Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Jan. 25, 1990, edition 1 / Page 4
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Page A4 Winston-Sakm Oiwnick Thursday, January 25,1990 Winston-Salem Chronicle Founded 1974 ERNEST H. PITT Publisher MICHAEL A. Pin Assistant to the Publisher NDUBISI EGEMONYE Co-Founder ANGELA WRIGHT Managing Editor ELAINE L Pin Office Manager JULIE PERRY Advertising Manager EAS opposition premature IT’S baffling, but apparently there are some people who actually believe that Southern Bell cares how much they pay for telephone service. What other explanation can there be for the adamant opposition to the proposed Extended Area Service plan? Strong lobbying against the plan by Southern Bell should alert consumers to the probability that the telephone company would lose money and the consumer would bene fit if such a plan is implemented. It is obvious that Southern Bell would lose a considerable amount of revenue now being generated by the long distance fees. The telephone company's insistence that the plan would be costly to the poor and only benefit businesses is unfounded at best. Cost determinations have yet to be made. That decision rests with the state Utilities Commis sion, and that body has not even considered whether an EAS option for the Triad is feasible. Southern Bell estimates that the elimination of long dis tance fees for calling within the Triad would cost customers somewhere in the neighborhood of an additional $3-4 a month. The citizens committee supporting the concept of toll-free service estimates the costs would run closer to $1- 2 more p)er month. For many people neither estimate is exorbitant. If Southern Bell is really concerned about the burden on those least able to pay, then they should begin talking about how to lessen that burden for those people. There are many people who would like to be able to reach friends and relatives living in Guilford and Forsyth counties without having to incur large long distance bills to do so. People who might wish to search for job oppormnities within the Triad or inquire with various stores about stock merchandise are inhibited from doing so because of the costs involved. The fact that few people currently call outside the coun ty can most likely be attributed to the fact that it costs too much with the service as it is. But what is disturbing right now is that so many people have objected to the concept without even giving it a fair hearing. At the very least, we should allow the Utilities Commission to weight the information it is receiving from those who support and those who contest EAS. If the Com mission determines that the idea has merit, it will conduct a poll to see what costs customers are willing to bear. That seems to be the only fair way to make a decision. Let's not be blinded by self-serving lobbying efforts dis- gitised as a concern for the poor. Planning: Support for process will yield result; To The Editor: This letter is prompted by the Dec. 27, 1989, Winston-Salem Jour nal article titled''"Board to Redefine Area Plans and Revamp the Way They Are Made" and is written on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Washington Park Neighborhood Association. The tempest regarding the effica cy of area plans has caused the City/County Planning Board and staff to schedule the issue for review at their midyear retreat on Jan. 24. The issue here is one of definition. Often it is painted as a dichotomy between the use of these documents as "guides" or an interpretation of them as the "law." This characterization overlooks the real issue and may be used by well-intentioned individuals who, in their frastration over the cor rect use of these plans, may seek to abandon area planning entirely. The real issue does not revolve around the word "plan" used as noun, it should be more accurately focused on "plan" as a verb, an active process. In December 1988, the Board of Aldermen approved the Washington Park Area Plan that had been previ ously renamed a "Development Guide" by the Planning Board. The approval was the culmination of a two-year-long process conducted jointly by a team consisting of plan ning staff members and a task force of our association. The team's work involved a series of five public forums ranging from "drop-in" ses sions held at churches in our neigh borhood to the final public approval hearing at City Hall. An analysis of the public's comments and sugges tions was conducted and was fol lowed by a thoughtful effort to write a document responsive to many con cerns. Throughout this process, the contributions of our neighborhood task force were tempered by the pro fessional expertise of the planning staff, shaping our plan to bring it into conformance with our city/county comprehensive plan, "Vision 2005." It is from this perspective that we offer the following comments on the most important aspects of the area plan process: public participation in plarming, respect for the professional guidance provided by the planning staff, and recognition that change and growth are beneficial to our commu nity if such change and growth are thoughtfully planned and executed. An open public process is with out a doubt the single most important aspect of planning future growth in our city and county. Indeed, "area planning" has been the most effective vehicle used to carry this process for ward. The area planning process allows citizens to have a voice in shaping their future at the most funda mental of civic levels, the neighbor hood. It allows their concerns about their own property to be heard and documented. Too often the perception of this process deteriorates into the complaint that area plans are too spe cific or are mistakenly characterized as NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard) activists versus advocates of "devel opment at any cost." Those painting this unfortunate characterization fail to recognize that open and public debate is simply democracy in action. The issue then is not one of whether area plans are the "law" or a "covenant," it is whether we will continue to have an open and public process for the development, fulfillment, and modification of those plans. While the future of area planning is debated, let us not overlook the valuable resource afforded by our City/County Planning Staff. This group of talented and professional plarmers can give us trained insights and a larger perspective on planning issues. Frequently the staffs recom mendations are ignored because of too-parochial viewpoints prompted by special interests. We must look beyond these interests and base our planning decisions on sound and CHRONICLE MAILBAG Our Readers Speak Out H broadly recognized planning princi ples. Lastly, the combination of open public process and trained profession al planning advice should be used to promote thoughtful, planned growth and development at all levels from neighborhoods to our city and county as a whole. Change is the process that makes our community more vital and attractive to new businesses and fami lies alike. However, we must learn to recognize and preserve those existing assets that make Winston-Salem and Forsyth County special enough to us to make it our home. The area plan ning process is the single most effec tive mechanism for accomplishing that goal. Through this process, we examine and assess our assets and lia bilities and reach mutually agreed objectives. Let's support the process and the result will take care of itself owner of an Afro-American busii I agree: "The customer is alv right." I I hope the manner in wliicB were treated will not keep yoa] patronizing other Afro-Amefl owned businesses, especially' there are other Afro-Araej florists. Afro-Americans are pi the stress and tensions of life in'! America. Arguing can help to! one's mind and relieve stress. I j Interestingly enough, we t most often with those we love| question is probably not if we si ever argue but rather how orl what weapons. We as a peopld to learn to choose issues wom ing about and argue fairly. H Lisa V.L. Menefee President Washington Park Neighborhood Association Don't be turned off To The Editor: It has been written that tliei sure of success is not whelfii have a tough problem to ded but whether it’s the same probli had last year. Your frustratioj the manners of the manager^ indeed a common criticism of American businesses. How sue are we going to be if we) locked in combat with out One of these days is none oi days. In response to the Disgusted Citi zen who was treated rudely: As an Sylvia N.C Black Tie F« Please see page A5 Get 'Our-Story' now for Black History Mont About Our People of the Year We are proud to present our 1989 award recipients. Our community is full of dedicated individuals who contribute much in their respective roles. Each year so many truly deserving people are nominated to receive an award that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to make a choice. This year's recipients have made remarkable contribu tions to tire welfare of this community. They all are people who have used their positions and talents to make life a lit tle better for us all. We invite the community to help us honor all of the individuals presented in our Year-In-Review section. They are truly a credit to this community. Yes, it’s that time of year again. It's time for the annual Black History Month Quiz from our special Black History Month issue of Tony Brown's Journal magazine. And, as usual, the conditions are the same: You can have all of the magazines you want to pass out to your church, school, group or friends - free. Of course, you pay the cost of shipping ($10 for each box of 200) and $1 in postage for each single copy you want to be mailed to you. Write to me at 1501 Broadway, Suite 2014, New York, N.Y. 10036, or call (212) 575-0876. This year's subjects range from the first black female in Congress to "A Man Called Adam." The magazine TONY BROWN Syndicated Columnist also provides the answers and grades you accordingly. For example, excel lent ("You're serious about history"); good ("You could improve"); average ("Obviously, you did not go to a black college") to the basement of black historical information ("Join the Library of Black History !"). Some of the questions are not so ancient. For example, "What do Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder share?" And who won her Academy Award for "Gone With the Wind?" You may already know that famed orator/politician Frederick Douglass delivered his most famous speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July," in Rochester, N.Y., on July 4. But in what year? For the sports fans, how about this one? A famous black jockey not only won the Kentucky Derby, but also the Russian, Moscow and Polish Derbys. Name him. The first patent awarded to a black man was for the com harvester on Oct. 14, 1834. Who was its inventor? You'll also get the answers to; Who wrote "I'm Just Wild About Harry" or the poem "John Henry"? Tme or false: Richard Allen orga nized the Free African Society and the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1864, the first publM system for blacks was openejl name the city, but the maga; quiz will. I will, however, say that I w if an educadonal system whil^ es to help us find out who we ai people (after deliberately mislj us with "His-Story" for lMiid| years) is really fulfilling its J traly educating us? i After hundreds and hiuKM years of educational neglq becomes more and more appata we are going to have to ieac]j other. 1 So join me for my 199^) of "Our-Story" so we can pane] in "His-Story." Chronicle Camera Do you think it is a good idea to have toll-free phone service in the Triad? The Triad area could be a step closer to becoming closely linked if a proposal to allow toll-free telephone service between Greensboro, Winston-Salem and the Triad becomes reality. The plan is to eliminate long distance rates between the three cities and the counties of Forsyth and Guilford. While the plan seems ideal because it would allow customers to call between the cities at no charge. Southern Bell also proposes that a rate hike would accompany the toll- free service. The plan, known as the Expanded Area Service (EAS), would bring about a 26 percent increase in monthly telephone rates. Southern Bell estimates that the monthly rates for Winston-Salem customers would increase by approximately $3.04 if the proposal is accepted. But critics of the proposal say that the EAS will place a hardship on low-income and elderly customers. The Winston-Salem Urban League's Board of Directors has endorsed a resolution opposing the EAS plan. The board feels that big businesses are the ones most likely to benefit from the service and that residential customers will be strapped with footing the bill. The Citizens Committee for a Toll-Free Triad has challenged the rate hike becaus- ’’ ’;ucs Commis'i''* ;, ^..peered to pio^,..^ a lower rate hike in February. J The commission will have] final say as to whether the plafl necessary and what the rates wOlj if the plan is accepted. j Chronicle Camera a* residents aieir opinions of th^ plan. I "I think we should be able to call close by without long distance and the increase should be worth it." "I don't call that much to those cities anyway." "I'd hate to see my bill go up.i "Yes, I'd like to call Greensboro for free." "It seems as long t the incre^ Isn't too much." I i i Russell Thomas Sheree Southern Fred Duncan Kenny McClain Pierre Singletary
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Jan. 25, 1990, edition 1
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