear anything about this until a couple of months ago.''
Langford disagreed with Rendine, saying, ``There will always be people who won't see the advantages of doing this. This is going to bring our entire Dare County community closer together.''
Hugh Gerringer, an engineer with the utility commission's communication division, said the response in Dare County was ``higher than usual'' when compared with similar votes in other areas.
In Buxton, 2,108 of 3,618 ballots mailed, or 58.3 percent, were returned. In Waves, almost 70 percent, 659 of 945, of the ballots were returned. In Manteo, 2,192 of the 4,491 mailed, less than 50 percent, were returned.
``The numbers compare favorably with the remainder of the state,'' Gerringer said. ``Usually you see a 50 percent or less return rate.''
Gerringer said the higher-than-normal return rate could be attributed in part to a strong media effort by county officials in favor of extended area service.
``I think it's reflected in the turnout,'' Gerringer said. ``When the county gets out and encourages people to vote, it has an effect on turnout.''
Langford said that even though the Dare County Board of Commissioners took a lead role in pushing for EAS, the credit belongs to supporters in the communities.
``This is evidence of community empowerment,'' Langford said. ``Even though the commission was out front on this, the real work was done by people in the communities who worked hard for this. It's very gratifying.''
As for when EAS will be implemented, Gerringer was uncertain.
``I really don't know,'' he said. ``Carolina Telephone will have 30 days to provide a planning schedule to the commission. It really depends on that schedule.''
Langford hopes EAS will be in place within a year.
``The people have spoken and they want toll-free service as quickly as possible.'' ILLUSTRATION: PROPOSED INCREASES
Dare County residents with Manteo, Buxton and Waves telephone
exchanges approved Extended Area Service for their long-distance
billing. Under the plan, residents and business owners throughout
Dare County would pay an added amount per month on their phone
bills. But all phone calls within Dare County would be toll-free
within two years. Proposed monthly rate hikes are:
Kill Devil Hills $0.12 residence, $0.30 business
Manteo $1.24 residence, $2.97 business
Waves $2.45 residence, $5.92 business
Buxton $3.00 residence, $7.22 business
KEYWORDS: TELEPHONE RATES by CNB