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PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING

Tuesday, February 3, 1998; 11:00 A.M.
State Capitol Building, Room 430
Pierre, South Dakota

NOTE: If you wish to join this meeting by conference call, please contact the Commission at 605-773-3201 by 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 3, 1998.

NOTE: Notice is further given to persons with disabilities that this Commission meeting is being held in a physically accessible place. If you have special needs, please notify the Commission and we will make all necessary arrangements.

1. TC97-192 IN THE MATTER OF U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND ITS ABILITY TO SERVE SOUTH DAKOTA CUSTOMERS. (Staff Analyst: Harlan Best. Staff Attorney: Camron Hoseck.)

In its Petition for Order to Show Cause, filed December 12, 1997, Commission staff stated that by failing to provide adequate service, USWC could endanger the health, safety, and welfare of South Dakota citizens if those citizens cannot reach, for example, emergency numbers, doctors, hospitals, police and fire protection. Further, the inability of citizens and businesses to have telecommunications services timely installed and be otherwise reliable affects economic development and commerce and the welfare of the entire state of South Dakota. The convenience of the public can be and is negatively affected. The foregoing factors raise questions as to the competency, sufficiency and quality of management of USWC. The Commission considered this matter a January 20, 1998, regular meeting. On January 28, 1998, the Commission issued an Order to Show Cause and established March 4, 1998, as the date by which U S WEST must file prefiled testimony and March 18, 1998, as the date by which Staff must file its prefiled testimony. The Commission further ordered that a hearing be held in this matter on April 1-3, 1998. On January 29, 1998, Staff filed a motion asking the Commission to amend its Order to Show Cause. In its motion, Staff is asking for a correction of a typographical error and a language change that would allow Staff to call certain witnesses without those witnesses having to file prefiled testimony. On January 29, 1998, U S WEST filed a Motion for Discovery and Request for an Expedited Ruling.

Today, shall the Commission grant U S WEST's Motion for Discovery and Request for an Expedited Ruling?

___________________________
William Bullard Jr.
Executive Director
February 2, 1998