NEWS

April 18, 1997

The first meeting of the FCC Local and State Government Advisory Committee tookplace this morning at the Commission. The meeting was the first in a series that will be usedto provide input and advice from state and local government officials concerning Commissionactions and decisions under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that impact local and stategovernments.

After the meeting Chairman Hundt said, "This was an important and productivemeeting of federal, state and local officials who are committed to continuing to work togetherin a constructive dialogue on issues of mutual concern. This advisory committee will be avaluable asset to the FCC in the months ahead as we wrestle with key issues of implementingthe Telecom Act that affect state and local communities."

Michael Guido, Mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, Chair of the CommunicationsSubcommittee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and a spokesman for the AdvisoryCommittee said, "We are delighted by the commitment of the FCC and our governments toact in a partnership relationship to deal with the impact of the Telecommunications Act onour communities. We are setting an agenda for future meetings of the Committee and aregoing to make this Advisory Committee a key factor in the decision-making process at theFCC."

Among the issues that were discussed at the meeting were:

Tower siting: new challenges facing local zoning authorities and the FCC with the rapid build-out of PCS and digital television;

Public rights-of-way: how best to reconcile the needs of local governments to manage the use of their public-rights-of-way with the procompetitive thrust of the Telecommunications Act of 1996; and

Over-the-air-reception devices: How the Commission's rules work and suggestions for improvements or modifications.

Chairman Hundt appointed the 14 members to the Local and State GovernmentAdvisory Committee on February 28, 1997. Hundt announced the creation of the Committeeat the Commission on January 13, 1997 following an earlier FCC Public Forum on the useand management of public-rights-of-way in the provision of telecommunications services.

The purpose of the Committee is to facilitate intergovernmental communicationbetween the Commission, state, and local governments. The Committee will also serve as asource of advice and information to the Commission on key issues that concern state and localgovernments. Today's meeting will be made part of the official record of appropriate FCCrulemaking proceedings.

The members of the Local and State Government Advisory Committee are: TheHonorable Victor Ashe, Mayor of Knoxville, TN; The Honorable Bill Campbell, Mayor ofAtlanta, GA; Ken Fellman, City Council Member, Arvada, CO; The Honorable MichaelGuido, Mayor of Dearborn, MI; The Honorable Randy Johnson, Commissioner, HennepinCounty, Minneapolis, MN; Representative Myra Jones, Little Rock, AR; Timothy M. Kaine,Council Member, Richmond, VA; Senator Douglas Kristensen, Minden, NE; The HonorableDarryl T. Owens, Commissioner, Jefferson County, Louisville, KY; Mary Poss, City CouncilMember, Dallas, TX; The Honorable Marilyn J. Praisner, President, Montgomery CountyCouncil, Rockville, MD; Patrick Spears, President, Intertribal Council on Utilities Policy;David A. Svanda, Commissioner, Michigan Public Service Commission; and LieutenantGovernor Fran Ulmer, Juneau, AK.

For additional Information contact: Sheryl Wilkerson at (202) 418-1700.
News Media contact: Meribeth McCarrick (202) 418-0256.