DA 97-460
February 28, 1997

Today, Chairman Reed E. Hundt announced the appointment of 13 members to the Commission's newly formed Local and State Government Advisory Committee. Chairman Hundt announced the formation of the Advisory Committee at the Commission's public forum on the use and management of public rights-of-way in the provision of telecommunications services.

The members of the Local and State Government Advisory Committee are: The Honorable Victor Ashe, Mayor of Knoxville, TN; The Honorable Bill Campbell, Mayor of Atlanta, GA; Ken Fellman, City Council Member, Arvada, CO; The Honorable Michael Guido, Mayor of Dearborn, MI; The Honorable Randy Johnson, Commissioner, Hennepin County, Minneapolis, MN; Representative Myra Jones, Little Rock, AR; Timothy M. Kaine, Council Member, Richmond, VA; Senator Douglas Kristensen, Minden, NE; The Honorable Darryl T. Owens, Commissioner, Jefferson County, Louisville, KY; Mary Poss, City Council Member, Dallas, TX; The Honorable Marilyn J. Praisner, President, Montgomery County Council, Rockville, MD; David A. Svanda, Commissioner, Michigan Public Service Commission; and Lieutenant Governor Fran Ulmer, Juneau, AK. Chairman Hundt will also appoint a Tribal government representative to the Advisory Committee.

The Committee will facilitate intergovernmental communication between local and state governments and the Commission. The Committee will also provide advice and information to the Commission on key issues that concern local and state governments and communicate state and local government policy concerns regarding proposed Commission actions pursuant to the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Local and State Government Advisory Committee was established pursuant to Section 204(b) of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, Pub. L. No. 104-4, 109 Stat. 66, the Committee is not subject to, and will not follow, the procedures set forth in the Federal Advisory Committee Act 5 U.S.C., App. 2 (1988).

"I am pleased to announce the appointment of this impressive group of public servants to the Local and State Advisory Committee," said Chairman Hundt. "Their combined experience in local and state government and telecommunications policy and development will be of immense value to the Commission. Since implementation of the 1996 Act, it has been increasingly important for the Commission to understand how our rules impact local and state governments. Congress established a framework in which we all must work together to promote, not impede competition. We at the Commission know that to bring real competition to the communications marketplace is going to take hard work from federal, state and local governments alike. I look forward to hearing the perspectives of the local and state governments and to working with the members of the Committee."

For further information on the Local and State Government Advisory Committee contact Sheryl J. Wilkerson in the Office of General Counsel at (202) 418-1700, 1919 M Street, N.W., Room 614, Washington, D.C. 20554.

Action by the Office of General Counsel.