Austin Reviews Phone Rate Hike
- Austin officials held a special meeting to consider Southwestern Bell Telephone Company's request for an increase in phone service rates.
- The meeting involved a comprehensive formal hearing, with detailed testimony, evidence presentation, and cross-examination from company representatives and city advisors.
- Due to the complexity of the rate increase application, the hearing was extensive, initially recessed to June 25th, and then further postponed to July 12th for continued deliberations.
Full Transcript
555 555 A CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: Notice is hereby given that a special meeting of the City Council of the City of Austin will be held on the 22nd day of June, 1954, at the Municipal Building, Eighth and Colorado Streets, in Austin, Texas, at 10:00 A.M., for the purpose of hearing the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in its application for a rate increase. Dated this 22nd day of June, 1954. (Sgd) Elsie Woosley City Clerk ATTEST: (Sgd) Elsie Woosley City Clerk (Sgd) C. A. McAden Mayor City of Austin, Texas (Seal) CONSENT TO MEETING We, the undersigned members of the City Council, hereby accept service of the foregoing notice, waiving any and all irregularities in such service and such notice, and consent and agree that said City Council shall meet at the time and place therein named, and for the purpose therein stated. > (Sgd) Mrs. Stuart Long (Sgd) T. R. Thompson (Sgd) Ben White (Sgd) Wesley Pearson CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS 555-2555 MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS Formal Hearing of the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company Request for Rate Increase June 22,23 & 25, 1954 Council Chamber, City Hall Roll Call: Attorney. The meeting was called to order with Mayor McAden presiding. Present: Councilmen Long, Pearson, Thompson, White, Mayor McAden Absent: None Present also: W. E. Seaholm, City Manager; W. T. Williams, Jr., City The Council held a formal hearing on the request of the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company for an increase in rates. MR. ED CLARK introduced the attorneys and witnesses for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company: MR. ED GOSSETT, General Attorney; MR. I. W. DAVIS, District Manager; MR. A. E. GRIESEDICH, Chief Accountant; MR. J. BEN BLANTON, Inventory and Costs Engineer; MR. FRANK GENUEE, Traffic Engineer; MR. HOWARD COX, C.P.A.; DR. J. C. DOLLEY. MR. W. T. WILLIAMS, JR., and MR. WILLIAM HODGE represented the City. MR. JAMES M. HONAKER represented the City in an advisory and consultant capacity. Company's Exhibits I through V were filed with the City Attorney. A complete transcript was made by MRS. OPAL LOOKE. Detail discussion was held, evidence heard, testimony presented and witnesses cross examined. This hearing was recessed until Friday, June 25th, 1954, at 10:00 Α.Μ. At this time the hearing was resumed and the Council recessed the formal hearing until July 12, 1954, at 10:00 A.M. APPROVED Madin Mayor ATTEST: Moseley City Clerk