Last November/December 2017, the Burlington City Council voted to sell Burlington Telecom to an Indiana-based, family-owned company Schurz Communications and associated ZRF investors. This sale cannot happen unless the Vermont Public Utility Commission (PUC) approves it and grants the prospective new owners a Certificate of Public Good. The PUC proceedings on the sale of BT are underway now on a schedule that runs through October.
A public information session and public hearing will be held this Wednesday evening, May 9th, at Burlington City Hall. The information session starts at 6PM followed by the public hearing at 7PM where there will be an opportunity to speak to the Commissioners.
A group of six Burlingtonians (all Burlington Telecom subscribers and taxpayers) has asked to participate as parties in the PUC proceedings, to stop approval of the sale of BT to Schurz's company, Champlain Broadband, LLC, which was created in December 2017, specifically for the purpose of the BT sale. The taxpayers are represented by attorney James Dumont who is highly experienced in this area. They are awaiting a decision..
The taxpayers oppose the deal because it unnecessarily loses Burlington taxpayers at least $15 million dollars, and is contrary to state law and the City Charter. The Schurz sale would net the City only $5 million from the City's investment into BT which is more than ten times that amount. The taxpayers argue that under state law, the city must, at a minimum, recover taxpayer investments.
The PUC case number is 18-0491-PET and the case documents are accessible at:
https://epuc.vermont.gov/?q=node/64/129400
See the Burlington Free Press article on the intervention:
https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2018/04/20/burlington-telecom-activists-urge-[...]02/
To stay informed on the case or contribute to the taxpayer group's intervention, please subscribe to the BT Sale Intervention News at: https://www.keepbtlocal.com/puc-intervention-news-sign-up/
Note: This taxpayer request to intervene is not sponsored by the KeepBTLocal coop, but KBTL volunteers are helping with communications to the public.
Dec 22, 2024, 10 AM to 2 PM
Winter Solstice CelebrationDec 22, 2024, 2 to 4 PM
Play Dodgeball - Every Monday Night!Dec 23, 2024, 7 to 8:15 PM